Originally Posted by
GriddleCakes
Keep your hands on the handlebars, tuck in your elbows, and try to keep your head of off the ground.
Easier said than done.
When your front wheel goes out from under you unexpectedly, it will likely be very sudden, and there's a good chance you'll go almost straight down. If you manage to defy your reflex to protect your self with your hands out, you'll likely smash your face into the asphalt.
I broke my thumb when I hit a dog in the dark one morning (it was behind a bush and darted in front of me so I didn't see it until I hit it) and was thrown head first over the handle bars. I got scraped up pretty badly and broke my thumb, but I'll take that over what would have happened to my face if I hadn't put out my hands.
So, IMO, it's pretty hard not to put out your hands to protect yourself, and a questionable strategy to try.