- Would you have any ID on you? If you’re swimming, hiking or exploring, chances are you won’t. Kids are particularly likely not to have ID, something to think about if they are old enough to be off the boat on their own.
- If you do have ID, would it connect you to your boat? Would first responders or helpful bystanders know who to contact? Your driver’s license or even your passport doesn’t really help with this.
- If you’re unconscious, would medical personnel know of any pertinent medical history or what medications you take?
- Perhaps even more importantly, would medical personnel know of any (potentially fatal) drug allergies?
- If your significant other was with you or contacted, would they remember all the info — medical history, medications, allergies, insurance and more — in the stress of the moment?
- Do you have kids or pets onboard that would have to be taken care of in an emergency?
- And if a pet got separated, would it have any ID that would connect it to you on the boat?
I’m not trying to be gloom and doom here, but these were concerns that Dave and I had while cruising. We all hope we never have an emergency, but they do happen.
And none of our regular ID — were we to be carrying it, which we often didn’t — connected us to the boat, to each other, to next of kin, to our medical histories or drug allergies. And if we were both incapacitated, would anyone know to check on Paz?
Our first solution was to get dog tags engraved with our name, the name of the boat, our blood type, Dave’s brother’s phone number as our emergency contact (not only does he always have his cell phone with him, he’s a doctor) and for me, a “no penicillin” note. Better than nothing, but still missing a lot.
Three years ago, we discovered a much better system: RoadID.
RoadID is like a liferaft. You hope you never use it for its intended purpose. But if you should need it, you’d be really glad you had it.
RoadID was originally designed by and for elite cyclists (road racers that do things like the Tour de France) both during training rides and competitions. Since then, it has spread to other sports and activities, such as hikers and overseas travelers. And originally, if offered 6 lines of text similar to our dog tags — although it offered it on wrist bands, ankle bands and shoe tags as well.
Road ID Interactive
The big improvement came with Road ID Interactive. This is what Dave and I have and what I highly recommend. As explained by RoadID:
Road ID Interactive allows you to build a fully updateable, secure Emergency Response Profile (ERP) that is available to first responders 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You can still customize the first 1-3 lines of an Interactive ID (depending on the model chosen). The last 4 lines, however, are reserved to provide instructions on how to access your ERP in an emergency situation.
The initial tag costs $15 to $30, depending on the style you choose, and includes the first year of membership in the ERP database. Future years are $10 and you can opt for automatic renewal — helpful if you’re off cruising when it’s time to renew. Shipping is just $1.49 in the US and Canada and they offer worldwide shipping. You can also buy one as a gift.
Here’s my wristband. The blanked out line is Dave’s cell phone since we’re cruising in areas with cell coverage. And you can have more than one tag linked to the same data, if you want — say if you’re a part-year cruiser, you could have one with a cell number and one with a boat name. Dave has a “dog-tag” style one and there are several other styles. I wear mine 24/7 (except when “dressed up”) so I never have to remember to put it on.
The plates are all stainless and they are laser engraved, with a lifetime guarantee. The bands or neck chains may have to be replaced over time (mine is just over 3 years old and it’s almost time to replace the wrist band). These will stand up to life aboard!
You can customize the first two lines to say anything you want, although they do give recommendations on the “Build Your ID” page. They have several choices for the “For ID Information” line, plus you can create your own text if you are in a non-English speaking country (must use the English alphabet, though). The phone number line has options for US toll-free, US regular (which can be called from anywhere in the world), Mexico, England, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. The serial number and PIN on the hidden side are what enable someone to get your information — either by phone or internet.
Your Emergency Response Profile contains all the info you might want someone to have in case of an emergency:
- Vital Statistics: Name, date of birth, blood type and whether you’re an organ donor.
- Photo: so they know it’s the right person!
- Address: You can have multiple addresses, so you can have a “home” address, and even more than one “marina” address — be sure to include the boat name here!
- ID info: There are spaces for insurance info, passport number and the like.
- Emergency Contacts: You can list up to 5.
- Physicians: Particularly helpful if you have any chronic conditions.
- Medical Profile: Including allergies, prescription and over the counter medications, medical conditions and medical history.
- Additional Info: There is a large space where you can add any info you wish about just about anything — we used it to provide info on overseas evacuation insurance, the dog (including instructions that if she has been injured, we’ll pay for vet care), and our living wills.
Admittedly it takes a bit of time to initially enter all the info — but you are in total control of what information is entered. We make a point to review the info each year on our birthday to make sure that it’s up to date.
And now, Road ID offers tags for pets. When we cruised, we simply had a standard dog tag made for Paz with “Yate Que Tal” instead of a phone number (she’ll have a “Barefoot Gal” tag when we’re on the new boat). But if you want to provide more detailed info, this is an option.
