Originally Posted by MarkS
Maybe there should be a "cheapest emergency cell phone service" thread. Don't cell phones run something like $30 a month? The roadside assistance would only be about $40 a year. I'm not sure if taxis are practical where I live. In any event, can you get your bike in a taxi?
If you want cheap emergency phone only, then you have several options:
Get a prepaid cell phone with a minimum number of minutes. Although the cost per minute is high, there should be no monthly charge so in the long run, unless you have lots of emergencies, the cost is low.
Get a used cellphone that is not activated. In the US, I believe that all cell phones can make a 911 call so long as they are in range of an approriate cell tower, regardless of whether they have a current service. Obviously, this option is for serious emergencies, not a busted bike (unless it was busted by the car that ran into you!), but if you get an old phone from a friend, the cost is right.
If you are in remote areas, as Machka stated, there may be no cell service available at all. I keep a prepaid phone card access number with me so all I need is a pay phone. Unfortunately, with the proliferation of cell phones, pay phones are getting hard to find...