I commute most days between work and home on my bike, a 2012 Raleigh FT-2. On Friday, I was involved in another accident in which I was thrown from my bike. Luckily, I landed better this time and though my left wrist was jarred, nothing was broken (unlike my first accident, two years ago, when I broke both arms).
Friday’s fall was not my fault. After passing the Polo Fields, heading east along Middle Drive through Golden Gate Park, a black labrador ran out from the woods, chased alongside of me, and then darted in front of me. I hit the dog in its ribs with my front tire, and we both went down. The dog was fine, and I only sustained bruises.
Then the dog walker came out of the woods and called the lab to her, and called the other four off-leash dogs she was walking. She asked, “Are you alright?” I replied, “I think so,” still feeling shaken. She explained, “He likes to run circles around his owner’s bike,” and then she walked off.
I had to fix the chain on my bike which had been knocked loose, and then I too left the scene — but not after taking the photos above.
The only lasting damage was to my Doc Martens.