The lone wolf dilemma.

Background.

So, thankfully our friend did not die in the crash. Somebody saw them crash, and they got to the hospital and subsequently made a full recovery. But there were too many hours where their fiancé did not know where they were. (They were unconscious and non-responsive and subsequently put into an induced coma.)

So, yeah, that is a legitimate spouse spook. We discussed each other’s concerns.

So back when I watched the Concours de Pharmacologie, there was an ad for Road-ID, and my spouse casually said that’s a really good idea. No brainer. I’ve worn one ever since.

But still, every couple of hours when I was out I would get a call on my cell phone, how ya doin?

So, once I got a smart phone, I installed Runkeeper (a Boston based app with live tracking, small subscription fee, plus it is “multisport”), and set it up to post a private link on my spouse’s Facebook page, and the calls stopped. Even though the link rarely was clicked. (And, redundantly, in addition to the Road-ID, keeping ICE contact info on my phone too.)

So, on to the question of things like ICEdot. If I were frequently riding in isolated areas, I’d consider it. But I don’t expect my spouse to be first responder, and where I ride I think that far more likely than not that somebody would see me. (What saved our friend’s life.) And frankly I’m more likely to crash unobserved in my car.

So I don’t have any specific advice, but there are accommodations the two of you can make, and it’s a spectrum of responses for the two of you to work out.

-mr. bill