Don’t Exercise and hold your device!

I know you have heard and already likely know that “Don’t Text and Drive” is the law. “Using handheld devices and driving is prohibited.” The list goes on and on about handheld devices and the dangers of driving at the same time. I think one more such five-sense one liners need to be added to that list. ” Don’t exercise and hold your device at the same time.

I cannot count how many times while driving in the morning or evening I have come across runners on sidewalks busy doing their thing and holding their cell phones in their hand. I mean, in this day and time, there are many options from clothing to hand arm phone sleeves, one can use. The same way, it is dangerous to text and drive, so it is when exercising and holding a device. https://amzn.to/3WW6Rv3

Real life experience

I was driving to an appointment one early morning when I witnessed just how painful it can be to hold a phone and run at the same time. A middle-aged man, running on the sidewalk tripped on a slightly raised pavement slab. Human instinct would have been to break his fall using his hands. However, he was holding a rather expensive phone in his right hand. He tried to break his fall with his left hand. He succeeded partially and ended up falling hard on his right side and hitting his forehead on the pavement. O, and the phone he tried to save…shattered screen.

I had a split decision to make…STOP and HELP a fellow human in distress or act like nothing happened. I pulled up, stopped the car, put hazards on and approached him. Sir, do you need me to call 911? He declined. He was coherent and aware of his presence. By now a crowd of other would-be helpers was growing. He was Caucasian…I, African American.

Suddenly, I noticed the accusatory looks…and despite the man insisting he fell…a couple individuals including a nurse who stopped to help and declared she was a medical professional looked at me ‘like, did you hit him?’ I mean, it’s probable but really, how quickly tables can turn.

I slid back into my car and drove off. Strangely enough, this was not the first time someone tried to question my kindness. I had come across a toddler wandering near the road. Doing the right thing, I had pulled over, and remained with the child yelling out Hello! Hello! to see if some adult would come take the child. Just about then, a Council Woman pulled up after seeing the child and my car pulled upon the curb. Her first words were, “Did you hit him (child)?”

I retorted that I was driving home and saw the child near the road, so I stopped to help…but the damaged was done…and yet, in this case, the child was Hispanic, the council woman, African American. Are people just to quick to judge or it is just me?

Back to my topic…I think it is advisable to put the devices in the right place while exercising…it could be the difference between a major injury or just a few bruises.