Just Like Riding a Rigged Bicycle

This video swam into my feed recently and the click bait was well written.

"See why no one can ride this bicycle!"

OK, internet, what's the catch?


 

Smarter Every Day

Not only is it fascinating that the welders threw this bike together, but watching the host try to ride it, and everyone else try to ride it, really hit home for me.  There is the old saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  I've always hated that phrase but in many respects it is true.

Most times we are so engrained in the way we learned something that learning a new way of doing it is not only difficult, but could be impossible.

Training and education can challenge the old ways.  Heck it should, but we need to use caution in moving forward with new ideas that change the way we've operated in the past.  For whatever reason we think changing the system may be better, there will be those who will need time to adapt to the changes.

Indeed it is easier to change your ways when they are fresh in your head, hence why the child in the video was able to learn in a few days what took the adult 8 months.

While riding a bike is a great metaphor for EMS (We train, rehearse, drill and train again until we can't get it wrong) it is important to remember that there are those in our field who still ask for Lidocaine on an arrest, reach for the MAST or go for a pulse check after a shock.

They are still riding the way they were taught, wobbling unsteadily trying to adapt to the new settings in front of them.  Some things can't be unlearned, simply archived and new pathways used for new concepts.

However, just like in the video, when challenged we will revert back to what we have known the longest.

 

Hey, it happens.  Just be ready to admit when you're wobbling and don't be over confident in your ability to suddenly be able to adapt to change.

After all, it is just like riding a bike, right?

Comments

Sean Eddy said…
This is incredible. This REALLY puts things into perspective!