Originally Posted by travelerman

While approaching a stop, I generally [disengage, unhook, pull-loose] my right cleat from the pedal while slowing down, then when I am almost stopped, I set my right foot down on the pavement until it's time to get going again.

For some reason (slight decline altering my speed, fuzzy head from a longer-than-usual ride, Pretty Running Girl across the intersection waiting at the light to cross my way), my bike went to the left, and before I could dis-en-cleat my left shoe, I hit the pavement on my left side, and struggled - comically, I'm sure - to twist the cleat from the pedal with my own weight and the bike's bearing down, and with nothing to hold onto, since I could not make contact with the pavement with my right foot (locked in place sideways as I was). Somewhere in the epic struggle - either the initial fall, or the effort to loosen my left foot, my right ankle sustained the (looks-worse-than-it-is) crankarm bite in the photo, as well as some mild road rash on the momentarily-trapped left knee.