Originally Posted by
63rickert
You're thinking of one accident scenario and I'm thinking of another. I described my scenario. A boxed-in accident where no sliding across acres of open pavement is going to happen. In which case the best course of action is to step off the bike. It is possible to just step off the back of a bike. In the dream case you land on your feet and just walk away. More likely you fall, it's a low fall and not a horrible one, even with complete lack of judo and stuntman training. Instead of dreaming dreams about flying through space head on consider the possibility of stepping off the bike. Also consider that every accident or incident is not alike and one response does not fit all.
I've been in many, many, many crashes. In not a single one have I been able to "step off the bike". First and foremost, I'm clipped in which I have found through years of experience is far safer than having my feet free. Second, my saddle is far to high to just "step off". I would have to have time to lift myself off the saddle and step back. Third, if I have than kind of time to plan to step off, I'm going to be fighting to stay upright and/or avoid whatever I'm going to crash into.
And while I agree that no crash is like another, there are things you can do in
any crash to lessen the potential damage. Again, don't "brace for impact" or try to catch yourself once you fall. The crash might not hurt any less but if you break a bone it can hurt a whole lot more.