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Do you carry ID when you ride?

Old 02-18-22, 02:31 AM
  #1  
VegasJen
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Do you carry ID when you ride?

Just curious what you guys are doing when you ride. I don't really have anybody I ride with so all my rides are solo. Considering that, I always have to keep in the back of my mind the possibility some jack hole hits me on the road. What if I'm unconscious? What if I can't respond? I have a medical condition emergency personnel should know about. I've been thinking about things like this, especially when I'm out on one of my longer rides where it would be much harder to associate me with my home or vehicle. I don't want to carry my DL when I ride because it's just a headache transferring it from my wallet to a pack and then back. And then if I happen to forget to transfer it back I might get caught driving around without my DL on accident.

I do still have my old set of dog tags but that has my social security number on them. I'd rather not have that just in case I happen to lose it or someone less scrupulous were to find it first.

What do you guys do?
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Old 02-18-22, 03:38 AM
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I carry a credit card and my roadside assist membership card. I was surprised to learn it covers bicycle recovery and transport back home. Also, I have a small card that has my emergency contact's name and phone number written on it. All of this is stashed in the phone wallet I store my mobile phone in (which is essentially a zip-lock bag).

There's apps you can use, but if you're phone's busted in the crash that's not much use. Probably worth writing your condition and important information on something and having that on you.
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Old 02-18-22, 04:42 AM
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wolfchild
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I always carry a wallet with my drivers license, bank card, credit card, health card, social insurance number, vehicle insurance and some cash.
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Old 02-18-22, 05:02 AM
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I have the luxury of a rear rack trunk, sometimes a small one, sometimes larger. the wallet goes in there. my phone usually rides on my body w/ emergency contacts. my phone is not locked. so anyone can pick it up & see who I am in touch with regularly. mostly my Wife, Daughter & Mother & any of those can contact the others in case of emergency
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Old 02-18-22, 05:11 AM
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No.
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Old 02-18-22, 05:16 AM
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Get a Road ID. https://www.roadid.com/
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Old 02-18-22, 05:42 AM
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Do a quick search here and you will get more info than you know what to do with.
Lewis and Clark packed lighter than many BF members do for their daily rides lol
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Old 02-18-22, 05:45 AM
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I've always got my phone as I use live tracking on the roads, and want to stay in contact with home.

For longer rides I'll make sure I've at least got a credit card but I've never really bothered with ID.
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Old 02-18-22, 05:47 AM
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I should but I don't. While I suppose there are reasons to, I figure if something were to happen, my condition and the care I will receive are largely the same as they may be if I had my name, address and phone number on me.

I do take my phone along with me. The Garmin Livetrack and incident detection if working may help a bit if my wife notices something amiss.
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Old 02-18-22, 06:44 AM
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I wear a simple velcro type bracelet that has a medic emblem and a small, folded piece of paper describing my situation -- Parkinson's brain stimulation implant. However, I only wear it when I don my helmet for longer rides. Didn't have it with me on my last crash two weeks ago. Luckily it wasn't too bad. I probably should wear it, and my helmet, at all times.
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Old 02-18-22, 06:57 AM
  #11  
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Yes, always have my phone and wallet with me.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:12 AM
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If you are going to carry any personal/med info,(and you should) it needs to be on a bracelet or necklace. Somewhere close to where they will be checking for a pulse after an accident/incident. Unfortunately, anything/anywhere else will most likely get separated from your body during the accident.

I have a med allergy to something that would be used in an emergency situation. It's listed on the Road ID I wear along with my personal info.

Last edited by seypat; 02-18-22 at 07:21 AM.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:24 AM
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I bring along my DL, a credit card, about $50, and a cheap flip phone for emergencies.
Check with your DMV if you can just get an ID so no worries regarding forgetting your DL when you drive.
An emergency card with your health conditions, medications and emergency contacts on a laminated index card is also a good idea.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:26 AM
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Originally Posted by VegasJen
I have a medical condition emergency personnel should know about
IMHO for this reason alone you should consider some form of medic-alert bracelet or Road-ID or other similar thing (several options on Amazon)

I have the roadID that goes on my garmin watch band - I use my old FR235 as an HRM (broadcast mode) and always wear it when riding.

