where are you?

[bluenotebob]

I am a solo cyclist and I live alone (neither conditions by choice but that's life). I relish the freedom of going out whenever I choose, making the route up as I go and staying out on the bike as long as I want (or can). This 'freedom' only turned nasty once: in March this year I decided halfway through a ride that, if I pushed on, I could actually turn the ride into a 'metric century' - I did, and I ended up riding 122km over 7 hours and was hallucinating with tiredness over the last few kilometres. The feeling of success that I felt was marred by the realisation that I'd been quite reckless. I'd not prepared for the ride and nobody had known what I was doing, or where I was.

The next time I did a very long run (109km) I made sure that I'd prepared properly and that I'd told friends & family what I was doing. I sent out status updates via SMS en route and I received encouraging/supportive texts back. All went to plan - everything worked and I felt great at the end of the ride.

The only downside was the texting. I'm using an old phone (I think it's what you'd call a 2nd generation phone) - no internet or camera, and a hugely difficult keyboard. I really need to wear reading glasses to see what I've written - and I'm not going to carry those on the bike. There was also the constant pinging of incoming texts which I found distracting when I was cycling along - and the costs: most of the texts were cross-border with a cost to the sender. Not a significant cost admittedly but it would have been preferable if they'd been free.

We (friends, neighbours and family) are all in the process of upgrading to smartphones - and some form of messaging service (probably WhatsApp). For my next long and supported ride I'm hoping to simplify my 'ride status update' to just time & location, and to only check for incoming messages at pre-determined stop points (depending on internet access availability). And it should all be free.

If anyone's got a comment on the viability of this - or has an even better proposal - then please respond.

I'd also wondered whether I could take this a stage further - to let anyone know where I was, even if I'm only out on the bike for two or three hours. I usually leave a "je suis sur le velo" note stuck to my front door if I've left from home - but it gives no indication as to where I've gone, or for how long. And I'm not too keen on providing that information to a stranger passing by.

I am curious as to whether there's a simple app for a smartphone that would allow me to leave a 'status message' saying 'I'm in the xxxx valley this afternoon - back by 5pm', or whatever. Access to this status message would be restricted only to a few select friends/neighbours, who could check it if they felt they needed to.

I have at the back of my mind the probability that one day a neighbour's going to start getting alarmed when I haven't returned by 10pm, when I'd told her at 3pm that I was only going out for an hour. She could try ringing me, sure, ….."where are you?" ….but if I've crashed in a forest where there's no phone coverage then she wouldn't be any the wiser. But if I'd left a status message, accessible via her smartphone, then she would have a starting point if she felt it was necessary to raise concerns with authorities/rescue services. Obviously I hope this would never happen - but as I get older (and less sensible) then I guess it does become an increasingly plausible scenario.

Thanks to anyone who's read through all of this - I hope it was reasonably coherent.

I'm sure that I'm not the only solo cyclist (who lives alone) in this forum who's pondered how best to let others know where you are - without stopping every 30 mins and ringing someone. Please feel free to let me know your preferred solution(s). It would be appreciated (and not just by me).

 

[Tim Hall]

There are various apps in smartphone world that automagically share your location with who you wish. I use Glympse, which automatically sends text messages that contain position information. This is then read by the recipient phone and puts a marker on the map on their phone with my position. You can set it to send for the next x minutes, how often it sends, choose who to share with and so on.

 

[bluenotebob]

Tim - thanks for that remarkably swift response. I shall check out Glympse right now.
I like that 'automagically' …..a splendid word

 

[DCLane]

I use followmee.com - which automatically uploads a tracking point. Glympse does the same but appears to use a bit more data.

Either work well and if you're like me, doing long rides solo on a frequent basis, it helps appease relatives concerns. In my case they could track that there was an issue half-way into a 750km ride (I was around London Stansted airport for 3 hours whilst fixing a wheel overnight) but was back going so it had to be OK.

 

[Sharky]

Maybe you are worrying too much. Always carry ID with you with contact numbers, so if you become unconscious, who ever finds you has somebody they can contact. If you have just a mechanical or stranded somewhere, you'll be surprised who helpful complete strangers are.

