I survived because mom made me take judo at like a rather early age, I think I was like around six or seven. But practicing falling down safely. Ukemi.

Ukemi (受け身) refers to the art of safe falling and breakfalls in Japanese martial arts, such as judo and aikido, literally translating to “receiving body”. It is a critical skill for absorbing the impact of throws or takedowns, protecting the head and body, and ensuring training safety.

Like I didn’t even know I had that skill, but since these electric scooters and bikes and whatnot have come super popular and I’ve owned a few myself, I’ve been in way more falls and crashes than I was as a kid. Even somewhat serious ones.

But I never hit my head, and just found myself on the ground slightly winded.

In one I apparently made it sone 3m into the air, I remember seeing a car drive in front of me and then ground-sky-ground-sky-ground-sky. Luckily the dude wanted to call the cops (as he was blaming me for his wannabe tuned bmw got a bit smashed). Cops came and noted how it wasn’t my fault. The other dude had to pay a few hundred euros to me for ribs and whatnot.

Anyway how I’ve survived, literally, is intuitively shielding my head and falling the right way. Without even knowing it. I just realised after like a half a dozen crashes that it can’t be luck.

I should really start wearing a helmet.