Have you ever had a great idea? You know the one: no one else has ever thought of it, you’re the first, it’s pure genius, and it has the potential to make you millions… or at least a bunch of cash and a fabulous new career. But you didn’t act on it.
An article came across my desk recently discussing “loonshots” – “an idea that was dismissed as crazy”. Now I’ll admit the article is about theories in Physics and cancer drugs, but it followed so closely on the heels of seeing a fabulous idea I’d had 15 years ago drive by, that I’ve been giving this a lot of thought.
When my children were young, I thought of a dozen different ideas, many of them simple, to make the lives of young mums and small children easier/better. Life as a young mum with three small children is busy enough, though, without pursuing inventions and fantastical ideas! (that’s my story)
In my late 40s I treated myself to motorcycle lessons and a motorcycle. When I was accused of a mid-life crisis, I smiled sweetly and said “no crisis here!”.
Anyone who rides a bike of any description is well aware of the dreaded “helmet head”. When hair is pressed flat against your skull for any length of time, it remains flat. lifeless. uncomplimentary, embarrassing even.
One possible answer is to leave the helmet on, even when dismounted. However, a person can wear a bicycle helmet around a shop with no raised eyebrows, but not removing a full motorcycle helmet with chin guard attracts security quicker than you can say ‘watch this wheelie’.
As many of my solutions to problems come with a questionable sense of humour, I decided that the answer would be to design a helmet with its own head of hair. The sky was the limit! Blonde pigtails erupting from the side of the helmet! an afro in the colour of choice covering the helmet! dreads at all angles carelessly arranged. long flowing tresses added to the back edge. You can see how much fun this would have been. So much attention would be given to the helmet that no one would notice the flattened locks on the rider’s head.
Like so many ideas that never get acted on, I had only enough information to be dangerous, and too little faith in myself to pursue the dream. I knew that the integrity of a motorcycle helmet had to be maintained at all costs, and part of this was not messing with the outer shell. I knew it would be cost prohibitive to create and manufacture these puppies.
Apparently I’ve been proven wrong. or at least beaten to the punch. Durn!
Tell me about your great ideas!
