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If you crash or break down, & need help getting your bike home...

I think we should just insert GPS tracker chips into all of us, and Connie can sit at home in the Master Control Room, tracking us and dispatching us as necessary.
 
KazMan said:
Hi Connie, All,
So I have been intrigued with the possibilities of this little app called WAZE which I believe is a cell phone based, GPS based tracking program that you can turn on or off. It's not something I have on all the time, but I do see the many possibilities that this could be useful.

From the ability to see traffic, road hazards, LEO's, and each other, the thing I think is most useful would apply in the ability to let people know you are broken down, and a responder would be able to see you and then coordinate an efficient response. Or possibly, if you were to crash and be off the main road, people would be able to have your approximate location.

Of course this app is cell phone based so I believe you have to be able to be on the cell phone data grid for this app to work. But it is used internationally and available across the US.

If you have the app or are going to download it, I started a group called "BARFers"

about WAZE

Connie, do you think this could help in responses to those who need assistance. You could also see where your "Travelling Angels" are and see who is closest of those who say they can assist and turn on the app to let you know where they are.:teeth And the person who is awaiting the response could see how close the responder is getting to them. :teeth
Click to expand...

I actually saw your post in General about it, and downloaded it. I haven't had much opportunity to do anything with it, except to see it showed 580 being a parking lot as I was going over said parking lot on the overpass...
I think it could be potentially be useful, but I see a lot of problems, as well.
  1. Do all volunteers have smart phones?
  2. Are all volunteers willing to have themselves essentially "microchipped"?
  3. Are they in an area that has enough cell coverage for internet to work?
  4. It does drain the battery a bit, which might create issues on a long ride
Where I see it being of most benefit, would be for a downed rider. Knowing exactly where they are would be really helpful, particularly for a Group Ride Leader.
The biggest drawback that I can see is that probably 90% of where I ride (just as an example), there isn't any cell phone signal. Also, I personally don't want to be tracked at all unless I'm out riding by myself. In fact, I always have the GPS on my cell phone turned off. It's just too "Big Brother" to me... :dunno

Bonerov said:
I think we should just insert GPS tracker chips into all of us, and Connie can sit at home in the Master Control Room, tracking us and dispatching us as necessary.
Click to expand...

What makes you think that hasn't already been done... :|
Oh- and get back to your desk. The chips in the vending machine are all old anyways.
 
Just a tool for anyone who wants to use it. As I mentioned, I don't have it on all the time. But if I needed help, I can see it's benefits and/or if someone and I were trying to hook up to meet it could be useful. No one says track yourself for the sake of tracking. I just made the group so it would be more BARF family oriented and I think it weeds out all the others.

As in any tool, use it how you see fit.
 
KazMan said:
Just a tool for anyone who wants to use it. As I mentioned, I don't have it on all the time. But if I needed help, I can see it's benefits and/or if someone and I were trying to hook up to meet it could be useful. No one says track yourself for the sake of tracking. I just made the group so it would be more BARF family oriented and I think it weeds out all the others.

As in any tool, use it how you see fit.
Click to expand...

Google Latitude is good too.
 
KazMan said:
Just a tool for anyone who wants to use it. As I mentioned, I don't have it on all the time. But if I needed help, I can see it's benefits and/or if someone and I were trying to hook up to meet it could be useful. No one says track yourself for the sake of tracking. I just made the group so it would be more BARF family oriented and I think it weeds out all the others.

As in any tool, use it how you see fit.
Click to expand...

How does the BARF group thing work?

Mind you, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, or an unworkable idea... and it would definitely be beneficial if the downed rider was using it. I just don't see myself using it to locate volunteers... easier to just send out a text to all volunteers in that area. And I did download the app! :laughing
 
Connie,
you open the app and then open the menu (mine is in the lower left).
select My Waze (upper right corner)
select Waze Groups (2nd one down)
select the search feature (magnifying glass on right)
type BARFers
click on the + to join

:teeth

:embarrassed, not really sure after that as I am still playing.
 
Just downloaded the application and joined the BARFers group.
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
Stalkers suck. Mine was never brave enough to break in when I was actually home... perfectly good baseball bat just wasted! :x
Click to expand...
Then, I won't stalk you... :( :p Just a thought though, that someone could know what you (figurative "you") are into, join a group you are in, and know where you are. Some people would be lazy and just leave it on... I just imagine the down side to it.

Bonerov said:
Just downloaded the application and joined the BARFers group.
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
KazMan said:
Connie,
you open the app and then open the menu (mine is in the lower left).
select My Waze (upper right corner)
select Waze Groups (2nd one down)
select the search feature (magnifying glass on right)
type BARFers
click on the + to join

:teeth

:embarrassed, not really sure after that as I am still playing.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Sir, just joined, appreciate the directions! :thumbup

Nonsequitur said:
Then, I won't stalk you... :( :p Just a thought though, that someone could know what you (figurative "you") are into, join a group you are in, and know where you are. Some people would be lazy and just leave it on... I just imagine the down side to it.
Click to expand...

You're never going to be successful at this stalking business if you throw in the towel at the first sign of resistance! :p

Actually, in all seriousness, that is a concern of mine. After multiple break-ins and police reports, I still don't know who the guy was, and even though it's been a few years, once you've gone through it, there's always a part of you that wonders if it's really over.
But hey- nothing says "romance" like a baseball bat next to the bed and military pepper spray on the bedside table! :cool
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
You're never going to be successful at this stalking business if you throw in the towel at the first sign of resistance! :p

Actually, in all seriousness, that is a concern of mine. After multiple break-ins and police reports, I still don't know who the guy was, and even though it's been a few years, once you've gone through it, there's always a part of you that wonders if it's really over.
But hey- nothing says "romance" like a baseball bat next to the bed and military pepper spray on the bedside table! :cool
Click to expand...

I am sorry you had to go through that, and without closure, makes it so much worse. Like you mentioned before, I am about as anti-1984 as you can get. It is unnerving that someone could track your movements so precisely. Sometimes the beauty is being able to fall off the radar, and get lost; whether it is in your thoughts or in exploration.

Although it is also nice to be able to see who is closest in a situation, conversely being the closest doesn't always mean you can actually get to someone. I think this is a neat tool because it can be turned on in the event of something happening as well.

There certainly is a balance test to it.
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
Actually, in all seriousness, that is a concern of mine. After multiple break-ins and police reports, I still don't know who the guy was, and even though it's been a few years, once you've gone through it, there's always a part of you that wonders if it's really over.
But hey- nothing says "romance" like a baseball bat next to the bed and military pepper spray on the bedside table! :cool
Click to expand...

Yeah, not knowing why it stopped can be a little unnerving. You always worry that since it stopped without warning, it could start up again without warning. Best I can say is: hopefully he's dead.
 
Slowblood needs a tow back to SF. We're on Skyline/35 south of Swett Rd. Already texted Connie. Thx.
 
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Is Kyle OK?

EDIT: Nevermind, just saw the other thread that it's "just" a dead battery.
 
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Sorry, just woke up and got the notice on this on my cell phone, is this handled?
 
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