I was one of those closet uni-riders when I was learning: always
behind closed doors when no-one was looking so they couldn't see
me fall. I spent about two months like this, riding between the
various bits of furniture in our lounge. On day, I was kind of
reaching the end of the room, so I stopped and grabbed the chair
back. I was sat on top, but suddenly the chair moved, and the uni
flew forwards from under me. The unfortunate thing was that I was
so near to the wall: the uni hit it and rebounded at high velocity
before the saddle had left my crotch. Needless to say I doubled
up immediately and started practising temper control...
The upside of this incident is that I banned myself from riding
indoors, and within a couple of days vastly improved my confidence
and skills. That was two years back, and I've not had an accident
since.
The nearest I've come to a fatality was last year, turning right
from Baker Street into Euston Road here in London. I'll just say
that Euston Road is a dual carriageway, and that the bus-driver
following me was too amazed to remember to steer... somehow I got
out of the way in time, but I don't remember how.
pab.