Triumphrat

williamr

Never given a thought to this. I just ride. Nearly always on my own.

If it's a long trip I plan routes in advance - that's just common sense - but I don't feel any need to tell anybody else.

Different on the boat as you're in a hostile environment away from easily available help, and you have a responsibility to your crewe. For coastal sailing, with DSC/VHF as well as mobile 'phones we don't bother telling anybody in advance - unless we need to book an advance berth in a popular spot at peak times - but we do notify the coastguard if we're going across channel or further.

Rob

Cuchulainn

My wife and I each have one of those Spot GPS messenger devices, and we carry one with us when riding alone. They aren't the cheapest option, but the do have a couple advantages over cell phone. First, they will work in remote areas where a cell phone signal might not be possible. That's not uncommon around here in some of the passes and canyons, as well as some remote off-road areas. Also, the GPS is more accurate than some of the cell phone based systems, which may be using Skyhook or A-GPS for location info.

Luckily, for me at least, the only time I have had to use it was when I came upon a motorcycle vs car accident in a Canyon, where dialing 911 wasn't an option due to no signal. It worked extremely well. Pushed the S.O.S button and before I knew it, sirens were approaching from both directions in the canyon. A couple of the responders who had not previously seen one, were really impressed and curious about it. One thing I had forgotten though, is that if you don't shut it back off, it continues to send an S.O.S every 15 seconds.

Aside from the emergency functions, it can also track your location on a map, and has quick function buttons, which I use for sending "stopping for food and fuel" type messages with 1 button press.

thomb25

No wife and I haven't yet gone out on a road trip where I haven't come home yet. However I don't live alone and plan on doing a road trip in Sept. when I get vacation. I don't really know where I'm going but I did give them an idea of where I was going and my plans so they are not clueless. Don't really go in to exact locations cause I really don't know but I am planning on heading down to N.C. so I will tell them thats where I'm headed just so they know and aren't looking for me in Wisconsin. That smart phone thing does sound like a good idea. Also if you have a facebook and are using your smart phone to take pics and post them on facebook, make sure you put your location and date to kind of give people a timeline as to when and where you are at. Just an idea though.

Speedgelb986S

My wife and I both have iPhones, which we always have with us. Either of us can always find the other using the "Find My Phone" app. It shows a map pinpointing the location of the other spouse's phone.

RumRunner

Well the only problem with that for me is being single... No one to look and check on me if I'm not home by a specific time... Plus riding up in the mountains there isn't cell service half the time.

johanovich

Hey Rumrunner, I know you just mentioned it in passing but thanks for mentioning the CRADAR app. It's something I was unaware of and it looks like a pretty decent app.

melmsrt4

I never think of riding alone, I'm surprised everyone is big on riding alone. Even when I was single, I would never consider going on a ride alone. Same thing with snow skiing and almost anything outdoor

shiftredline

I would say 70% of the time I ride alone. I tell the wife my general area I'll be riding in and an esitmate of time for the ride.

Cuchulainn

I usually ride with my wife, but when she can't or doesn't want to go with me, I won't hesitate to ride alone. I do carry the SPOT device that I mentioned earlier in the thread.

One of the best features of that device is that it leaves a trail of bread crumbs. In other words, it can track my position every 10 minutes on a map, if tracking is activated. It also will allow for check-ins, requests for assistance and SOS emergency requests, even in places where cell phone signal is not possible. If you do activate SOS, it will send your GPS coordinates to emergency responders every 15 minutes until deactivated. Additionally, I also have roadside assistance tied into it. Unlike cell phones, there is an annual fee tied into the services, but the peace of mind is worth it IMHO.

Battery life of SPOT is great, and they continue to work in areas where there is no cell phone coverage. That can be an important distinction. I had to use mine last year to call for assistance at the scene of an accident. A rider had gone too hot into a turn, crossed the center line and collided with an oncoming vehicle. As it was in a Canyon, cell phones were not getting out to 911, but the SPOT did, and EMS had the exact GPS coordinates.

Another option is SARLINK, which has a stronger signal than SPOT, but is strictly 911.

RumRunner

Hope it works for you. It sounds like a GREAT app, just not available for the iPhone, so I've been playing with the accident alert app. So far it seems to be decent.