[gbrandwood]

Well, I thought it only right I should come back here and report that I took a bit of a tumble...

Went to the shop to buy some bread. On the way back, after re-mounting, I had a bit of a wobble and had to step off. Got back on but this time I lost it. Didn't get chance to step off, I went down on to the pavement. Not quite a face plant. I landed on my side - shoulder and hands took the brunt of the fall.

I think I may have hit my head - my face ended up on the floor but I'm not really sure to be honest. There were no marks on my head or face.

I got up and inspected the damage. Some scrapes on my hands, some mud on my hoodie. But what is this? My little finger in a seemingly impossible position? Yikes! I looked around. No one seemed to be about. I picked up the bread and my ride and walked back home.

Turned out I had broken and dislocated my finger. It was popped back in later that day and is now bound up for a week or so. On the way to A&E in the car I passed out. Glad I didn't drive myself! A week on and I'm fine - just a bit sore and waiting for my finger to heal. Some 'road rash' on my hand and shoulder.

Since then I have been out twice on the Airwheel just to make sure I didn't become psychologically detached from it. You know, get straight back on it.

I've thought about what happened in some more detail and I think a number of factors caused my tumble. All my own fault. I think I was still feeling slightly uncomfortable and under pressure whenever my ride area was narrow and whenever people were about. When I stepped off the first time I felt people were watching. I rushed to get back on and this was in a fairly narrow pavement consisting of houses on one side and parked cars on the other. The pavement was not particularly smooth. I wobbled as is normal but this wobble was more severe. It either caused my foot to slip off the pedal or I tilted too much and the pedal grounded, hurtling me off. I'm not sure, in my haste, I actually had a sound mount to begin with. Plus it was wet. It had been raining and my previous step off would have meant my trainers were also wet. I was also carrying a bag with the bread in. So, I took a tumble and felt like a fool.

Two days earlier I had taken a ride on much rougher terrain and for several miles. The second half of which was all pavement alongside traffic. It had felt great. It was dark and difficult to see - so I was ultra cautious. But I made it 90% of my trip before the battery gave in and I had to walk. Reminded me of my early Gen1 days "mowing the pavement". The Airwheel gets heavy fast!!

So, there you go. I'm not giving up on it. I'm just going to be more careful about how and where I start up. I think, a little like on a Segway, starting off and stopping (and hills) are the tricky bits, riding is fine, so long as you avoid hazards of course.