Not all risks can be hedged or eliminated completely though Risk Avoidance planning. When a risk materializes, there are (2) ways you can reduce any consequential harm:

1) Protective Equipment:

Your last line of defense from death or serious injury is your protective equipment. Roads are deadly where I cycle; worse than London- no exaggeration. I wear a helmet and wrist guards always, and Motocross pads when cycling my 50″ PF in challenging conditions. These have saved me from a ride in an Air Ambulance. Read “Equipment” for the fine points on choosing suitable protective equipment for cycling a Penny-Farthing.

2) Falling Correctly:

a) Protect Your Head: Your first priority when crashing a Penny-Farthing must be the protection of your head at all costs. And “at all costs” means if an accident is unavoidable, better choose some other part of your body then your head to sacrifice. If you strike your head on the ground from 8′-9′ you will likely either die or at the minimum suffer life-changing injuries.

b) Don’t Reach Out: You will shatter all the bones in your arm, elbow, wrist & hand. Indeed, you could even loose your arm entirely. The few times I’ve fallen, I’ve drawn my arms into my chest and let my forearms take the force. Although I’ve been left with really sore forearms, I’ve never broken any bones. YMMV, but so far I’ve avoided serious injury by drawing my arms in at the moment of falling.