How to deal with falling off your bike in public?

riding down the street pretty fast and turned around to exchange looks with someone going in opposite direction- and crashed into parked car, did 3 point flip over car. very embarrassed and crippled up.

A certain someone I know biked into a wall, fell down, stood up laughing, then proceeded to walk right into the same wall.

good times.

People will forget about your crash eventually, especially if you can laugh about it too.

One wet afternoon I was waiting to cross a fairly busy street, with other students all around. It had rained and the pavement was a little slick, and a girl on a bike rode up beside me and as she braked the bike skidded and she fell down and kind of slid forward with it, almost into the road. I would have been concerned except she made no noise or sound of any kind, and she immediately got up and got back on the bike and looked straight ahead, showing no indication that what I’d just seen had actually happened. It was entirely ridiculous.

Edit: Oh, man. I forgot about another story. I was walking back from class one afternoon (again) and I could hear my friend riding up behind me on his bike because he was talking on the phone. So I turned around to wait for him to catch up, and I was kind of in his path but I figured he’d stop or ride up beside me. Except instead of doing either of those he just ran directly into me, with his bike, and we both fell to the ground, and he dropped his phone, and a lot of people were staring at us. It too was entirely ridiculous.

A few years ago, my beloved 1982 Subaru was stolen (who would steal a 20 year old POS?). The police didn’t have much hope for recovery. My insurance company told me the value of my car was $200.
I lived about 3 miles from my work, so I figured I would get a bicycle, and ride to work (the ride is mostly flat, with a little uphill on the way home).
Now, when I see a grown man riding a bike, I think “DUI”.
Anyway, I bought a good, cheap bike, got it home, and assembled it. The next day, my wife drove me to work, and dropped off the bike for me to take home.
That night, I rode the bike back. On the uphill section, which is a very busy street, I noticed the gear shift wasn’t working quite right, and I was looking down to see what was happening, so I could fix it. I look up, and immediately run into someone’s mailbox. I went over the handlebars, and cut up my head and arm.
Yes, lots of people saw me do this. Yes, I am sure I made several peoples day.
The good news is that a week later, the police recovered my car.

Laugh with them and make light of it.
Really it is the best thing to do.

And yes- I am known for walking right into a signal post and reeling into the gutter.

The last time I fell off proper, I just kept going on, and ignored those who saw me. Of course, this was when I was 14 or so.
Self-humor is often the best medicine whenever I do something stupid nowadays.

Say, “I meant to do that!” :-)

With clipless pedals (which actually clip your shoes to the pedals), the most common accident is falling over while standing at an intersection.

Everybody does it at least once.

You should have done what my sister does when she falls. Lie down cover your face to cover your embarrassment of course and countinue to lay there for several minutes and pretend your really hurt and have lost consciousness. Actually on second thought don’t do this because it has been over five years since this incident and I still bring it up every chance I get and laugh uncontrollably. I only do this because five years down the road and she herself can’t laugh it off When people bring it up just laugh if you show it doesn’t bother you they won’t bother to bring it up anymore.

Say ” That bike is just getting too damn stroppy for its own good!”

These are all so funny. THANKS! :/

This happened to my friend, while biking in Philly she got caught in a trolley track and flew off…she actually broke her foot I believe, so I’m betting people weren’t going to stare and laugh, because I know people helped her.

I think if you aren’t physically hurt, it’ll be embarrassing but you just have to brush it off.

Oh and to make you feel better I walk into glass doors at least a couple times a month. I know what its like to do something embarrassing. I feel your pain!

Get back up and TRY AGAIN!

I’ve fallen off my bike three times in recent years (and come close to it many times—I like to mountain bike and BMX). Surprisingly enough, 2 of these times I’ve fallen were just on the road. Luckily, with both of those times there was no one looking. They were both caused by the same thing: riding through a leaf-pile. Those are death. They cause the bike to slip and fall instantly. The first time I just wasn’t looking and ran into one and I fell on top of my bike and scratched my leg and gashed it with the gear. Most painful thing I’ve ever felt. Left a scar for over a year.

The second time I was riding on a dark street and my light died and I didn’t see the leaf-pile and I rode through it. I was carrying a flashlight (my real bike light got stolen) and it flew out of my hands and landed a few feet in front of me (I fell on a lawn right next to the sidewalk, so pain was minimal thankfully). It was like your classic dramatic fall in a movie. I even heard the flashlight skid on the ground—it was so cliched. I must’ve looked so pathetic. My tummy really hurt for some reason as I tried to stand up. :( Glad no one saw it. :P

The third time I was trying to ride up a short dirt hill and my bike started falling and I jumped off of it and fell onto rough dirt. My friend was stifling laughter…

First day of class in college, I was crossing the street in a dress, in front of the fraternity houses. It was a wide, busy street, and I was wearing these adorable high wedge sandals (back in fashion). I had a lot of books in my arms. I stepped off the curb, missed my footing, twisted my ankle. I limped across the street, tripped up the curb on the other side street, and ended up splayed face first into the grass, books flying. There were about 15 Lambda Chis sitting on picnic tables, laughing their heads off. I just laid there, not sure what to do. Finally, a guy came over and asked if I needed any help. I said the first thing that came to mind, “I guess I attracted your attention.” He laughed, carried me to my car, and we ended up dating for two years.

I refer you to “Super Dave Osborne”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Dave_Osborne
Big embarrassment…

Lol I am from Columbus, where did you fall at? I have never fallen off my bike but I did hit someone on their bike while I was in my car. Technically he hit me but what ever. I guess this is sort of the same situation like, what do you do when your parents catch you masturbating. Just pretend like it never happened lol.

When my now-husband and I were dating, we went for a bike ride and picnic. While there, he proposed to me. We head back to the car a bit later and I stopped after riding a few feet to readjust. I was standing still with both feet on the ground and suddenly just fell over into the field with the bike on top of me. There was absolutely no reason for me to fall. I was so embarrassed, but it was funny as hell.

Laugh about it :) it probably looked hilarious. All falls do. No point being embarrassed:)

@LKidKyle1985 right outside the UDF on High and First.

@LKidKyle1985 literally it’s like spilling it in my driveway – I dumped where I sleep.

ah yeah there are tons of people around there too. And you aren’t kidding that community is pretty tight nit.

@LKidKyle1985 uhh no shoot it is. I’ve received calls already… “Did you fall today?”

If I fell over on my bike (which I never have) I would find some way to turn it into interprative dance.

You know cafes and stuff that have a big window facing the street and stools so you can sit and look out the window? Well I was standing (not moving) on my bike once in front of one of those and I just plain out lost my footing and fell. They probably all thought I was literally retarded, which I thought of at the time and started dying of laughter because it’s a hilarious thought. So yeah, again, just laugh, lol.

I just got clip-in pedals this year, I have fallen over at an intersection about 12 times this year (Yeah I know i’m dumb) just get back on smile, laugh and ride away.

I was pretending to play and enjoy volleyball in high school with other girls that appeared as 7’ tall bodybuilders at the time but they were my schoolmates. Over the net the ball screamed towards me, banging me hard in the forehead . My head reared backwards then I acted like I had been hit with a cottonball. Dazed, I waited for the next blow that never came. It was dawning on me I was not and never would be athletic.