Originally Posted by
wphamilton
You guys with the "added speed of the bicycle" - you realize that the added speed is parallel to the ground, and doesn't add anything to the vertical impact of the fall, right?
Well, that's wrong. From experience, if you go over the handlebars, you arc into the ground combining forward momentum and gravity. The ground is not just stopping your fall, it's also stopping your forward momentum. It hurts a whole hell of lot more than a relatively straight drop.
I'm surprised you made this mistake--the logical conclusion from your statement is that it makes no difference if you fall from a standing position or get thrown from a motorcycle at 50 mph.