Safety

Edit: Add to the list of tragic events, the hit & run involving Jordan Rapp on March, 23rd. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Jordan_Rapp_injured_cycling_1267.html

Jordan lost between 2 & 3 liters of blood while laying on the side of the road. The subhuman that hit him, left him there in that condition! Thoughts and wishes with Jordan and it reinforces the need for the utmost safety and awareness on our part.

Lately there has been alot of noise being made about that mouthpiece Tony Kornheiser and his comments re running cyclists down with his car, and the resulting pathetic excuse for an apology and appearance of Lance on his show. Combined with the tragic stories of Adam Little and Katerine Chezick, I began to think about my own personal safety and that of my friends while out training. Aside from being alert (leave your i-pods at home) riders and runners, and being cognizant of the fact that we are but mere specks compared to cars and thus must give them the benefit of the doubt at each instance, we can't do much else to help ourselves out.

However, we can help the first responders and medical professionals who we may need to come to our aid. Enter Yikes ID

Yikes ID is a company that has created a unique notification system geared particularly towards cyclists and triathletes. Yikes ID makes Identification tags similar to the popular Road ID tags. However, Yikes offers a much wider range of products that make it much easier to actually use the product. In addition to a metal/nylon wrist bracelet, Yikes ID makes a shoe tag, a bike tag, and a helmet tag. The picture above is a close up of the helmet tag pictured here along with the shoe tag and bike tag:

As you can see, Yikes ID has you covered on all bases! I have been using the products for months now and don't even realize they are there. That is the beauty of the system. You don't have to remember it every time you head out the door. I have enough to worry, think, pack and remember when I head out for a ride, run or brick session. Thankfully, Yikes ID has removed one item from that list. I have the seat tag on my bike, I have the helmet tag and the shoe tag, all in place, and I don't need to think about it.

Yikes makes their ID tags in many different sizes and colors with up to 5 lines of engraved information. These are also a great idea for those of you with kids. Put the tags on their shoes, helmets and bikes and know the medical professionals will have the information they need and will contact you ASAP! Check them out and stay safe.