First accident last night, please tell me I am not the first to do this...

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I had several embarrassing incidents when I first started which was in spring 2012. Later that year, after the Tour de France and during the London Olympics we were holidaying in France and I bought myself a Union Jack jersey in order to wind up the French about the Wiggins victory.

I always unclip my left foot and on an early ride in France I came to a junction beside a cafe with locals filling the pavement tables. I unclipped the left foot as usual, but being on the right hand side of the road the road cambered steeply to the right and I toppled to my right in slow motion with the right foot firmly clipped in.

All this while wearing a Union Jack jersey to the huge amusement of the locals.

“C’est ne pas Wiggins” was the kindest comment I heard.

You're not the only one to have been caught out by a right foot unclip on a steep french camber. I saved it but it was close.
 

Ice2911

Über Member
Forgive me but it has been 2 years since my last confession. Fully loaded touring bike in Holland. Riding through a town behind my mate. Approach a junction and unclip my left foot as usual. Thought my mate was going to go across the junction but he stopped suddenly. I nearly went into the back of him and in slow motion toppled to the right. Couldn’t unclip. Kept my elbows tucked in and full panniers make pretty good airbags.
House of the door opposite the junction was open with a lady standing there. I just lay there laughing.
No damage except as many have said ‘to the ego ‘. Several near misses since then as well :smile:
 

SuperHans123

Formerly known as snertos999
bl_111716_a.jpg
 

Shearwater Missile

Über Member
A few years back, well 30 then, when I was out in the countryside near Kersey, Suffolk there is quite a climb near Kersey Mill. I was on my Motobecane steel frame with just a 5 speed freewheel. When I came to this hill I cycled as far up as I could and then got off to walk the rest. After several steps I thought to myself " this is stupid, I am a cyclist", and so I got on the bike again trying a running start and to my dismay I promptly fell sideways into the verge. Luckily there was no one about and no damage was done to either bike or me. I said to myself " I don`t believe I just did that". I have not done it since and have also cycled up Ditchling beacon twice on that bike without stopping. I never have worn cycling shoes as I am too afraid of the clipped in fall. Why worry when I can do my own !
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
A friend and I once left the pub in a state of overwhelming refreshment.
He carefully held his bike vertical and attempted to leap into the saddle.
He missed and landed in a heap on the opposite side, The bike then fell on him.
And I almost dislocated a lung while laughing.
 

Threevok

Growing old disgracefully
Location
South Wales

If you are offering these as a solution, may I just mention that I once did a Del Boy with these too.

By the time my brain worked out that I was using flat pedals that day, and twisting my foot to unclip was a futile exercise,- I hit the floor :laugh:
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
My best one was riding past the right turn that I should have taken. Braked quickly then remembered I was clipped in. Caught my shin on the corner of the pavement so it bled a lot a hurt a lot more. Worse was the two teenage girls walking by as I tried to jump up as though it was nothing.
When I got back home my wife saw the blood and asked "where were you when that happened"?
I replied "I was on my a**e in the middle of the road".... ohh how I laughed.
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
I found this still stuck to my t-shirt when I got home half an hour ago.

IMG_20190705_140739.jpg


I'd rolled up to a gap in the old stone wall and rather than stop and put a foot down to check for traffic on the road, I intended to put my hand on the wall to steady myself.
Given the trail I was on had a few rocks here and there, the bike stopped dead sooner than I planned due to a rock and I went inspecting the bushes to my right.
Wasn't even clipped in.
My avatar at times like this is most appropriate :smile:
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
It can be worse on motorcycles

We has only just got the bike, and hadn't yet introduced the "nod-when-ready-to-get-off" protocol. I'd stopped the bike then decided to knock it out of gear took one foot off just as Mrs PP decided to get off. We slowly but inexorably tumbled over.

And even worse on another occasion. Go caught out by the camber stopped at a roundabout and we both tumbled. A kind taxi driver stopped to help me pick the bike up as we were loaded up with panniers and it would have been a real struggle.

A 1000cc motorcycle is impossible to stop once it's over more than a few degrees. Now we have the strict protocol - both feet down, big nod of head,Mrs gets off, stand down, I get off
 
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