GLASGOW, Scotland — President Bush had a rough 59th birthday yesterday after taking a spill on his bike that also took out a Scottish policeman.
Shortly after arriving in Gleneagles, Scotland, for the G-8 summit, Mr. Bush took advantage of the little free time he would have by embarking on an invigorating bike ride, his favorite exercise.
He was about an hour into his excursion when he crashed while going at “a pretty good speed” on the damp pavement, according to White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Mr. Bush suffered “mild-to-moderate” scrapes on his hands and arms that required bandaging by the president’s doctor.
His Scottish escort, who was standing by the road at the time, didn’t get off so lightly, injuring his ankle severely enough to require a trip to the hospital.
The president visited with the hurt policeman for a while at the scene before dispatching his personal doctor, Richard Tubb, to accompany him to the emergency room, where the unidentified officer was treated and released with no broken bones.
According to Mr. McClellan, the president had a “very pleasant” post-dinner conversation with the officer, who was reached on his cell phone on the way home.
The president told the policeman in a conversation that lasted “a few minutes” that “he was glad to hear he was doing OK,” Mr. McClellan said.
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U.S. President George W. Bush crashed his mountain bike into an unfortunate police officer in Scotland. 

Mr. Bush, who celebrated his 59th birthday last night was cycling on a bike around the Gleneagles Hotel, where he is staying for the 31st G8 summit, when he, perhaps partially due to the bad weather, crashed into one of the police officers responsible for his and the other leaders' safety. 

The officer had to be taken to the hospital having suffered a twisted ankle whilst Mr. Bush, who was wearing a helmet, only suffered minor bruises despite landing on asphalt. The president had to return to the hotel by van because the bike was too badly damaged.

Bush has been involved in two similar accidents during his presidency. In 2003, he fell off a Segway personal transporter, and in 2004, he fell off a mountain bike.