someone recently gifted me a subscription to "bicycling" magazine (i still don’t know WHO, though i’ve asked a ton of people), and within the pages of this magazine are lots of little tidbits that i like to consider, as one might assume.

one of these things is an emergency contact info bracelet. i first became aware of something like this when i was on the AIDS life/cycle. they give you a little wristband onto which you write your info, cover it with the transparent adhesive waterproofing bit, and then attach. you’re not allowed to ride if you don’t have it on. but of course daily riders should have the same needs, right? i mean, when i smashed my face to pieces back in september, i was out cold, bleeding onto valencia street. what if i hadn’t come to and the EMTs had started pumping me full of something i was allergic to? it could happen.

so i’m considering one of the following two products.

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XTREME SPORTS ID
while i despise the use of "x" in "xtreme," i think this is an interesting concept. and it’s endorsed by "USA CYCLIST GEOOOOOOORGE HINCAPIE!" so you know it MUST be good. hahah!!!

anyway, this one is very simple and cool. a rubberized wristband, a la the "liveStrong" bands, is embossed with the medical alert symbol, an 800#, and a personal 8-digit ID#. when the medical squad shows up, they’re trained to look for medical alert shit like this, and they’ll call the number. when your personal ID is entered, they hear a read out of who you are, your address, your emergency contacts, your insurance provider, your primary physician, and any medical alerts, allergies, or medications. this info can be regularly updated by you, so it’s always current. and your ID number can also be punched in at their site.

these xtreme sports IDs are available in a handful of colors and styles, and require an up-front purchase price of $8, followed by a $5 annual renewal fee.

additionally, there’s a "where am i?" function, into which you can record your plans, after which it sends an email to three personal contacts each time it is updated.

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ROAD ID
this one is technically just that little metal plate there, and the placement can be either a wrist band (nylon), ankle band (shown, neoprene), shoe pouch (on the closure of a small pouch for money, ID, etc.), or shoelace tab. and there’s also a dogtag variant available.

this one is available in two variants. the "original" contains 6 customizable lines of type, typically broken into the format shown on the example above : name, generic address (such as "san francisco, ca, usa"), 3 lines of contact info (3 phone numbers, essentially), and an extra line for whatever. the "interactive" variant, however, is a lot more like the first product i highlighted, the "xtreme sports ID." this one contains 2 customizable lines prior to 4 lines that are NOT customizable — they are reserved to provide instructions on how to access your "emergency response profile," via a phone number and a website address, and an indication that your PIN and ID# are on the back. (or "off the back," as the case may be when the EMTs find you, ha!) the ERP contains : name & vital statistics, up to 3 addresses, up to 5 emergency contacts, up to 5 physician contacts, your medical profile, health insurance and government ID (SSN, SIN, etc.), picture (website only, natch), and "additional information," whatever that means. this information can be updated as you like and you can input as much or as little of it as you want.

the road ID system is much more expensive than the xtreme sports ID system — $17 for the plate, various prices for the bands, and if you choose the interactive variant, another $10/year for that service.

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personally, i like the second one, even though it’s significantly more expensive at the outset. the yearly cost doesn’t even give me a second thought. when you’re talking about $5/year vs. $10/year, you’re into the realm of pennies a month, and anyone who can afford to cycle can afford that. but it’s a style thing, i think. that rubber whiteCamo xtreme sports ID looks lame and only goes on your wrist. the second one, the road ID, can be purchased with a variety of mounting points and straps, giving you more options. (personally, i like the dogtag.)

random and rambling TL "review" post here, but important to stay alive! no deaths until deaths!

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