Rescue me!

[fatbikephil]

After I read touching the void I figured that if he can extricate himself from a crevasse on an Andean mountain to base camp with that injury I can drag myself out of wherever after a bike related injury. If I knock myself out then its down to someone else finding me. In 99% of the places I ride someone will generally be along. If I came across someone in difficulties I'd help them so I don't feel this is a selfish attitude. I generally don't bother with a phone as I've noone to call up who could help beyond phoning 999, which I'd do myself if I had a phone.....

If I hit the Cairngorm plateau in winter on the planks (or fat bike) I'll probably take the spot and phone with me switched off but that's a very different environment from your normal biking places where you are following trails that are generally lower level so surviving a night out is much more likely.

If I don't post on here for a few weeks, you'll know the above tactics failed....

[Asposium]

I did own an Iridium sat phone, if people think inReach is expensive then try an Iridium sat phone.

Anyway, the inReach did away with the need for the phone so sold it.

For all the hype of it being rugged the antenna was quite a week point.
Sending texts was a pain; if the text didn’t send had to manually send again.
Frequent voice drop outs due to the nature of the Iridium satellite constellation.

Nice how inReach will keep trying to send a text, and can type it on my iPhone.

[Cheeky Monkey]

GPS messenger/sat comm or not - it's a highly personal and not really rational issue. We can only share experiences and backgrounds on how and why we decide in the given circumstances.

Amen to that brother.

I can't be arsed and generally think they're an unnecessary safety-blanket-type thing either for the adventurer (chortle!) or the spouse. Hence I don't bother, but then I also don't tend to be out in such potentially extreme environments (e.g. high mountains) and away as much (only managing overnighters locally in the UK) as some e.g. Alpinium.

If you're truly after making sure you live a long life and get to see your grand kids I suspect there's a bunch less gizmo-orientated steps you could take in your everyday life that'll have a greater impact than a GPS emergency alert.

Whatever though, if they make folks happy go for it. If you're scared and they give you confidence to do something then fair play (and that's the situation I can see myself maybe using one). Just don't kid yourself they're "essential" (maybe even worthwhile?) and don't be too dogmatic about it.

Anyhow - massive smiley face in case anyone is tempted to get the hump

[RIP]

"bunch less gizmo-orientated steps you could take in your everyday life" - a very good point . No reason not to have a tracker thingy as well of course, but point well made.

[ScotRoutes]

How many have done the 2-day Outdoor First Aid course?

[Bearbonesnorm]

How many have done the 2-day Outdoor First Aid course?

Ooh me, me numerous times

What a great return on your investment and as we know - knowledge weighs nothing and of course, there's no yearly subscription.

[Asposium]

Just don't kid yourself they're "essential"

for some events (the tour aotearoa i am doing next year) a tracking is compulsory

[Cheeky Monkey]

"bunch less gizmo-orientated steps you could take in your everyday life" - a very good point . No reason not to have a tracker thingy as well of course, but point well made.

Reg - but it is, isn't it (i.e. a reason not to)?

If your motivation is to maximize your survival and if you are trying to be efficient about it you would / should focus on the more likely hazards and of those the ones with greatest severity. That's if you're being utterly rational, which as Alp' pointed out, probably isn't the case.

I agree about the knowledge points re: first aid etc. Moreover, I reckon it's more important most of us in the UK carry a torch and whistle.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Just don't kid yourself they're "essential"

for some events (the tour aotearoa i am doing next year) a tracking is compulsory

Alright smart-arse

[RIP]

"Reg - but it is, isn't it (i.e. a reason not to)?" - yes it is, I was just trying to see all viewpoints but I need to stick to my guns. Ta for the prod .

Oh, and compulsory is not the same as essential at all. Red herring. .

I might be over-reacting slightly to Stevo's thread title - "me! me! me!" - I know you weren't meaning it quite that way Steve but the imperative in it makes me recoil somewhat. The "family peace of mind" stuff I have more sympathy with but as I said earlier, is it really a simple matter of "gives them peace of mind"? I'm not so sure. Stu once said Dee doesn't give a monkey's when he's out there - we love 'er dearly - so it's open and shut. Mrs Perrin doesn't give a monkey's but just says "make sure you're dead not badly damaged" which is a refreshing viewpoint and I can see where she's coming from the mad old trout .

[Lazarus]

I reckon it's more important most of us in the UK carry a torch and whistle.

I think it really depends where you are - some remote places in wales and scotland wont get much foot fall or through traffic but probably enough for the Lakes.
How many folk know the correct signal with either and how many folk seeing or hearing it would respond?

I always carry both personally

[RIP]

flares? (NOT trousers! They probably wouldn't be of much help although I suppose you could wave them. Although that was my decade)



(That's not me by the way)

[Cheeky Monkey]

I reckon it's more important most of us in the UK carry a torch and whistle.

I think it really depends where you are - some remote places in wales and scotland wont get much foot fall or through traffic but probably enough for the Lakes.
How many folk know the correct signal with either and how many folk seeing or hearing it would respond?

I always carry both personally

If you do not know how to signal SOS with either you shouldn't be allowed out without your Mum.

If you did not respond in some way to something you thought might be an SOS signal then (If I were religious) I'd like to think you'd end up in a special place in hell, sooner rather than later.

If we were considering ultimate efficacy I agree some GPS gizmo is the best. However, on a day2day, average person, average UK environment, whilst BP'g or out in the hills etc etc scenario I believe the basic torch and whistle are the things most likely to be with you, to work and be sufficient.

I've said "you" a lot but I mean it generically not you you, y'know.

[ScotRoutes]

Someone was "rescued" off Bynack Mor in the early hours this morning. I'm guessing at a bikepacker (it's on one of the well-known Cairngorms through routes). It got me thinking though.... I could be delayed/storm-bound somewhere but otherwise OK. After a while, my wife would call 999 for Police/MRT. They would then respond, putting themselves at risk for no reason. Luckily, I'd press the button on my Spot that sends the "it's all gone pear-shaped but I'm OK" message and avoid this scenario.

[Asposium]

^ the inReach has three free preset messages that come in handy
first i have set as a breadcrumb (handy when the inReach is on the lowest monthly subscription that includes no free tracking points; messages count as a map point, so an empty message is akin to a breadcrumb point. )
second "checking in, all okay"
third "stopping for the day"
as mentioned, stops people being overly concerned

[Alpinum]

"bunch less gizmo-orientated steps you could take in your everyday life" - a very good point . No reason not to have a tracker thingy as well of course, but point well made.

Yep, good one that
Very true