superdex

Bracelet here. it's an easy habit to wear for me, a huge peace of mind for my wife.

Driver's license doesn't have a phone number on it, or an emergency contact phone number. Or whether you're allergic to any medications. What good is your address to an EMT? NONE.

Sy Reene

I've xeroxed my DL and insurance card together onto a small piece of paper, on which I've written (yes, old school ballpoint pen) emergency contact info. tucked into my bike wallet easy to find. FWIW I also took the time to fill in the emergency contact info into the home screen of my iPhone (I don't think a lot of people know this exists) -- which is accessible without having the phone's unlock password btw.

bobwysiwyg

More like dog tags for me. I need two, one is a Road ID, the other my doing. I don't carry my wallet when riding, but between my phone and tags, pretty much all an EMT would need to get started. Had a heart condition identified during femur repair surgery last fall. One tag includes reference to all the hardware in my left leg so if I should need an MRI, they should dial down the power. The other focuses on my heart, stent and meds plus my emergency contacts. My cardiologist is aware of my cycling, called a plus but told me not to crash or hit a car, I might bleed to death.

etw

I use a Road ID. Relatively cheap, peace of mind, easy for someone to see if needed.

Hopefully I never need it.

WhyFi

I carry a minimal wallet - Driver's license, insurance info and a credit card or two. I don't have any medical history that would matter in the event of an emergency, so no concerns for me, there.

seypat

My wife got me one for Christmas a couple of years ago. I do most of my running at night. She also got me a better running vest. Hmmmmmm. The Road ID rotates between my shoes and a wrist bracelet. I have a med allergy which is listed on it. Good thing to have.

canklecat

I haven't, but probably will. I do carry a small wallet, and usually keep my ID on my body. A bracelet or necklace would be better.

As 10 Wheels mentioned, emergency personnel may not check anywhere but your neck and wrist for wearable ID. I just got a reminder of that Thursday afternoon when I chatted with EMTs about an ill family member (heat exhaustion) who couldn't remember her address, phone number, etc., and whose ID and other contact info were scattered loosely in a crowded tote bag under stuff she'd just purchased at the store.

My baggy shorts have small zippered or Velcro pockets for ID, but these may not be obvious to folks in a hurry. A bloodied, torn jersey may be cut off and discarded, along with our phones and IDs. In an accident we'll be separated from our bikes so the IDs and phones in and on our bikes won't help.

Having been in health care for years I've seen many folks who've suffered concussions and cannot give useful information to helpful folks who stop or emergency rescue personnel.

While I've never had a concussion, including as an amateur boxer, I should be realistic and admit that's only because I haven't been hit hard enough.

canklecat

Not so. I was informed Thursday afternoon at my door about a family member who'd collapsed from heat exhaustion and couldn't provide any useful info to paramedics. She'd removed her emergency contact necklace and has a bad habit of carrying an empty wallet with her ID, cash, debit card, etc., scattered loosely in her purse, buried under everything else.

The only thing they could find readily was a scrap of paper with my address. Firemen from the nearest station knocked on my door to notify me.

I asked them about the best method to provide ID for emergencies. They strongly recommended wearable ID. They said they don't even spend much time searching belongings for IDs, and those can be lost easily when clothing is cut off to treat injuries, or people are separated from their purses, etc.

I'm probably going to get bracelets, including for myself.

Ben I.

I normally carry my license, insurance card and a CC with me just in case plus $10 cash. I've had Road ID for a few years now and like the piece of mind. It's only about $20 as I remember for the metal plate and whichever strap you pick. I have the ankle strap and find it really comfortable and have never had any issues with it, i.e. it loosening or becoming uncomfortable.

big chainring 

In my youth I was riding 300 plus miles a week. No ID, no helmet. Sometimes I didnt even have any money on me. Thousands of miles over 3 or 4 years, never a problem.

Now I ride with wallet and helmet. Ahhh youth.

Sy Reene

Sorry, but this just seems odd to me. Really? After someone's in an accident, the first place EMTs look for ID is something wearable? Not a wallet or a purse or pockets? I don't want to speak about your ill family member, but why would someone keep their ID etc. scattered in the bottom of a tote bag?

