Score: another fallen comrade

I was in a constant state of heightened foot awareness when I first moved to clipless (at age 48). I had a cyclocross bike and it wasn't until I was on a dirt road going up a rutted a hill that I wasn't going to make (coming to a complete stop.... now!) when I unclipped my left foot while falling to the right. Damn. Now, the problem was, I had those godforesaken Shimano 324 clip on one side, metal platform CLAWS on the other and it made a 3/4" gash on the back of my left leg, just above the achilles. I was amused at myself, pissed at the pedal, and seriously considered giving up this latest project of mine. To some degree I did, and I just sold that bike, realizing that the body caution I have gained over the years did not serve me well on treacherous terrain. What I discovered in this latest round of test rides, is part of the problem was the pedal again! All the bikes I have ridden with my super cool, love them to bits, don't look like bike shoes Cannondale clipless shoes, is that they are all MUCH easier to unclip from. Without prior experience, I did not know that they are supposed to be much easier to pop out of. Now, I am stoked about riding clipless on the roads and believe it can become second nature.