Hit your rear brakes more than your front ones. You won't have the tendency to fly over your handlebars as easliy. Glad to hear everyone's recovering.

Also had my first crash a week ago. I was going down a hill, watching the line of cars on my left, because some idiot at the front was planning on turning right from the middle lane, lots of honking. I didn't see this sinkhole in the pavement, and I went flying over the handlebars, my back tire going over my head.

I landed on my right elbow and head (helmet, yes!), then tumbled a couple times til I came to a stop. I've never been so bruised and sore in my life. i think I was going almost 20mph. Bruises the size of my hand on my thighs, my elbow scraped up with bruised muscles, ribs hurt, neck hurt, back hurt, bruise on my hip (all of these bruises were the shape of bicycle parts).

But today I'm fairing well. But haven't been back on the bike yet, my arm still aches. I know I'm wimping out, but I've never crashed like that EVER. I'm lucky I didn't break anything. Lucky to have that helmet!