For a good number of years I cycled to work, for four years from Loughton to Walthamstow (including a nice stretch of the North Circular), about 14 miles a day. Thereafter, from the wrong side of Bude to Holsworthy, about 20 miles a day (with 800 feet of climbs per day!). In the early 90s I was cycling around 6000 miles per year, then one of my knees went dicky in about 1994. Since then I've just ridden me bike for fun and in a gentle manner. In all that time I came off my bike just twice, once on a patch of oil when I was cornering and once when I foolishly decided to cycle to work on roads that were ice rinks (they don't tend to salt the more minor roads round here). No harm done on the ice, but the first time I collected very similar damage and injuries to yours. These days there are potholes everywhere round here, but the people here still vote Tory...