I have the ankle version. I like the fact that, short of dismemberment, it will always be with me. If a paramedic has to cut my shoes off, he'll find the road id. If I kept the info in a jersey pocket, I can't be sure they'd find the info if they had to cut off my jersey, which is not uncommon because they're rather concerned with access to the thorasic region while trying to save your life.

Why not make it easy? Wear it someplace where it is both likely to be found and unlikely to interfere with those heros who are saving your life.

i think it was your sig i got the link from sean thanks for having it there

I got mine much cheaper online at boomerangtags.com. I wear it around my neck with a HR monitor and it dosen't cause any problems. I'm an ER Doc and really an ankle bracelet is much harder to find than a dog tag around your neck. This is the first place we will look.

I have the Road ID; it's stainless steel, I haven't managed to damage it yet, and they replace it if you do. I get my dogs' ID tags at PetSmart. They're light aluminum, easily damaged, and become unreadable in about two years from daily wear and tear.

Military style dog tags are also aluminum, but they aren't engraved, they are embossed and I think they last a whole lot longer than the pet tags.

If anyone is interested, the Runner's World magazine site is running a 10 per cent off special on Road IDs, through the end of the year.
https://www.roadid.com/runnersworld.asp?referrer=2422

Dagna

I've looked through a number of posts on what to put on your road id and haven't seen anyone mention using their drivers license number for id. Years ago a cop told me engraving your property with your drivers license number was the best way to identify it if it was stolen, as it was the easiest way for them to trace the item back to it's owner. And if it works for your property, why wouldn't it work for you if you've been involved in an accident bad enough to need the road id to identify you? But no one seems to be using it - how come?

Also, is there any point to mentioning that you're one of the few people left not taking any drugs? NKA/NKDA covers most of it for me - is there an abbreviation for "pretty healthy up until I needed this tag to speak for me because I couldn't"?

jeez...spend the extra few bucks and get the right tool for the job! since i move around for my job every couple of years i got the interactive version...

I always thought about keeping some form of identification in my bag under my seat but would a non cyclist know where to look for an ID?

I'm not all that worried about having my body stolen, so the driver's license number isn't needed. I want them to know who to call in an emergency (wife and the relative most likely to give me a compatible organ), that I have asthma (may clue them in to the cause of my state), and my insurance ID so they don't worry about getting paid while deciding on how much energy and resources to use on me.

Probably not, especially if you're 20 feet from your bike when they find you, or if they check after you're in the ambulance (the bike's not going with you... sorry).

i have the ankle version with my name, home town, parents phone number and my allergys. havent needed it yet, but if i ever do ill be glad i have it.

Neck or wrist has to be best bet. I am guessing that when they scrape me into an ambulance they won't be looking at my bike. Also I figure jerseys get cut open and thrown.

Hospitals like to put their own wrist bands so they should notice the road my i.d..

I wear my MedicAlert tag whenever I leave the house.
it has all of my information, and what's not on the tag is attainable by calling the 800# on the tag.
granted not everyone has need for medicalert tags

EMTs are trained to, and religiously do check for medic alert tags at necklace and wrist band locations at least. probably ankle as well. for what it's worth.
I have a parent who's a nurse, and several EMT friends. I've asked.

The idea of using the drivers license number is to allow them to easily obtain you full name, address, height weight and see that lovely picture they took at the DMV. They won't get all of that from your insurance id, and minimizing the chances that the wrong person goes the the ER with your insurance information sounds like a good idea to me. There may be some benefit to having the ER folks know this before your relatives get there, especially if those relatives are hysterical/emotional when they get there.

The EMTs will try to take your bike with you to the hospital, but no guarantees. Even stuff in your pockets is risky since in a bad crash, that can thrown on to the road. Also, EMTs may need to separate you from your jersey during treatment.

Do you really need to carry an insurance card? I've seen this mentioned several times in different threads. Won't an emergency room give you initial treatment? I've never been unconcious when I went to ERs so I've always been able to tell them who my insurance company is.

a hospital cannot legally refuse treatment due to race, religion, insurance or lack thereof, etc etc in the US. period.

You know, that LA county sheriff's guys were actually trying to airlift my bike out with me, but the helicopter pilot was freaking out. Apparently two of the guys on the air crew are mtn bikers, so they wanted to rescue the bikes as well. But the helicopter was already in the reserve fuel, soooo.

They find ways. They aren't supposed to, but they manage. I'm REALLY glad I had my card with me when I went down - the hospital staff was much more responsive after they got the info.

Among other things, my road ID tag states 'full health insurance coverage".

I've been in and around hospitals all of my life, and I hate to say either you were in a crappy one, or possibly in Tijuana unknowingly, or I call shenanigans. Hospitals do NOT refuse to treat someone, in spite of insurance. They may not LIKE doing it, but they do it.
We get drug seekers and homeless uninsured people all day long in our local ER, and all of them get treated. They may not get the drugs they ask for when they say "I'm allergic to everything but Demerol, and I have a headache," but they do get treated, the same as anyone else.

Huntington Memorial in Pasadena. They were treating me, but they were much happier about it when the insurance card came out.

I've never had a medical professional act that way.. although I have been nagged incessantly by the billing department upon admission.. sorry for your bad experience. most hospitals aren't like that, in my experience.

Makes sense, but I don't engage in the swapping of Road IDs with other riders. It's not a safe practice But you're right that putting my license number would allow them to look up that information instead of updating my Road ID any time things change.

+1 I was in a simple crash and my cell phone flew from my jersey pocket about 10 feet in front of me.

True, but I've heard rumors from people who work in the field that some people "try harder" when they know they're getting paid.

Awesome!

+1 for Huntington Memorial, too. They saw my wife in less than 30 min for a non life threatening issue. Can't say as much for my urgent care when we thought I broke an arm. I swear there were more dire cases there than at the ER!!!

It's more like $15; it's $60 to get it renewed which you have to do every four years or something like that. I usually bring my visa, debit, and a calling card so the extra 2mm doesn't really make much of a difference.