A few months back, I endured participated in a Franklin-Covey workshop at work called “Five Choices to Extraordinary Productivity”. Aside from the three-day investment loss of time (which I really couldn’t afford to lose), the ideas and principles they talked about were a mish-mash of eclectic brain science and some repackaged versions of buzz-speak that’s been floating around in personal improvement circles for years. For those who never heard of any of it, I’m sure it was eye-opening. Perhaps. I found it mildly frustrating and more than a little annoying.
I really needed that time to actually do some work, instead of having someone tell me I’m making “wrong choices” with regard to the work I do. It just wasn’t applicable at all — although I did learn some nifty Outlook techniques that I’ve used to my advantage.
Anyway, not long ago business author Steven Covey (who wrote “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”) died as a result of complications from a bike accident back in April. I wondered what sort of bike accident – must have been pretty bad… then forgot about it.
Then the other day I saw a kid riding a bike with a helmet on — and the chin strap unbuckled and dangling loose. Not much point to having a helmet on, if you’re going to do that. Out of curiosity, and on a hunch, I googled Steven Covey’s bike accident, and I learned that he sustained a head injury when he flipped forward over his bike while going down a hill. His helmet was apparently not properly fitted/fastened, and he hit the ground with his head. He also had broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung.
For heaven’s sake – if you’re going to wear a helmet, make sure you wear it properly. Tighten the strap snugly under your chin and make sure you have a properly fitted helmet.
I don’t know if Covey was wearing his properly or not, and I’m not even sure if it was the brain injury that did him in. But if you’re not wearing your helmet properly, you’re really not wearing a helmet at all.
Broken Brain - Brilliant Mind 
we dont need any john waynes out there do we…this is important. thanks for sharing…
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I’ve never quite understood why some people don’t buckle their bicycle helmets…?!
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Thanks, yeah — Pretty much… the same goes for motorcycle helmets. I heard about a friend of a friend who was riding their motorcycle and had a close encounter with a concrete barrier. Not good. Proper headgear is important. I think “use it or lose it” holds true with our heads, as well as our bodies.
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Nor I. Tho’ I must admit I never wore a helmet when I rode my bike as a kid. I can’t remember having any serious bike accidents, though. Guess I just got lucky.
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not good hope the friend is okay, i used a helmet during my early years in the army, slid and dropped the bike, had 3rd degree abrasion burns on my right foreman, banged my head, thank goodness had helmet. dont remember too much about it though. take care and have a good weekend.
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Last I heard the friend was on the mend, but their face got “reconfigured” — rough stuff. Good thing you had that helmet on. Have a good one.
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WEAR HELMETS1 Thanks for your excellent education here. So, we didn’t wear helmets because they didn’t have them, neither was the education out there for safety. How do you know all those bicycle run-ins didn’t affect you? Accumulative and beginning when? Just another thought! At least at that time it didn’t hurt. I love this on bicycle helmet wearing it the right wear or don’t wear it at all.
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I’m not sure I had any bike accidents when I was a kid. I might have, but I don’t recall any. Then again, maybe I did, and the fall affected my memory 😉 I just don’t know. I’m not ruling it out, but I can’t confirm, either.
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sorry to read your friends face got all messed up. thank goodness for the helmet, would have been alot worse. hope your weekend went well.
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Yes, thanks – I *hate* when that happens… My weekend turned out really well. Didn’t accomplish as much as I’d hoped, but I got some good rest. All good.
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as long as you accomplish something, it is a start. have a good week, rest and relax
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