To get your Road ID, you can click on any of the links on this page. If you want to see a demo of the Road ID Interactive (unfortunately, it’s not available as a YouTube video that I can embed), click here or any link on this page, which will take you to Road ID’s home page. Then click on “Products” on the left side of the screen. In roughly the middle of the screen, you’ll see a box highlighting the Road ID Interactive with a blue button to “View a Demo of Road ID Interactive” — just click it.If you don’t get Road ID, I hope you’ll at least think about the whole ID issue — and don’t just put it on a list to “get around to someday.” Accidents and illnesses do happen.
Candy on Facebook says
November 9, 2011 at 10:01 amAnother very useful posting-and I enjoy you non-galley posts just as much….so don’t ever hesitate to put them up too (I’m sure others enjoy/appreciate them as well).
I had our boat name engraved on our dogs collar when we cruised on our old boat. that was pre cell phone days so I always worried about him getting separated from us in an accident situation but dumb me I never thought about how my husband and I needed a tag too!
Thank you for sharing!
Debbie on Facebook says
November 28, 2011 at 6:34 pmThank you for the information, we ordered ours yesterday.
on Facebook says
November 28, 2011 at 7:24 pmSuper! Hope the info is never needed, but in case it is . . . makes me feel a lot better to know I’ve always got ID with me! -Carolyn
Membio says
December 22, 2011 at 7:19 amI have several of these tags-
Local set with several phone numbers of people to contact if I get run off the road when on my bike or hit by a car…
Foreign Travel set with nationality and international phone numbers
Cruising set with Ship’s name and phone number (yes ship has a phone!)
All include my name, blood type and medications I am allergic to.
I dont want to be a Jane Doe in a foreign hospital!
Candy Ann Williams on Facebook says
April 15, 2012 at 12:07 pmGreat idea!
Ann Snider on Facebook says
October 8, 2012 at 6:13 pmThe saddest thing that still hurts me is that a friend of ours was running and didn’t feel well at the end of our block. He laid down on the lawn there and died. It took hours before they knew who he was because he had no ID on him but if I had gone by the scene, I would have known immediately and been able to help. But I saw the police and was in a hurry so went the other way. 🙁 I will never go anywhere now without some form of ID.
Nita Knighton on Facebook says
October 8, 2012 at 6:29 pmSorry I did not get to meet you at the boat show, we were there until 3 pm. This is , I have to say one of the most important pieces of info. Next year we will start our cruising life and I am definitely ordering these for us ! Thank You
The Boat Galley on Facebook says
October 8, 2012 at 6:32 pmHow awful! We’ve seen several situations that made us decide that we needed to have ID on us at all times. I really like the Road ID since it provides all the necessary contact and medical info. And there’s plenty of space to add info about our dog who might need medical care or just to be looked after.
Leigh Ann Bishop Long on Facebook says
October 8, 2012 at 6:38 pmEasy to forget about the things that connect us to our loved one’s if we cannot.
Premium Nautical on Facebook says
October 10, 2012 at 2:48 amI have just ordered a set of RoadID after finding about them from your post. Cheers for that.
Mich Myrick James on Facebook says
December 16, 2012 at 8:49 pmsuch a great idea and gift choice to start our close friends and keep them close!
Molly Stokes says
August 13, 2013 at 9:28 pmI did this trip in 1975. You will love it. No bugs.
Sherry Day says
August 13, 2013 at 10:18 pmYour timing is perfect. We are just 10 weeks away from casting off with the Caribbean 1500 Rally to begin our circumnavigation. I am looking for affordable emergency health insurance for when we are cruising. These IDs are a good start. Can any of your readers recommend a source for insurance? I recall someone talking about Divers´ Insurance, but don´t know how to find it. Thanks
Diane Dashevsky says
August 14, 2013 at 11:47 amSanta brought us each one last Christmas… 🙂 Also like knowing that we can let first responders know the dog needs tending to if she is not with us!
Diana K Weigel says
July 9, 2014 at 10:24 pmGood idea
Angie Morales says
July 9, 2014 at 10:35 pmI never thought of this till I bought two for my grandgirls for a vacation we were taking. Then I thought, instead of carrying my info with me where it can get wet and destroyed, get my own RoadID bracelet, for sailing around. So I did and now I wear mine all the time. Considering the medical bracelet for a more detailed medical information
The Boat Galley says
July 9, 2014 at 10:55 pmBoth Dave and I have a fair amount of medical info to include, plus info on boat and a dog (if she were hurt in the same accident, we’d want someone to know we’d pay for vet care, and if she wasn’t hurt, someone to take care of her), so the one with the online info is perfect.