I think back to when I was a teen and used to go off on long/lone rides. No phones then and parents didn't have a phone, but somehow, always got back.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Have IGN got any relevant stuff, as in their Geoportal HERE
My French isn't that good to see what is there


Not relevant to you but in the UK we have OS Locate app in which you can text, email your location to anyone. Once again, you need a mobile connection.

 

[s7ephanie]

I am a solo cyclist and I live alone (neither conditions by choice but that's life). I relish the freedom of going out whenever I choose, making the route up as I go and staying out on the bike as long as I want (or can). This 'freedom' only turned nasty once: in March this year I decided halfway through a ride that, if I pushed on, I could actually turn the ride into a 'metric century' - I did, and I ended up riding 122km over 7 hours and was hallucinating with tiredness over the last few kilometres. The feeling of success that I felt was marred by the realisation that I'd been quite reckless. I'd not prepared for the ride and nobody had known what I was doing, or where I was.

The next time I did a very long run (109km) I made sure that I'd prepared properly and that I'd told friends & family what I was doing. I sent out status updates via SMS en route and I received encouraging/supportive texts back. All went to plan - everything worked and I felt great at the end of the ride.

The only downside was the texting. I'm using an old phone (I think it's what you'd call a 2nd generation phone) - no internet or camera, and a hugely difficult keyboard. I really need to wear reading glasses to see what I've written - and I'm not going to carry those on the bike. There was also the constant pinging of incoming texts which I found distracting when I was cycling along - and the costs: most of the texts were cross-border with a cost to the sender. Not a significant cost admittedly but it would have been preferable if they'd been free.

We (friends, neighbours and family) are all in the process of upgrading to smartphones - and some form of messaging service (probably WhatsApp). For my next long and supported ride I'm hoping to simplify my 'ride status update' to just time & location, and to only check for incoming messages at pre-determined stop points (depending on internet access availability). And it should all be free.

If anyone's got a comment on the viability of this - or has an even better proposal - then please respond.

I'd also wondered whether I could take this a stage further - to let anyone know where I was, even if I'm only out on the bike for two or three hours. I usually leave a "je suis sur le velo" note stuck to my front door if I've left from home - but it gives no indication as to where I've gone, or for how long. And I'm not too keen on providing that information to a stranger passing by.

I am curious as to whether there's a simple app for a smartphone that would allow me to leave a 'status message' saying 'I'm in the xxxx valley this afternoon - back by 5pm', or whatever. Access to this status message would be restricted only to a few select friends/neighbours, who could check it if they felt they needed to.

I have at the back of my mind the probability that one day a neighbour's going to start getting alarmed when I haven't returned by 10pm, when I'd told her at 3pm that I was only going out for an hour. She could try ringing me, sure, ….."where are you?" ….but if I've crashed in a forest where there's no phone coverage then she wouldn't be any the wiser. But if I'd left a status message, accessible via her smartphone, then she would have a starting point if she felt it was necessary to raise concerns with authorities/rescue services. Obviously I hope this would never happen - but as I get older (and less sensible) then I guess it does become an increasingly plausible scenario.

Thanks to anyone who's read through all of this - I hope it was reasonably coherent.

I'm sure that I'm not the only solo cyclist (who lives alone) in this forum who's pondered how best to let others know where you are - without stopping every 30 mins and ringing someone. Please feel free to let me know your preferred solution(s). It would be appreciated (and not just by me).

Pretty much the same here,only shorter rides. I do worry sometimes what would happen to my dogs if i crashed

 

[rivers]

My cycle computer has a tracker enabled. If I'm out on a long ride, I make sure to sync it with my phone so my wife knows roughly where I am during the day. That way, if I do have an issue, she can find me.
As others have said, there are apps. And you can send your location to people via FB messenger as well.

 

[Drago]

Pretty much the same here,only shorter rides. I do worry sometimes what would happen to my dogs if i crashed

They'd be smoking your cigars and knocking back your vintage port. Pragmatic creatures.

