As enjoyable as off-road cycling, horseback riding, or hopping on a motorcycle can be, one wrong twist or turn can mean the difference between narrowly avoiding an unfortunate accident or being on the wrong end of one. Sometimes, these accidents can happen in remote places, so it’s extremely important to get in contact with those who can help. The problem is that it may not be so easy to do so while possibly incapacitated.
Like a small traveling companion, the Ridersmate is always by a rider’s side. One end of the lightweight, portable device attaches to a rider and the other half attaches to the ride, whatever it may be. In the unlucky event that the two halves are disconnected, the dongle sends text messages to three pre-programmed contacts with information of exactly where and at what speed the accident occurred, along with a Google Maps link to the location itself. All this information allows emergency contacts to make informed decisions vital to making sure help arrives on time. The £199 (~$310) Ridersmate is looking for £19,900 (~$31,000) in funding. The product is expected to ship March 2015.
The Ridersmate is bright and features anti-crush construction to survive any type of mishap. In addition, its eight hour battery is USB rechargeable and can possibly last much longer due to how it doesn’t need to constantly check GPS. Something like the Urbanshell would go well with the Ridersmate to make sure others aren’t the cause of an accident.