BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

ordering mine now.

yellow, black and blue in med/large are on back order until September. Still Got mine and wonder why I waited so long

I've got one, if anyone wishes to check it out before buying.

Should be at Flock All Night this week.

I'm ordering one now. My wife has been asking me to get one for a while. Thanks for the discount.

I've been considering one, but hadn't yet ordered. I will now, though. Thanks for the discount.

Just placed my order. Backordered until Tuesday 8/17. but I should have it soon thereafter. I feel better already.

I just placed my order. Tonight at midnight is the deadline to get the Flock of Cycles discount.

"It is something you hope to never need, but could safe your life."

Bah. I'm not overly fond of this company. They essentially make dog tags and promote it as a life saving device.

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IMAGINE: I get hit by a car, I'm lying on the road and an ambulance shows up, the medic crouches down to start saving my life...

He freezes. He doesn't know my name! All his training is USELESS without this key piece of information!

Unfortunately, (for some reason, like I'm a complete moron) I left the house without any form of identification.

I die.

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But no, really? $20 for your name on a piece of metal? I could see if you actually had some kind of pertinent medical information, but if you just have a name and number, there are far cheaper solutions, most of which are redundant if your leave your house with an ID and cell phone.

Additionally, didn't a forum member on here offer laser etching services for free?

pierce, i'm pretty much with you. i saw the commercials during the le tour and i thought "who on earth would buy this?" but i also have no unusual health issues and carry an id everywhere i go. i could see it being useful for people with various allergies or other special medical needs, and there are plenty of those people out there, i would guess.

I think the market is mostly athletes, who are less likely to be carrying ID while training than people going about their daily lives.

when I ride I put my wallet (with my ID) in my backpack. the last wreck I had (not to bad, a little road rash, a little chipped paint, and a tweaked shoulder) had my back pack almost ripped off and when when I sat up after the wreck the backpack was hanging on my wrist. I can see with a bad crash the back pack being taken completely off. and even with the backpack people would know my name (a good thing) but not if I had med allergies or who to contact.

The Road ID, while not the only way of providing this service, does in deed provide a service. In fact you can get a subscription service that EMT/police can call a number and with a id number/pin on the back they can get access to all kinds of information

This is also good if you are away from home, on vacation, that kind of think.

just my opinion but I would rather have it an never need it....

I think the market is mostly athletes, who are less likely to be carrying ID while training than people going about their daily lives.

While I could see a runner or open water swimmer not having ID with them, I cannot imagine a cyclist doing the same thing.

IDs fit perfectly in the back of a cycling jersey (most have zippered pockets) Additionally, I cannot imagine a cyclist leaving without a cell phone in case he has some kind of catastrophic mechanical failure that requires somebody to pick him up.

When I ran alone I carried my ID with me in my shorts pocket and when I runswim to the Highland Park Pool I keep my ID in my speedo up against my waist.

That being said, I have the misfortune of having a job that makes me check people's ID and I'm always surprised (and annoyed) by the number of people that don't have a form of ID on them. (And then complain that they have to go back to their car and get it) Yay student tech support!

This is a nice opportunity for flockers. Most of us don't need it, but some do.

Discounts for flockers? Sweet idea.

I should probably have one, if I keep up my habit of swimming across lakes in the moonlight.

If you get in a wreck and an EMT approaches you with an immediate need to medicate, they have to be choosy about what they give you, not knowing anything about your medical history.

If you don't have any health issues, having a road ID with no special notes means they can use whatever they need.

If you have special conditions, it educates them immediately on what they can and can't use.

Providing an emergency care technician with any amount of info in a split second could save your life.

Oh, don't worry, within some of your lifetimes we'll have government/corporate issued rfid tags under our skin, and no one will ever have to carry i.d. again. Feeling a bit dystopian tonight.

whenever i'm feeling dystopian, i sing this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AKs7Ag9kZg

I've read message board postings by EMTs saying that they and the EMTs they know generally don't go looking for notes or ID in the first place. That's only done once you get to the hospital. EMTs try to stabilize you using general techniques.

If you've got some symptom that'll kill you before you get to the hospital, they're not going to first research which technique would be best for you. No time for that.

And if your condition is less urgent, where there would be time to go looking for your medical history via ID tags or wallet cards or whatever, they're not going to address your non-life-threatening condition in the ambulance anyway, but let the ER doctors deal with it in the hospital. Contacting your relatives also seems like something they'd do at the hospital, not in a speeding ambulance.

Of course this sort of thing could vary. Some of those Road ID testimonials seem to be claiming that at least some EMTs will look for a RoadID. But don't be surprised if they don't.

Thanks Steven, your post calmed my blood. Previous to reading your post, while I was cooking, I was thinking why I cared at all about these bracelets. I was able to key in to my feelings.

Basically, I have a problem whenever a highly marketed product claims to be "life saving" and that by purchasing their product my life will be safer and by not purchasing their product my life will be at some kind of greater risk. They're playing on the fears of "athletes'" mortality and worst case "what if" scenarios, including my own.

Then, they put a bunch of stupid testimonials up like this:

"Since I was wearing my Road ID, my husband arrived at the hospital in time to make strategic trauma decisions so that the team of doctors could save my life." (Bolded by company)

To quote Office Space, WTF does that mean? Was her husband some kind of ER doctor? Um, I'd rather have DOCTORS make my "strategic trauma decisions." Anyhow, I think I've said enough

Thanks for getting us discounts Nick

*UPDATE*

Actually, I decided to do more research into these testimonials....

So they have this headline in bold, along with dozens of others:

The ER Doctors used my Road ID

When you actually click on the link and read the story:

"My road id gave the ER doctors the info they needed to contact my wife and son [...]"

Hmmm, not quite as compelling now is it?

In addition, some helmets are sold with stickers that have you fill in the same information you would have on these bracelets.

Furthermore, when I was a freshman in high school, I got in a bicycle accident which resulted in me going to the ER via ambulance and my mother was contacted and I didn't die AND I didn't have a Road ID.

@HV, excellent.

Ok, I have to start by saying that I am wearing mine right now, as I sit in my office. I bought one less for me than for my obligations..... Mine has my name, as well as a local contact (who will know to go and care for the pets, who have special needs) and an out-of-state relative with power of attorney and medical decision making responsibilities. It also asks that both contacts be called. Final line is not a slogan, but an indicationt hat I am an organ donor.

Why wear one? I commute by bike (sometimes) and by scooter other times. In each case, I am likely to carry my ID on the vehicle, and not on my person (or in a purse or bag that is easily separable from my person). It's a very small price to pay for the peace of mind that IF something should happen to me - even something relatively minor - someone be called who will take care of the pets. The other "lifesaving" stuff is gravy, for me.

Not what the RoadID is marketed for, perhaps, but worth the peace of mind, for me.

Whether you agree with the company's marketing strategy or not, it is nice of the company to offer a (good) group discount with very little persuasion.

With that said, I forgot to order one... (ugh.)

I forgot also

My brother is a diabetic, not really a cyclist, but is getting a tattoo on his chest/shoulder indicating his diabetes. When they cut clothes off, they'll find it. Just another idea to put out there. I've got a tattoo, but it's decorative. I don't have road id, mostly because my better half hasn't heard about them yet. I'll let him discover them, get me one with whatever he wants on it, and feel productive and helpful by getting me to wear it.

+1 ejwme. Congrats on future wedded bliss!

"I'll let him discover them, get me one with whatever he wants on it,..."

I hope that's not how you approach all your gifting, you seem have something yet to learn about men.

Oh, and truly, best wishes.