Listen to the wise women of TE. You've gotten good advice here.

A lawyer might surprise you, goldfinch. Many communities have "bicycle lawyers" who are quite often happy to help with this sort of thing for a reasonable fee.

Savra- I completely disagree with you. And yes, a car driver could file a claim against the owners under the same circumstances. Most jurisdictions have leash laws. The owners are responsible for complying with those laws. Period.