Jul 7 2005
President crashes his bike into Scots cop By Mark Mcgivern And Amy Devine
GEORGE Bush crashed his mountain bike into a policeman as he rode around Gleneagles last night.
The US president suffered scrapes on his hands and arms after his cycle whacked the officer. The injured cop needed hospital treatment on his leg.
Bush had been riding in the grounds of the hotel while attending the G8 summit.
Last night, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: 'It was raining lightly at the time and President Bush slid on the road. He suffered scrapes that later required bandages by the White House doctor.'
The fall did not affect the president's schedule.
Bush, with his hands bandaged, joined the other G8 leaders last night at a dinner hosted by the Queen.
The injured Strathclyde Police officer, who had been on security duty, was treated at a local hospital.
The bizarre incident was not the first time that Bush, who turned 59 yesterday, has crashed his bike. Last year, he took a tumble near the end of a 17-mile ride on his Texas ranch.
He was left with minor cuts and scratches.
The accident came at the worst possible time - with Bush left to make a major global TV address that night with grazing on his chinA year before that, he had gone flying over the handlebars of his scooter.
That embarrassing fall happened under the full glare of newspaper cameras and hundreds of reporters.
Most famously,in January 2002, the president almost choked on a pretzel. He passed out after choking on the snack and appeared the next day with a big red mark on his cheek.
Earlier yesterday, the aircraft carrying the world's most powerful men into Scotland were told to slow down their engines to save the red carpet fromdamage Air traffic controllers at Prestwick Airport asked the pilots from the US, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Canada and Italy to try not to damage the luxury rug.
An airport spokesman said: 'Thankfully, it's all in one piece and will be laid again for them leaving
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.