By A.C. Reeves

I’ve been riding a motorcycle since catching the fever in the mid-1960s. Like most of us, over the years I’ve acquired additions and improvements to my gear, equipment and, hopefully, skill sets.

I’ve read lists of suggested items to carry for roadside repairs, first aid, etc. One thing that may be grossly overlooked is notification and identification.

Most of us carry a cell phone, upon which is a list of contacts, often of persons to be notified in case of emergency.

Most of us carry a billfold with ID, driver’s license and such.

I personally don’t like to sit on a wallet, so I normally stow mine in the car console or the bike trunk when traveling.

In my 50 years of riding, I have lost but a few cycle friends—some from mistakes they made, one by a lightning strike that was not obvious beforehand, and some from other vehicles making contact.

A few years ago, a close friend was nearing home on her bike when a woman in a car crossed two lanes of traffic, clipped a trash truck my friend happened to be behind, then hit the cycle nearly head on.

My friend died at the scene. Due to some mishandling of the incident, her bike was taken to an impound lot, and she was taken to a hospital. Her family was not notified, as authorities had no contact information. Her purse was in her bike trunk, and no one looked there. Her husband, who arrived home a bit later, made several contacts trying to locate her, since she had not preceded him home.

Tragic yes, but I have a suggestion to make identification simpler.

I take business-card-sized stock, format text on my computer on one side of the card to contain all my contact information, family, doctors and insurance. On the other side, I have my medical, prescriptions, cardiovascular stents and other meds.

I have the card laminated, and I put it on a chain. It hangs next to my helmet at home. As part of ATGATT, I slip the chain over my neck.

If we think about it, that wallet or cell phone may not end up where we are in a crash. It may be in a ditch somewhere, unnoticed.

This small card may well be what saves my day and life. And it could save yours, as well.

A.C. Reeves is an AMA Charter Life Member from Columbus, Ind.