gthomson

As part of the Old Timers club, I recall a post recently about riders recommending some of the on bike tools they use (Garmin, Strava, etc...) on setting up the device to create some kind of notification or location finder of a rider if an accident occurs. I can't find that post so can someone refresh my memory on the thread related to this or feel free to start a new one if you've forgotten which post this was as well!

scottfsmith

This one?

https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plu...fications.html

I turned on my Apple Watch impact detection thing after reading that post, I forgot it was there. I also have an ANGI (sic?) helmet and plan to set it up if I can figure out how.

Greenhil

Here are a couple of threads which may or may not be what you’re looking for:

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...essengers.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...municator.html

These mainly have to do with satellite GPS units that don’t rely on cell signals, which are spotty on many of my rides. I’ve been researching this of late. There are many apps and devices that will use a cell signal to send alerts or enable someone to live-track you ranging from free apps to expensive smart watches to the $50 ANGI unit mentioned above which attaches to a helmet and sends an alert if you crash.

gthomson

That link just goes to this post Who knows with my old brain, it might have been in one of the other forums I post in.

Iride01 

If it was a post made too long in the past... say maybe 12 months ago, the stuff discussed might be out of date.

So what do you want to know?

gthomson

I think I remember someone started with an incident they had (medical or accident) and so they set up something on their phone, or Garmin to basically let their spouse, partner, whatever know where they are or maybe even that they had been in a crash? I thought they mentioned it could be done with Strava or maybe Google Maps?
My wife was asking about this and I told her I would get something set up so she can check in on me. I often forget to carry ID on me so if something was to happen it might be a bit of a challenge for someone to get in touch with her.

I also imagine a day when I'm at a point where I head out for a ride and get lost! Maybe it would be better if I'm not found

Ogsarg

If you have an iphone, you can share your location with your spouse. Set them up as a contact, open the contact and near the bottom there is a "share location" button. You can share for an hour, till the end of the day, or all the time. This won't notify them if you crash however. It just tells them where you are. I use it with my wife on my longer weekend rides.

Garmin connect app will also allow location sharing.

Eric F 

Wahoo has a feature that sends an email to whomever you choose with a map link for live tracking. It does not have crash notification, however.

gthomson

Very interesting post and I didn't really think about the chance that cell service could be limited but always a consideration. Something that would have been good to know in my earlier canoe trip days. I am surprised that there is not a bigger demand for this type of thing as people (like us) get older but still want to be active and spend more time pursuing recreational activities.

I don't have an iPhone, iWatch, Garmin or Wahoo device. I ride with my cell phone and run Strava to record my ride. There must be some other type of Android or Apple mobile app. with this feature?

gthomson

LOL and here is the post I was referring to which suddenly appeared at the top of the forums. Thanks, all

Anyone 50+ Using Incident Detection? - Bike Forums

Iride01 

So year old information is okay? That'd be sketchy for computer or cell phone advice to go by such dated discussion. Though I don't know that things have changed that much on the incident detection side..... we'll never know since you seem happy with old info.

Unless others care to add new info to this thread or that thread or even start a new thread to keep it more current.

gthomson

Started in 2020 but then continued in March of 2021 with continued posts, including yourself. That's when I started to follow it.

It doesn't seem like there are too many options other than the Garmin or iWatch products, which I have neither of.

Iride01 

Well there are other options. But you've avoided all my prompting, snarky or not, to discuss the topic.

Knowing what kind of riding and for how long. What type of environment are you in... urban, suburban or way out in the sticks will maybe make some difference. As will if a good part of your riding is out of cell phone reception or even if you have a cell phone.

There are many simple things you can do. Just letting someone know when you'll be home is one. Sharing your location via your phone is another and letting them know to check up on you is another.

When I had my accident in 2019 that put me in the hospital, all I was doing at that time was sharing my location with my wife via google maps on my phone. If it hadn't been that another couple found me soon after I wrecked, then my wife tells me she had just checked my location on a whim at the same time and noticed I was not in an area where I normally would be stopped. She would have been calling 911 if it hadn't been that the people finding me called her on my phone using the listed emergency numbers on it. They let her know the ambulance was on the way already and assured her that though badly damaged, I'd be alright.

Of course if I hadn't been found, and my wife's sister had called her, then my wife might have been on the phone for several hours before ever getting concerned I wasn't home. I hate to think of that. I wasn't in any shape to not have medical attention.

There is more than just Garmin or iWatch. And there are more ways to assure you get found than simply doing nothing.

gthomson

Sorry iride01, I might have missed one of your posts and I hadn't read through all the posts yet on that previous thread I linked to. I live in a suburban area well populated but can ride my road bike about 20 minutes north and find myself into mostly open country. I don't see that i would ever be isolated, as these open roads are well used by cyclists and drivers cruising around for antique stores or an ice cream cone. I don't ride at night either so in the event I had an accident and wasn't found, it would be some kind of freak occurrence where my body rolled into a ditch or something. But hey, anything can happen!

Sorry to hear about your accident and glad to hear you were prepared and had some kind of plan with your wife that would have helped you, in the event you weren't found. I think that's probably what I will do and get her to follow my activity on google maps. Is that a live update that she could follow while I ride? I look at my activity on My Timeline in google maps afterwards but have never looked into how I could see it live. I'll google this and see what I can find out.

The only cycling application I use is Strava ( the free version) to record my rides but I don't see any kind of alert service they offer. When I did google "mobile accident notification apps", I mostly found car accident options.

ascherer 

Two weekends ago I was slowly rolling through a crowded open street in Brooklyn when a fellow that was standing next to his bike suddenly turned 90 degrees to his left and walked right into me. No fall or injury, but a sudden stop and my front fender got bent. I was massaging the fender back into place when my wife called me. My Garmin 530 had notified her of an "incident" with my location. I'd set that feature up when I got it last year and forgot that it could do that! I was glad to know it works, especially since I didn't need rescuing.

Bald Paul

If you use a Garmin, you can connect it with your phone, then within the Garmin Connect app you set up Safety & Tracking / Safety Features (emergency contact that will be called) and LiveTrack. Your emergency contact can follow you on your ride, and will be notified if you're stopped for too long.

Road Fan

Seems to me an alert system that works everywhere has to be based on satellite communication. If one of two people are out of cellular coverage, the next more general system is the satellite phone system, where your device talks directly to a satellite. You would still need to receive GPS (or GLONASS?) signals so the correct location info can be linked out.

terrymorse 

There is a satellite alert device called SPOT. It will send out a message with its position to emergency services at the press of a button.

It's the go-to device for backcountry adventurers.

Bald Paul

Doesn't SPOT require you to press a button to send out a notification? That could be difficult in a situation where you've been seriously injured and possibly unconscious.

terrymorse 

Apparently, you do need to press a button to send out a distress call with SPOT.

The SPOT X device has Bluetooth, so there's a possibility one could modify another Bluetooth-capable device (like a Garmin unit) that would activate the SPOT distress function on a hard fall.

That would require cooperation between the two companies, of course. And since the market for such a device is probably quite small, that won't happen.

caloso

I just text my wife where I'm going. We have iPhones so we can see each other's locations.