Uber 'Good Samaritan' sought by Cambridge cyclist after crash

Tim Oates says he wants to "shake hands" with the man who helped him

A cyclist is appealing for help in finding a "Good Samaritan" who paid for an Uber taxi to hospital after he was badly injured in a crash.

Tim Oates, 61, had face and head injuries after the "sudden accident" in Cambridge on 21 November.

He said he had no idea the man - called Doug - had paid the fare until he arrived at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

"When the chips are down, human nature kicks in and people can be very caring," he said.

Mr Oates, from Swaffham Bulbeck, said he came off his bike "without warning" at the junction of New Street and Coldham's Lane at about 17:45 GMT.

"My bike just went from underneath me, it was like being hit by a sledge hammer in a completely unexpected way," he said.

"This guy appeared out of nowhere. I had bad concussion but he was so patient, I was behaving very erratically."

Mr Oates, who works at Cambridge Assessment, said he wanted to "shake his hand and say thank you" to Doug after the accident which left him with smashed teeth and concussion.

Tim Oates said he was told he had skidded on ice in the dark at the junction of New Street and Coldham's Lane, Cambridge

Mr Oates said Doug had decided that a taxi would be the quickest way to get him to hospital and he believed the fare would have been about £20.

"It was a very kind act just to stop and be concerned for another human being in distress," he said.

"He spent a lot of time in the cold looking after me."

Mr Oates had a seven-hour stay in hospital and he said he was told he had hit ice on the road, and that several other cyclists were treated after similar crashes.