Road ID is a sponsor of the Versus Tour de France coverage this year and, as such, have equipped the on-air staff with their new Road ID bracelet.
The new version is the “Road ID Wrist Elite” and uses a watchband like adjustable closure and a band made of a flexible, durable polymer. This is the best design for multisport athletes snce it dries immediately and won’t trap bacteria like fabric bands.
The ID plate is about the same as the previous Road ID versions with 6 lines of engravable text. The new versions will be available about mid August according to Road ID. You buy these directly from Road ID on their website.
Reason for mentioning this is two fold:
People mentioned the bracelets the guys on Versus were wearing on this forum -and-
The recent postings about awful accidents we’ve seen.
These look really nice, but especially with this new version I feel like I should relay my experience:
While I am a strong believer/active pusher of these IDs - whether it be RoadID or similar - I advise anyone who asks to stay away from the yellow bands! During my cycling crash earlier this year, the bracelet had to speak for me since I could not do so for myself, and the responding EMTs thought I was wearing a friggin’ Livestrong bracelet - they simply did not give it a second look. This new bracelet design looks much more like a Livestrong bracelet than the nylon version that I wore. Ultimately, the EMTs did find my cell phone (luckily) and the entry I had very stealthily called “Dad”, but that did not prevent the bracelet from going straight into a belonging’s bag nor did it prevent me from being admitted to the hospital under a “trauma alias” and causing my family fits trying to get updates on my status or gain access to me when I ultimately came out of surgery and was admitted. It also prevented the trauma center from being able to access my medical history, current medications, insurance information, etc. until after I came to.
A red band was in the mail to me the day after I was discharged (and I wear it on every ride, run or race). An oversight by the EMTs perhaps, but why make it any easier to overlook than it needs to be?
Yup. There is a great little app for iPhone that will overlay emergency contact info on the wallpaper. I have my hubby’s cell and my allergies listed. Plus I have my brother, who is local to me, and my hubby labeled as such in the contact list.
I like the ankle strap. Feels just like a timing chip, which we are all used to. Plus it’s very noticeable. Mine is also red, for the exact reason you mention. I’m not sure I like the idea of an “accessory” style one. They are SUPPOSED to be noticeable. I don’t know that I want something that could be mistaken for something else.
I just ordered a couple for my wife and I. They should be here on Wednesday. I ordered the red and she got the blue. I specifically ordered red so that it would be more visible.
A couple of days ago a lady stopped me out on a county road while I was running. She was was really confused. She kept asking me stupid questions. After a few minutes I realized that she was drunk. This was 8:30 in the morning! This kind of freaked me out. She very easily could have hit me. Ordered our bracelets the next day. Hope I never need to use them.
Been using them for years now when I bike solo. I personally know of one person whom it really helped that got hit by a car and was in la la land for a while.
I have a red one too that I use as my timing strap during a race. It seems to work even better than the specific timing straps with less chance of the velcro coming undone.
So are EMT’s going to look for such a thing? I mean it seems that they just ignored it. Would dog tags be just ignored as a necklace? If they don’t bother looking at what you’re wearing or is in your pockets but always look at the cellphone it seems that the cellphone is the way to go with the app.
So are EMT’s going to look for such a thing? I mean it seems that they just ignored it. Would dog tags be just ignored as a necklace? If they don’t bother looking at what you’re wearing or is in your pockets but always look at the cellphone it seems that the cellphone is the way to go with the app.
First responders - in the jurisdictions around here anyway - are most certainly trained to look for ID, including medical bracelets, etc. Overlooking the ID in my case was (I hope) an anomaly.
I wear mine all the time when running riding or racing. Works great as a timing chip strap as well. Even if you are riding with friends they may not know all of you contact numbers and certainly do not know your health insurance co and numbers. Just makes sense.
I actually really like the neoprene one.
I wear it on my ankle always for run/bike/swim - ing.
Doesn’t irritate at all, dries out nice & quick after a swim.
Useful to slap a timing chip on it as well.
Plus it makes you feel like you are always in a race.
As an alternative to a Road ID (I have the ankle band but don’t like wear any kind of bands or jewelery) I went down to the DMV and said that I lost my driver’s license. When I got the new one I took the old one and attached a list of all my contact info to the back with packing tape (its sweat proof). I now carry this in my jersey pocket (where an EMT is sure to look). Not much more expensive than the Road ID.
There is also another type by a different company that has George Hinnecappie as a sponsered athlete. This one is like the rubber silicone wrist band. The nice this is that one can swim with it. Barb