Be aware that roadID will try to upsell an online service that's just not necessary for most folks. Just buy the id and you should be good.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:28 AM
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I carry ID around My Neck, with a Bright Orange or Yellow Yarn type cord.
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Last edited by 10 Wheels; 02-18-22 at 07:53 AM.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
If you are going to carry any personal/med info,(and you should) it needs to be on a bracelet or necklace. Somewhere close to where they will be checking for a pulse after an accident/incident. Unfortunately, anything/anywhere else will most likely get separated from your body during the accident.
My wallet with all my personal essentials is inside my cargo pants pocket and also secured with a piece of nylon cord which is attached to my beltloop, you would have to yank extremely hard on it to get it to separate.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:46 AM
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seypat
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
My wallet with all my personal essentials is inside my cargo pants pocket and also secured with a piece of nylon cord which is attached to my beltloop, you would have to yank extremely hard on it to get it to separate.
That's what an EMT/First Responder told me. Most everything gets separated from the body. Clothes will get cut off if the responders need to access parts of the body as well. You or someone else may be back at the scene of the incident looking for stuff such as keys/wallet/shoes/etc at a later date.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:55 AM
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Yes of course I ride with ID.

I have a zip pouch for cycling that goes in a jersey pocket or wherever else- it has a little cash and a copy of my health insurance info. I move my DL and a check card to the wallet for each ride. It also holds my phone and is waterproof, so everything is together and access is easy.
To me the question should be- why should I ride without any ID? I think answers will not be very compelling.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:13 AM
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Yes, not sure what the point of being out without identification would be.

I have an old business card clamshell case which is waterproof and locks shut. It's way smaller than a cell phone, easily stows in a jersey pocket. On the outside is emergency contact info, inside is an old driver's license with my current address, my insurance card, and a couple of bills for an emergency drink or a tire boot. Goes with me on every ride, fortunately have never needed any of it.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
If you are going to carry any personal/med info,(and you should) it needs to be on a bracelet or necklace. Somewhere close to where they will be checking for a pulse after an accident/incident. Unfortunately, anything/anywhere else will most likely get separated from your body during the accident.

I have a med allergy to something that would be used in an emergency situation. It's listed on the Road ID I wear along with my personal info.
I was on a group ride several years ago where an out-of-town rider was severely injured and had to be helicoptered to a local hospital. Fortunately, he had a Road ID with all his medical and contact information available. Pretty much everyone on that ride went straight home and ordered a Road ID. One of the riders that day was a doctor who also did emergency response work, and he said the same thing about IDs; if it's not a dog tag or a wrist band, the emergency responders may miss it.

Besides the Road ID, I also make a plastic laminated copy of my driver's license and carry that with me.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:21 AM
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I have a zip pouch with my phone, bank cards, some money, my healthcare insurance card and my UCI racing license that I carry with me when I'm riding.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:27 AM
  #22  
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Yeah, forgetting to put your drivers license back into your wallet after a ride is a problem, and if I wasn’t worried about police harrassment, I’d just write my contact info inside the bike pouch I keep in my jersey pocket and be done with it, however, I do have pre- and pos-ride habits to help me remember to do the swap.

Actually, it may be that I’m inclined to stop for a glass of wine on the way home, not police misconduct, which compels me to carry my DL, but the point remains the same.

I suppose you could request a replacement license from the issuing authority and keep the old one in your bike kit, but don’t mix ‘em up, because in most states— I think— you can only have one valid DL card, so the replacement license supercedes the older one, which is then invalid, and you wouldn’t want to give a cop an invalid license…unless you think your story about how you can’t remember to carry your license because you’re a cyclist would be really entertaining for the police.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:29 AM
  #23  
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I carry a photocopy of my drivers license, with Emergency Contact info printed on the other side, laminated and a copy thrown into all of my bike bags. If you have access to a scanner and printer, it's easy. I just use clear packing tape for the "laminating".
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Old 02-18-22, 08:33 AM
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I will vote for road id or like product. the bracelet is pretty nice.

If you wait until the "tour" they usually have some big sales.
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Old 02-18-22, 08:36 AM
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I carry my entire wallet with my ID in it. It goes in a plastic zipper bag with my cellphone and that goes in the center pocket of my jersey.

Then if I happen to get separated from my bike in a bad crash, then my ID and phone will be with me. Hopefully I'll still be able to use my phone to call for help. I ride hard quite a bit and have taken several spills at over 20 mph. Phone hasn't broken yet.

Several emergency responders have said in other threads here on BF that it's unlikely they'll look at your bike when they come to give you first aid and put you in the ambulance. So putting ID on your bike or in a bike bag seems a misplaced hope.
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