Statistically speaking...

[willyh]

...Was leafing in Borders through the cycling mags to see if any merited buying (they were not), but came across a stunning statistic!
It was reported that cycling as a sport is much safer than skiing, as cycling has 3.5 accidents per 1000 hours participation, whilst skiing 'produces' 8!
...Lots of unanswered questions, of course, but presumably these are reported, or first-aided or hospitalised events.

But the interest comes when we look at the differences between cycling and skiing: skiing hours would be virtually 100% downhill, whilst we all know that in cycling the hours are spent toiling uphill, there not being any bike-lifts generally. This suggests that downhill cycling would far outstrip skiing in the accident ratings.

Since most of us are hitting the deck regularly I would invite readers to computate and publish their personal records in this direction. A) hours on bike per accident (ie on the deck) and B) hours descending per accident.

[AndrewM]

I have metalwork keeping my right elbow together courtesy of an Austrian surgeon following a ski mishap.

Thus far, I don't have any cycling surgical tales.

Touch wood!