 

[bluenotebob]

Pretty much the same here,only shorter rides. I do worry sometimes what would happen to my dogs if i crashed

I'm pretty well in the 'middle of nowhere' too but in one of the less remote parts of France. Mobile phone coverage can be very patchy here but I'd felt confident that, if I'd got my phone with me, I'd be able to contact someone in the event of an accident. Until last August when I went flying over my handlebars in a steep ravine on a de-commissioned GR footpath. I was OK - just a few cuts and bruises - and just slight damage to the bike. Check the phone to see if it was OK and it was - but I had zero signal. I was just very grateful that I wasn't injured because it was such an isolated spot that with the possible exception of an occasional dog-walker, I doubt anyone visited the area regularly. I've been much more cautious about where I go since then.

I'm in the N of département 56 - what's the phone signal like where you are, s7ephanie ?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I would get some tags made, in addition to the technology.
Mine @s7ephanie carry instructions to feed the cat among other info of course.

 

[Sharky]

Ever thought of carrying a whistle?
http://www.mountainsafety.co.uk/EP-Whistle-or-Torch.aspx

The International distress signal is 6 blasts repeated with an interval of one minute between each series of 6 blasts.

 

[s7ephanie]

I'm pretty well in the 'middle of nowhere' too but in one of the less remote parts of France. Mobile phone coverage can be very patchy here but I'd felt confident that, if I'd got my phone with me, I'd be able to contact someone in the event of an accident. Until last August when I went flying over my handlebars in a steep ravine on a de-commissioned GR footpath. I was OK - just a few cuts and bruises - and just slight damage to the bike. Check the phone to see if it was OK and it was - but I had zero signal. I was just very grateful that I wasn't injured because it was such an isolated spot that with the possible exception of an occasional dog-walker, I doubt anyone visited the area regularly. I've been much more cautious about where I go since then.

I'm in the N of département 56 - what's the phone signal like where you are, s7ephanie ?

In the Creuse 23. Also known as gods waiting room

 

[PaulSB]

Ever thought of carrying a whistle?
http://www.mountainsafety.co.uk/EP-Whistle-or-Torch.aspx

The International distress signal is 6 blasts repeated with an interval of one minute between each series of 6 blasts.

I was going to mention this.

When I ride solo I always carry what I call an “orienteering” whistle - it makes an extremely loud piercing sound. I call it an “orienteering” whistle as that’s what it was bought for many years ago. I wear it round my neck on a long ribbon under my shirt.

I carry a survival blanket on every ride. I’ve used these four times; three to help friends after crashes on a group ride and once to camp out. It’s a long story but once while touring in France I had no choice but to sleep under a hedge covered with the blanket, no accident or health issue, it worked well.

I feel both are sensible, simple additions to my kit. Any decent outdoor shop will sell them.

The next time I go touring I shall be investing in a GPS tracker. There are models which automatically transmit one’s location if one stops moving for a specified length of time. I’m sure you could get an app on your phone to do the same.

Lastly can I encourage you not to worry unduly. There are many sensible precautions you can and, in my view, should take. Leaving notes, whistle etc. However do NOT worry about potential disasters - in my experience they are few and very far between. It’s very easy to overthink these things. But yes always be properly prepared then one can ride without concern.

 

[bluenotebob]

I was going to mention this.


Lastly can I encourage you not to worry unduly. There are many sensible precautions you can and, in my view, should take. Leaving notes, whistle etc. However do NOT worry about potential disasters - in my experience they are few and very far between. It’s very easy to overthink these things. But yes always be properly prepared then one can ride without concern.

@PaulSB and others - thanks very much for all the responses. Apart from the technological suggestions (Smartphone apps etc), the addition of a whistle and survival blanket to my kit are great ideas - and will be acquired and carried forthwith.

It might not have been entirely clear in my original post, but it's others who are worried - not me. I was hoping for some suggestions as to how I could calm those concerns - and I've got those in spades now. Much appreciated.