It seems these Road ID wirst bands are very popular. I don’t get it. Why?
I fail to see how this would in anyway protect me, or make my outcome better in the event of an accident. Sure, if I had some medical situation that was important for the EMT’s to know, that’d be one thing. But I do not.
I carry a cell phone, my family will be contacted if I get run over. But really, if I am hit, I am sure that there will be more pressing things to attend to than calling my Mom within 5 minutes of said accident.
Couldn’t you just make a name tag and put it on something. Saves $20…
it won’t but if you’re like me and married, then the $20 buys the wife some peace of mind if I get smoked on my bike she’ll find out sooner rather than later.
…Couldn’t you just make a name tag and put it on something. Saves $20…
I guess that could work, but the advantage of Road ID is that it’s in a pretty visible spot.
I don’t own one and was actually on your side of the equation for a while, but I hate having to take anything I don’t necessarily need with me, especially my wallet (which you only need for an ID and cash, right?).
A bracelet and a $20 bill will do the trick just fine I’d think.
That’s not really the point. You wear it for others. People wear them so their spouses won’t be freaking out for 3 or 4 hours after you were expected home while you lie unconscious in an ER. If you have someone back at home when you go on a workout, it just common courtesy.
There are rare instances where info on the ID or gained by contacting your next of kin may save you but really, RoadID is the athlete’s version of a dog tag. No one wants to end up in the Tomb of the Unknown Cyclist.
A police officer friend of mine told me about a cyclist a couple years ago who raod w/o ID. They had to put his picture on the evening news to find out who he was. That was over 8 hours after he was sitting in an ER unconscious.
EDIT to Add: Mine also says “OPos” and “No allergies” on it. Makes life easy for the first responders and avoids any possible delays.
You can put what ever you want on RoadID. When it comes to blood type and or other medical stuff - if it is not on a “Medic Alert” bracelet, it does not matter and they are going to cross type you before you get blood.
It will NOT save your life. That’s the job of EMTs and trauma surgeons. As the simple RoadID slogan says, “it’s who I am.”
A RoadID can save your life if you also use it as a medical ID - for example, after my accident, I had on my RoadID all my contact info, but also Rx Coumadin & my INR. If I’d been in, for example, the RoadID would have served the same purpose as an Rx band, but it also would have allowed the EMTs or ER to contact my family.
In my case, it’s also quite relevant in many cases WHO you are, because with medical records going online, your medical history - which may be relevant - is more and more accessible.
An inanimate object won’t save your life. But it can provide information that will help doctors or EMTs to do so, and it can also let the people most important to you know that you’ve been in an accident. If that’s not worth $20 to you, that’s your prerogative. But I can’t understand why.
You can put what ever you want on RoadID. When it comes to blood type and or other medical stuff - if it is not on a “Medic Alert” bracelet, it does not matter and they are going to cross type you before you get blood.
One other thing that’s important, that hasn’t been mentioned, is for folks who travel. In my case, I’d really like - when I am in Abu Dhabi - for the US Embassy to know if I’m in an accident. And having my info on my RoadID is going to make sure of that.
As for blood type, they always cross match in the US, and you hope they do most other places But it doesn’t hurt to have it on there. I also have NKA (no known allergies), which is important.
Like I say, if one had a medical condition that would be helpful to emergency staff to know that is one thing. I can understand such a name tag in that case. But most of us do not have such a condition.
My problem with it is 2 fold; that it is an overpriced name tag, and that for the majority of us it would not change the outcome of an accident at all.
One other thing that’s important, that hasn’t been mentioned, is for folks who travel. In my case, I’d really like - when I am in Abu Dhabi - for the US Embassy to know if I’m in an accident. And having my info on my RoadID is going to make sure of that.
This is a valid point. The most legit I have heard thus far.
Like I say, if one had a medical condition that would be helpful to emergency staff to know that is one thing. I can understand such a name tag in that case. But most of us do not have such a condition.
My problem with it is 2 fold; that it is an overpriced name tag, and that for the majority of us it would not change the outcome of an accident at all.
So, you do not want your loved one in the ER with you when you are knocked off your bike and unconscious?
They will be contacted. It would not be hard to find who to call. I have ICE contacts in my phone. My main concern, however, would be to survive - not call family in that instant.
I dont have a road ID, wont be getting one. That is my call…but, who really freaking cares? If you dont want one - dont buy one. There is no law saying that you have to have one. As a note. I do have my name and contact numbers on a label in my helmet(s). And my name is on all of my framesets.
You’re not married right? I would like to think a hospital would call my wife and let her know where I am rather than having her sitting at home hours after I’m due back from a ride wondering where I am. It might at least give her half a chance to see me before I die if that’s going to happen, I think she deserves that much.