RealRider app - good news or big brother?

[HarveyCamm]

Have any of you come across the RealRider website and smartphone application yet? I heard about it on an email from Triumph. There's a forum / social bit to it but the thing that caught my attention was the emergency part of the app that when enabled is supposed to be able to detect that you've crashed and summon help for you giving location details from the phone GPS - so far I think it's free and available for Android and iPhone.

http://www.realrider.com/

Anyone had any experience, what's your thoughts - send help I'm sat in a hedge or big brother?

Harv

BTW Not in league with the company / site and not trying to promote it. :unsure:

[AndyB]

Not for me. Others might decide it's a good idea but to me it's just an unwanted drain on my phone battery.

[jaz1259]

Not for me either, someone knows your and your bikes where abouts all the time thats too being watched for my liking

[Freeloadeur]

I came across it at the MCN but still can't work out the social network side of it (and quite frankly I have enough social networks as it is).

The crash alert side isn't a bad idea actually, it's not the same as a tracker at all so there's no Big Brother watching you, instead it uses the phone's accelerometers to detect sudden movement which then triggers the alert.

So make sure you don't drop your phone with the app running or it'll trigger International Rescue and you'll have Thunderbird 2 on your doorstep.

[picos mestizo]

Rubbish.
Another middle man app. trying to earn off volume net. hits
Obviously doesn't understand what makes bikers tick......therefore failed before it's even started.

[Boggs]

What other data does it record/monitor/display?,speed & distance etc,because if it does,it could be incriminating.
:unsure:

[Freeloadeur]

To save anyone the hassle of actually going and reading the FAQ. I've copied it here. I've got absolutely nothing to do with this app, and while I initially signed up, I currently don't even have it installed on my phone.

REALRIDER® is a dedicated Social Network and Smartphone App for motorcycling with innovative safety features. It gives bikers a new online home; an exclusive web and mobile network where you can meet other riders, explore new routes, share experiences -through video and chat - in real time and by location. 

REALRIDER® myth busters

We understand that with every new product that comes out there is a degree of cynicism, and human nature is often to be sceptical first and ask questions later. This is especially true of new technology solutions.So let us try to allay some of the concerns you may have, give you facts and perhaps you might help us to spread the word.

Does REALRIDER® record my speed?

It’s the number one question we’re asked.The system uses GPS to track your route. The crash detection is triggered when we get a certain response from the sensors in the phone. None of the information is recorded. There is no record of your speed or any other telemetry. It’s not possible to diagnose the sensor information in any way shape or form - therefore it’s not possible for the data to be used in any other way than we intended.

Will my data be sold to 3rd parties such as insurance or claims management companies?

Your data is not sold to any 3rd parties. As we don't record it, we're not in a position to pass it on to any 3rd party. The system was designed in this way and functions as it was designed. It has been developed as a safety aid, and nothing more.

But what about After Accident Care?

After Accident Care is an opt-in service. You must read and understand the Terms before you can enable the service. It will not operate unless you enable the service. Your contract is between you and Plantec Holdings, an industry award-winning, end-to-end claims management company who do not pass your details onto any third party.REALRIDER® does not sell or pass on any data resulting from a crash. When designing the app, we recognised that there may be times when a rider needs help in recovering a bike or support when going through the claims management process. We chose to work with Plantec Holdings because they are respected and used by some of the leading Motorcycle Insurance Companies.REALRIDER® earns a small commission from the sales of / hiring of bikes from Plantec Holdings. We do not earn fees as a result of a rider crashing and using After Accident Care.

Will you notify the Police?

When we refer to 'Emergency Services' - we specifically mean the Ambulance Service. Our app does not alert the Police, insurance company or anybody else riders might not want to come into contact with, especially if they’ve only had a spill.

How does the route recording work?

Route recording is a major function of the app. Using GPS, small amounts of data are transmitted from the phone at regular intervals which are then snapped to Google maps. So even in areas with poor signal the app will still be able to keep up with you while you're travelling if there is intermittent coverage.

So is this another Sat Nav device?

No. REALRIDER® has not been designed to work in this way. It works hand in hand with Emergency Assist - after all, if you want the Emergency Services to be able to find you in the event of an accident, they need to know where you are. The only way for this to happen is by recording your route.The other benefit to recording your route is that you can then share your routes with other riders in the community. On the platform (realrider.com), the Discover tab enables you to share your routes with your connections and edit routes, and soon you will be able to upload video and attach it to the route too.The app allows you to record and upload points of interest, photos, comments and potential hazards that you think would be worth flagging to other riders.There is a future feature in the development road map that will enable riders to report road defects directly into the inbox of the Local Authority or Highways Engineer.

Emergency Assist is a good idea - but what if I trigger it by throwing my jacket over a chair?

It is not possible to trigger the alert system in this way. If that was the case then the system would not be viable and we would not have had support from the 999 Government Liaison Committee or the Ambulance Service to integrate REALRIDER® into the emergency service system.

What about if I have a spill and don’t need an Ambulance but I don’t have time to deactivate the alarm?

When the mobile phone detects a rider might be in trouble, an alarm triggers and the rider has 60 seconds to deactivate. Failure to deactivate will result in a call from the Ambulance Control Team; if you are injured they will follow their triage system to get you the treatment you need.As we are currently in pilot phase, if we believe this is problematic and causing too many false activations, this can be adjusted - but only when we have the data to suggest this is required.The Ambulance Service is fully aware that they will receive some false activations. We will work hard to manage this situation, but in their words, they would rather make the call and know the rider is OK than the potential alternative, which could be a scenario like Anthony Margrave - being in a ditch, undetected - for three days.There is no come-back, no finger pointing and no follow-up from any unwanted 3rd parties if you have had an off, the alert has triggered but no Ambulance deployment is required.

If I’m recording my route, won’t that be a drain on the mobile phone battery?

The battery life is always going to be a problem with any technology that requires GPS. Sadly mobile phone developers haven't cracked that nut - yet.We are aware of limitations and hope to be able to suggest other solutions that will help. For example, we are looking at options to promote a REALRIDER® charging kit that will enable you to charge your phone from the bike battery, packaged with a mobile phone extension cable that will allow you to charge your phone, while riding, and your phone is tucked safely away in your jacket.

We thank you for taking the time to learn more about REALRIDER®.We rely heavily on the goodwill of people like you, who have taken the time to learn more about the system and who see the potential but perhaps need to understand a bit more before they feel comfortable advocating it to other riders.

REALRIDER® is about real experiences on real routes in real time. We're not concerned with how you ride, just where you ride and why you ride it.

For more information contact [email protected]©2011-2013 REALRIDER® All rights reserved.

Apparently the app was developed in response to the case of the motorcyclist who spent three days lying in a ditch after his accident before being found.

[AndyB]

If I want people to be able to find me I can load latitude onto my phone then if I'm late getting home it'll show which pub I'm in