Tycho Brahe 

I put my keys in a small ziploc bag with my insurance card. I lost my RoadID bracelet, I need to get another (although I have no good contact to give).

If I lost my bike "wallet" while riding, and if it had my drivers license, someone that found it would have both my address and keys. Not a good idea.

canklecat

Yup. But that's not new.

In the 1970s I was a Navy hospital corpsman. First thing a more experienced corpsman told me when he found out I was bicycle commuting to and from Camp Pendleton (with long stretches of nothing but nothing between base facilities), including in the wee hours depending on my schedule, was to get a wearable Medic-Alert type emergency contact bracelet or necklace with my basic health info, in addition to our dog tags. My only serious health issue was a severe allergy to the then-common tetanus shot. Back then it was common to give tetanus shots as a preventive measure for almost any injury accident, particularly those that occurred in rural areas with wildlife herds or domestic cattle or horses. My last tetanus shot was at age 12 and the entire right side of my body swelled up. If the shot had been given on my left side there may have been a risk of the swelling affecting the heart.

Since then tetanus shots have been modified to be less likely to provoke allergic reactions, and aren't routinely given immediately along with other emergency medical care.

Years ago I learned to never ask womenfolk about their purses. It's a good way to get the stink eye and incur all sorts of unthinkable silent curses.

Best I can figure from stealthy observation, they begin the day and shopping trips well organized. But after use at the store, the debit card, ID, etc., gets tossed into the purse or bag for re-organizing later at home.

And that's assuming the handbag addicts in my family remember to actually carry their IDs, debit/credit cards, cash, etc., at all. The bags will have the cell phone, tissues, feminine hygiene supplies, makeup, lip balm, water bottle, cutesy notepad, packets of wet wipes, hand sanitizer, greeting cards they've been meaning to mail all year, etc., etc.

Also, from the perspective of emergency medical personnel, fireman, police, etc., reaching into bags and pockets is a good way to get jabbed with an infected needle or other sharp object.

And people who've been badly injured and in shock, particularly if they're older or unconscious, often void their bladders and bowels. Reaching into pants pockets and clothing drops even lower on the priority list.

longbeachgary

Road ID every ride

chainwhip

Went over the bars 100 yards from home.
Ear lobe subbed for a brake pad.
Cracked helmet.
Passed out.

Two neighbors stopped traffic before a third ran me over.

No concussion, but not concious at the scene.

Cheap insurance.
And I carry both Dr Lic & mobile phone.

drewguy

Expired DL, card with contact info, phone with emergency contact info on lock screen, and use Garmin LiveTrack with spouse.

Deal4Fuji

Same here, but my Road ID has a line "see seatbag" where I keep the reduced sized cards, along with $10 and a bike tool kit. I see no reason to carry actual ID's or a wallet that could be lost or stolen when copies will do the job. Mine was just $15, not much to pay for having that info available on your body & I've heard here before EMT's may not have the time to search for ID.

icyclist 

My kids gave me one. So I feel duty-bound to wear it.

BadBurrito

I have a Road ID velcro'd to one of the cross straps on my shoe. I don't carry a wallet/DL. I went for years without it and no one seemed to care including me, then my wife sees a commercial for Road ID (I think while watching ToF) and suddenly she thinks it's the most important thing. Ahh to be wanted even it is so I can take out the trash.

Silvercivic27

I use a road ID. Maybe not every ride. I do carry my DL, medical insurance card, a credit card and a $20 in a ziplock bag with my phone every ride.

wheelreason

I wrap some $ around my driver's license and a CC, along with a post-it with emergency contact and "B+, no allergies, don't take my organs" written on it and I put a rubber band or two around the whole thing.

hunterr41

bracelet always

LarRig

If you feel that a Road ID is too expensive you can order custom dog tags online with the same info on them for a lot less $.

superdex

I'm thankful she had your address; hope she's ok.
I bought mine probably 10 years ago; for $35 it's amortized pretty well

cderalow

side note for those of you putting them on shoes or in pockets...

during a serious accident, your shoes, pockets and sometimes clothes can be parted from your person which makes them useless. bracelets and necklaces are less likely to have that happen.

also, as a former EMT, initial training had us taking pulse via two methods (wrist or neck) which puts us purposefully touching one of both of those locations, which makes us more prone to finding important information there.