Opening up my leg
Cycling in Amsterdam, however common, is dangerous. Every year a few cyclists get killed by trucks turning right; the so called ‘blind spot incidents’. Luckily most of the (other) bicycle-accidents don’t end up with dead people, just injuries. According to an ambulance brother I once spoke the most common injury where they are called in for are head traumas. Most of which could be prevented if the cyclists wear helmets. Currently the dutch pride and self esteem ‘forbids’ helmets. Apparently it’s such a non-issue that the dutch wikipedia merely acknowledges the fact that they exist without any further discussion or information (unlike the english one)
Obviously since there are a tens of thousands cyclists in Amsterdam, so injuries are bound to happen, even deadly ones. I’m not sure of the statistics involved: whether everyone buying and wearing a helmet would have a big impact in the total population of cyclists. However if one ignores statistics I’d argue for compulsory shin-protection as well.
As it happens, this morning I was cycling to my work, managing all the busy intersections with trams, trucks, road construction etc without any incident. Just before I arrived at the office, I cycled through a quiet little street, here, where a van was parked in the middle of the street. To avoid the van I had to squeeze my self between the van and the underground garbage containers at the sidewalk. However one of those was mysteriously not totally underground leaving a sharp metal plate at shin level. It happened to be able to slice both through my pants and my leg. Resulting in this very nice gap in my shin (gore-warning!). Right now I’ve got 7 stitches and am pretty much immobilized by a non-functioning right leg 
