Rider Identification card

[sorebutt]

I carry a copy of my passport under my seat with my registration and insurance for when I travel to Canada. It also comes handy if some scumbag steals your wallet while you are laying there in the states.

It is a good idea for those cards when you have medical conditions. It could save your life. I'd like to say all emergency personal do everything right, but we all know that isn't true.

[RVDan]

I have no known alergies and my blood type is O-

Is that useful information to leave on a card for the first responders?

I keep emergency contact info on a USB drive hanging around my neck, sure its not much good in Zimbabwe or Amish country, I'll make sure I get something else before travelling there.

[jasoomian]

Originally Posted by DNF

http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx

Guys I cycle with use these. I am too cheap to buy one yet...

Has a yearly electronic version (again I am way too cheap for this).

+1 on the RoadId. Strapped like a watch to my left wrist, underneath my jacket, no chance it gets ripped off or goes unseen in case of a crash.

[Pete O Static]

I asked my doctor about the blood type thing and he said don't bother, they will type your blood quickly and easily if needed and even if you told them, they would type it anyway just to be sure. Not like a first responder will be carrying quantities of various blood types with them anyway. Their job is to stop or slow the bleeding and stabilize you for transport to a hospital.

The info that he said would be the most useful is: Date of birth, known drug allergies or medical conditions, a list of any medications you are currently taking, if any and emergency contact info. Make sure your emergency contact has been briefed in the event they get a call. Ie, medical insurance info, next of kin, what your wishes may be etc. They will be your ambassador and may need to make some decisions on your behalf. So don't just use any name and not tell them that they are your emergency contact.

Seemed to make sense to me.

[DNF]

Only the hospital cares about blood type unless your medics are flying you via helo then you might see some blood.
Drug allergies are what we need plus any relevant med hx. Contact info is nice but once again only the hospital cares ultimately. It allows us medics to fill out more paperwork.

[Spud99]

I took a colour photocopy of my drivers license, wrote my contact and medical details on the back of it and had it laminated at a copy shop. I wer this around my neck on a lanyard when skiing or biking.

[USMC0861]

All in all if you end up in a hospital in the US, they will type and screen you as soon as you roll in the door or give you O- if it is emergent and needed before then. Same goes for our flight and advanced medic services. However in worst case scenario it is a good thing to have your blood type posted because in an emergency (mainly outside the US and probably Canada) having an idea of someone's blood type opens up a few more options in the case of mass transfusions or unavailability of matched/O- blood. (this does happen in the US too, just not often) For what it's worth, for the space on the card. I would keep it there. It's never going to hurt you, there is a remote chance that it can and will help you. Especially in remote area's!

Also, as previously argued medical personnel will give you medicine they believe will help you regardless of whether allergies are known or unknown. It all comes down to risk vs. benefit. If you know an allergy exist you can avoid it. However you certainly aren't going to withhold a life saving drug because there is a remote chance they may be allergic True life-threatening allergies are rare.

-Dan
(and I am a medical professional... )

[NoDirt4Me]

The "ICE Device" is a handy little way to have emergency info on you.



Fred

[jbhawley]

I have two one-piece riding suits. Aerostich Roadcrafter and Teiz Mojave Mesh. Each has their own uniqueness, so to speak, as far a placement of pockets. I wanted a method to attach a Emergency Medical Information pocket on each suit. The RC has a couple strips of velco that allowed me to have a custom pocket made in red cordura with embroidery. I just keep the ID pocket attached.





The Teiz suit has a sleeve pocket built in. I added a red ID label.



Within each I keep an old drivers license, my medical info with contacts, allergies, doctor, insurance info, blood type, etc,etc. Plus I have an encrypted USB thumb drive that I have stored scans of my important "papers" in case my wallet is lost/stolen. At least I will have the numbers and what-not to call if needed and the acct numbers of said items.

[ScooterboyII]

I went with the Medic Alert dog tag thingy/wallet card. It costs more, but it has a phone # they can call or a web page they can look up to see what meds you take and past medical history.

[Forty Years Ago]

Easy solution. Borrowed from the bicycle folks.

http://www.roadid.com/Common/Default.aspx

[Kissy_Liz_1977]

I keep my info in a pouch that wraps around my chin strap. I got it from www.rescuefacts.com. I think it's pretty handy, and it actually makes the strap on my helmet more comfortable than it was before.

While it's true that blood type isn't likely to be used by medical personnel because they'll type you anyway, and they may or may not care about what medications I'm taking or allergies I have, I feel better knowing that the information is handy just in case. A few EMTs that I know say that although they don't depend heavily on the info, they do find it helpful to have. After all if they have a choice of medication A or B and they already know you're allergic to A, they can just give you B instead and keep you from having a reaction.

My emergency contact info is obviously important, so that's in that little pouch too as well as my name, address, D.O.B., weight (if I need drugs, I want to be sure to get enough of them!) a face shot of myself, and physical description. I also tucked in there my signed release that says I'm an organ donor (so if I won't be needing them, go ahead and take 'em). I know most of that is on my driver's license already, but I usually keep my license in the zippered pocket on my arm, and if I get into a crash, who knows where that arm may end up! (morbid, I know).

When you get right down to it, mostly I keep all that stuff handy not for my own benefit, but for others. I hate the thought of my family not knowing if I was hurt (or dead), or that any usable organs I may have to donate don't get used because they couldn't contact my family to get permission.

[max384]

Great idea.

I didn't read all of the posts, so maybe this has been repeated...

I would also add current medications to your information. There are many drug interactions that could prove to be quite deleterious or even deadly. While in nearly all first world countries (though not everywhere), they'll type your blood, regardless of what a card says, the only way they'll know what medications you're on is if you have it written down somewhere or you tell them. If you don't take any meds, it's not as big of a deal, but it's still not a bad idea to put 'none' down so at least they know.

I used to have a sticker pouch on my helmet that I got from doing track days that had my info on it. It got scraped off when I wrecked and I never put a new one on my new helmet. This is a good reminder to do that.