To feel angry at the boy who knocked me off my bike?

[wizzyderbyshire]

I’m a keen cyclist, I try and be aware of traffic, wear appropriate safety gear and pay attention to road conditions. I was knocked off my bike a few weeks ago by a teenaged lad on his way to school on his pushbike. (He was on my side of the road and popped out next to parked cars)
My bike is wrecked. He was uninjured. I have a smashed shoulder which has required an operation - I’ll be off work for several months.

Am I Being Unreasonable to feel really bloody angry (probably made worse because nobody has made any effort to say ‘sorry’)
(I do not expect legal or financial recourse at all)

Bloomin heck, this sounds like a very serious accident where presumably 999 called? Your thread title rather underplays the severity

Of course not. I'd let it go though (only because being angry serves no purpose other than to cause you stress). It's done now, you can't go back in time. If they haven't apologised yet I doubt they will.

You are not unreasonable and to be honest I would be thinking about claiming against his parents household insurance - they often have a public liability clause - if you can trace him that it.
I do foresee a time in the near future where cyclist will need their own liability insurance , as more bikes take to the roads with little actual provision made for them.
Sorry you had such a nasty outcome , your shoulder will take ages to heal

Why aren't you making any sort of claim?

your shoulder will take ages to heal

well that’s nice to say

I'd be tempted to discuss it with him and his parents, now you know the extent of the damage done. They may have household insurance that could help you... And send him a very clear message that his actions can have far reaching consequences.

Very odd for you not to be pursing a claim. Unless your workplace is giving you 100% full pay for the duration of your recovery, and you incur zero expenses due to your injury…. Then i would urge you to put aside this idea that claiming is a bad thing

Are the boy and his family aware of just how serious your injuries are?

Apologising nowadays can be seen as accepting the blame for it - his DPs probably don’t want a claim to honour.

Can you make a claim?

You want to moan, of course. Who do you think is going to say you’re being unreasonable here? You don’t need the validation of strangers.

It's fine to feel however you feel about it. It's rather similar to bring hit when in your car by someone shooting out of a junction without looking. When you take to the road you accept these risks exist. If you don't have any contact details then there's nothing more you can do.

Did you get his details? Did he stop?

Yanbu. Anger usually sets in after the shock. All that aside why does it seem you've been left to put yourself back together alone both physically and mentally and for the boy it was just a bad day. Were police not called? An ambulance? Did he speed off? You need to pursue this - a shoulder damaged to the extent you'll be off work for months and required surgery isn't something that you simply get over.

Of course you are not unreasonable to feel angry.

His parents may have liability insurance as part of their home or car insurance - or they may even have a family membership to Cycling UK. In which case you might be able to claim for medical bills - physio etc.

In fact are you a member of Cycling UK or British Cycling yourself? They might be able to help you with making a claim or you might be able to claim from their insurance, I am not sure if they cover personal injury to members or only cover third party claims. They do provide legal advice to members who've been injured though.

Of course this is far more likely to happen with a car driver. But they do have insurance.

It is time we all had our own insurance really, rather than depending on other people's.

I do foresee a time in the near future where cyclist will need their own liability insurance , as more bikes take to the roads with little actual provision made for them

Many are members of Cycling UK and British Cycling, so they do have liability insurance.

But query if kids do. They do offer family memberships though.

Taken to ED by ambulance, the police never arrived and have told me (I reported it to be able to claim for my bike in my own insurance) that it was a civil matter.
I think I’m trying not to be a judgy dick but I feel really pissed off that I’m the only one facing consequences.

Well yes unquestionably it was a civil matter. He poked his bike out between two parked cars and you crashed. He walks away with no injury but you did. It’s unfair and I get your anger but the very idea that the police would get involved is odd.