It finally happened.... I fell over at a stoplight!

[campbellj]

I knew it was going to happen one day, I just didn't expect it would happen being in front of 30+ other cyclists. It was a 40 mile ride, I was feeling pumped, riding in the front group with some good friends of mine. I actually unclipped my left foot like I always do, but at the stop I was excited talking about something to my buddy and started leaning to the right and couldn't put my right foot down. HaHa right down on the road I went! It was more comical than anything, luckily no one went down with me, and everyone got a good laugh out of it, which I heard for the rest of the ride.

I know this has probably happened to everyone at least once, from what I heard, so what's you all's story?

 

[Mojo Johnson]

Falling at stoplights is embarrassing.

Last year I was leaving my parents house to ride home - it was about a 50 mile trip and my parents were worried about me making it ("seriously, mom, I'll be fine!").

Of course there's a stoplight about 20 feet from their driveway and I was excited about getting on the road, so much so that I forgot to unclip before the red light. Down I went. My parents and wife were watching but that didn't deter me from gettign up and bokkin git out of there, even with a little bit of blood comign from my left knee. More damage to the ego than anything else!

 

[alienator]

Trackstanding on a side street, waiting for Granny to pass on the main road, so that I could enter the main road. Before she passed I got hit broadside by a big gust of wind. Luckily, few were around to witness.

Now, how many times have I missed my pedal in an embarrassing fashion, at a stop light, all because of a comely XX chromosomal pairing in a car next to me? Oy, too many to count.

 

[bianchi10]

I have fallen over 5 times now within my year of cycling. My worst time was with my buddy near my house on our way back home. Coming up to a stop light and there must have been 10cars stopped. (At this time I had only been cycling for a month or so and I didn't realize that you could loosen the clips to make it easier or harder to unclip) We were coming to a stop and I just plain forgot I had my feet clipped in. went to take my right foot off as I was near a complete stop at this point and fell over in the bush's with my bike still connected to me. Car windows must have been down at the moment because I could hear people go..."OOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!!! and BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" I finally got myself out of the bushes and back on my feet only to see a car full of extremely attractive women laughin at me. It was a great moment in history that my friend never lets me forget.

 

[bianchi10]

Now, how many times have I missed my pedal in an embarrassing fashion, at a stop light, all because of a comely XX chromosomal pairing in a car next to me? Oy, too many to count.

I havent had that happen yet, but I have had SEVERAL near: accidents, rear ender's, run off the road, run into a buddy, hit a pole, hit a pot hole from breaking my neck looking a woman or 2...or 3

 

[GT Fanatic]

Exactly why I don't use clipless pedals.

 

[Deafwolf]

It happened to me while I was practicing acceleration from the stop light. I pulled a little too hard on the handlebars and lifted my front wheel from the ground. My balance shifted to the left and I couldn't correct it in time. And thus came my sideways flop. I'm sure people in their cars thought, "What a NOOB!"

 

[hod65]

hapenned to me at round about trying to get my foot back in to strap was looking down didnt see the kerb comming over i went in front of everyone id say it was comical to look at ...

 

[Mojo Johnson]

I want to learn how to Track Stand. So I forsee more falls in my future until I can master it.

Have any of you all mastered this art form? It looks hard!

 

[roadhouse]

not bragging, just saying. never.

 

[Brittanyboy]

I thinks it's happened to everone who rides with clipless. I have unclipped one foot and somehow did lean the other way and crashed over more than once. I always unclip both feet now. It's so simple to just clip both feet back in , that it's not worth falling over on the unclipped side. I've come to like the feeling of being able to put either foot down as you stop.

 

[CdnRider]

Guilty as charged! Had the wind blow me over the wrong way once. The side where I was still clipped in. Had the tip over where for some reason, seemed my Legs were as weak as a 3yr old and couldn't muster up the strength to unclip! Hey....sht happens. Tip over free now for many many years!

It's really a rite of passage....