Glad to hear the OP is on the mend. I sympathize with him - I broke 2 ribs on a bridge last fall. Not wet - long story for another time . . .

I find that a big hazard is the transition from trail to bridge. That strip of metal or wood is usually not even with either the trail or the deck. To make it worse, the trail surface often settles. The result is a severe bump that you need to hit straight on or it will toss you off line. This can be a bit sticky as several bridges have a curved approach.

Several bridges on the local trails are steeply arched like something you would find in a Japanese garden. Pretty, but no fun to ride over. There is no smooth transition - the arch starts abruptly and there is no hope of coasting across. You need to shift down and pedal hard - then you have the sharp downslope that may have a quick turn or rough transiton. A couple are short but have a steep arch and no railings.

These trail are heavily wooded, so wet leaves in fall add to the problem.

Like rumrunn, I hate the posts. My mind tells me there is plenty of room, but . . . .

And as the pix shows, bridges seem to be wonderful spots to rest, take pix, fish, etc.