Man snubbed by Royal Mail after he stopped runaway post van

The Royal Mail is being accused of ingratitude after criticising a man who stopped a 2-tonne runaway post van from careering over a busy main road. Robert Moore, 63, an artist, cracked a rib and injured a knee as he tried to stop the Transit van rolling down a hill when the driver forgot to apply the handbrake. But, instead of thanking him for his quick thinking, Royal Mail's lawyers accused him of recklessness and putting his life in danger.

Mr Moore, a father of two from Clifton, Bristol, was given the brush-off when he wrote to Royal Mail to see if he was entitled to a reward or compensation. He was told that he was “the author of his own misfortune” because he should have been aware that trying to stop a runaway van was “fraught with great danger”.

In a letter to his solicitors, the Royal Mail said: “We cannot be held responsible for your client's injuries in choosing to stop a moving van without considering the personal consequences. We assume your client is of average intelligence and as such he must have known that what he was attempting to do was fraught with great danger, with the real possibility of personal injury.



“Had your client not attempted to stop the van it would have continued without posing any danger or threat to your client. That being the case, no injury could have been sustained.

“Of course it is commendable what your client did; however, Royal Mail would never ask a member of the public to risk their own safety in the manner above, and, while unfortunate, your client does appear to be the author of his own misfortune. We trust common sense will prevail here and you will simply advise in due course that your client's claim is withdrawn.”

Royal Mail apologised yesterday for the letter and promised to investigate. A spokesman said: “We would like to apologise to Mr Moore for the handling of this case and we are discussing the matter with him and his legal representatives.”