Another one. I'd done some adjustments to the bike, so I took it into the back garden for a quick test. I didn't bother putting my bike helmet - after all, it was only my back garden. And I would be going fast. And it was just a coulpe of laps. No danger.
So I rode a couple of circles, then looked down at the chain position which was fine, looked up, and was just in time to see the small tree, which I *know* perfectly well is in the middle of the garden, about 10 feet away and coming straight for me, which was not fine. I had just enough time to say something appropriate and throw myself to the side, but I wasn't quite quick enough and one of the branches hit my head.
I lay there slightly annoyed, got up, and noticed a lot of red stuff pouring out onto the grass, and it wasn't antifreeze. I put the bike away, went into the house, dripping blood all over, had a look in a mirror, and decided to go to the Small Injuries Unit nearby (for small injuries, this is *much* better than an A&E).
Scalp wounds bleed a lot. I was wearing a white t-shirt, which was now partly white and mostly red, I looked like the victim of the Amersham Chainsaw Massacre. I kept explaining to people that it wasn't as bad as it looked, but they got me in front of a nurse very quickly. She cleaned me up (which was the main reason I went, I couldn't do it myself because I couldn't see what I was doing) and decided that I didn't need stitches, just a dab of glue.
So, all nicely glued together, I went home in my red and white t-shirt to explain to ladysolly why there was blood all over the kitchen, utility room and downstairs toilet and that it wasn't as bad as it looked.
Lesson learned - always wear your helmet.