Ann Snider says
July 9, 2014 at 11:36 pmI have been using the Road ID iPhone app for road trips and I think it would be great for bikers and trail riders riding horses. It will send “e-crumbs” to someone as a link and they can track where you are. Now my husband doesn’t have to text me constantly “Where are you now?” when I’m on the road. 🙂 He also can give me a head’s up when there is traffic ahead.
But I believe we should ALWAYS have ID on us and I wish a friend of mine had this when he went running and died on the run. He died just around the corner from me and when I drove out of the neighborhood, I went the other way because I saw the police activity. I wish I had gone by because I would have known immediately who it was – and not had his family stress for hours before they found out he had passed away. 🙁 Now I make sure that I have my phone on with my contact info easily seen (and with the Road ID app, it makes a home screen with this same info if you wish which I do).
Mike Poor says
July 10, 2014 at 3:48 amI just have to say that you are amazing. Each post is more useful than the last. Thank you for all that you do for us.
The Boat Galley says
July 10, 2014 at 1:36 pmThank you! Glad to know they’re useful!
Jim Allen says
July 10, 2014 at 4:41 pmI have one also – good thing to have especially out of the country
Michele Dunn says
March 30, 2015 at 9:13 pmThis is a great post! Thank you so much for the info. My husband & I are planning our trip to the Bahamas this fall. We will definitely be adding this to our “must get” list. Absoluteły love your site!!!
Joanne Cannon says
July 29, 2017 at 10:54 amHaving gotten one of these years ago as a road cyclist I never thought it would come in handy for my next activity. Thanks!
Linda Cok Lueders says
July 29, 2017 at 11:31 amI am trying to absorb this information. Sounds like a great idea. But is there concern of someone stealing your identity if they find or steal the id? Risk vs Benefit.
The Boat Galley says
July 29, 2017 at 1:13 pmI don’t the risk is particularly greater than any other type of ID you would carry. And it’s certainly better than having NO ID on you.
Scott Beachbum says
July 30, 2017 at 1:24 pmYou can put on it what you want
Mine has my name, wifes name and number and moms name and phone number i dont know what id they could steal from this.
Linda Cok Lueders says
July 30, 2017 at 2:57 pmScott Beachbum my understanding is that there is a website that has much more i formation but I see your point.
Paul Hoffman says
July 31, 2017 at 12:05 pm@ Linda Cok Lueders You are correct. There is a ID number and a ‘code’ a first responder can enter into the RoadID’s web site and get information. As Carolyn mentioned there is a balance. Being able to provide life saving info in a medical emergency vs. potential loss of PID. The info you put on your bracelet, and enter in the web site accessed ‘retrievable’ area is completely up to you – put in what you’re comfortable with. I’d lose more PID if I lost my wallet then my RoadID.
I can’t pack all of the medical and contact information into my wallet – in an easy to recognize/retrieve – but the RoadID makes it easy for those that might come to my aid.
Mich Myrick James says
July 29, 2017 at 11:40 amI’ve had one for many years as a boater and as a land traveler…. I’ve never been worried about someone stealing my identity… risk is worth benefit to me
Mich Myrick James says
July 29, 2017 at 4:03 pmThey also have RoadID for your pet.
Amy Sackman Odum says
July 29, 2017 at 1:21 pmI love my RoadID!
Michele Dunn says
July 29, 2017 at 3:24 pmWe have them and think it’s a great idea!
Sherry Matas says
July 29, 2017 at 5:59 pmI’ve used one for years for long distance running. Since smart phones have gotten so large, all I take with me is the road ID and an iPod shuffle.
John R. Parsons says
July 29, 2017 at 6:51 pmThank You for calling attention to RoadID. I love my RoadID and wouldn’t dram of going anywhere without it. Yes, they are “kinda” pricey but their product is SO professional and looks and feels great. Awesome peace of mind!
Sailing With Bloom says
July 29, 2017 at 9:19 pmEach member of our family has one! We bought them after seeing your post on them. Love your website! ⛵️
Scott Beachbum says
July 30, 2017 at 1:27 pmWear mine all the time when I go out with out my wallet easier to put on than digging out my drivers licence and if i loose the road id (with the ankle velcro no idea how that could happen) I dont have to go to the dmv to replace it.
Sailing Honu says
June 14, 2018 at 11:35 pmWe have this and I think it’s such a great idea!
The Boat Galley says
June 15, 2018 at 1:13 amI wear mine 24/7. I got their new silicone band about 6 months ago and love it.
The Boat Galley says
June 15, 2018 at 1:14 am