A quick warning, there are curse words that are unbeaped in today's episode of the show.

If you prefer a beeped version, you can find that at our website, thisamericanlife.org.

I've had a bunch of bike accidents in the last year and a half, and the moment that

things go wrong is always the same.

These accidents happen during my morning commute, and they always happen when it rains.

I have this very light bicycle I got, and when it rains, something about this bike on

the city streets, a metal grate, a slippery patch of any sort at all can make the bike slip

out from under me.

I've broken a clavicle, I banged at my wrist, I've given myself some kind of booze on my

right arm that still wakes me up at night months later.

And in each of these three accidents, you know, like when you're following, there's that

second or two, when you realize you're going down and you're on your way down, but you haven't

actually hit the ground yet.

Weirdly, it is enough time for a bunch of thoughts to go through your head, and all three times,

like I say, it's been the same.

Somehow, I get very calm, and I think, this isn't going to be so bad.

I'm not going very fast.

The ground isn't that far.

There's a car coming.

Okay, no car is coming.

I figured out how to fall.

It's going to be fine this time.

...