My first fall

On the way to work this morning, I got caught in trolley tracks on Spruce St while trying to pass another cyclists, and got sent skidding onto the street. I was looking ahead to see what was in front of him, and didn't pay attention to the tracks right in front of me until I was on the ground.

Luckily, apart from landing on my leg, both my body and my bike were fine. And luckily, the cyclist in front of me stopped to make sure I was OK and make me feel better.

Since I write for this education blog, I was told I should try to make my fall into a 'learning experience'. I've been riding across that intersection all summer, but the combination of being distracted and the slippery road were enough. It seems really easy to fall off your bike (and perhaps it's inevitable that we all do), but there are lots of tricks to make your ride as safe as possible- I've tried to post many of them the Commuting Tips sidebar. So when I head home this afternoon I'll make sure to look immediately in front of me before turning or shifting lanes.

And for when you do fall, things like wearing a helmet can make you safer.

In fact, I was fittingly on my way to work so that I could finish writing our Fall & Winter Weather Cycling Tips. After this morning, I moved the 'watch out for extra-slippery hazards like trolley tracks' advice to the top.