From: Stephen Levinson <sglevinson1@icloud. *Location Sharing* This week, my safety message is about location sharing. I had the unfortunate experience a few years ago of needing a rescue for a fellow rider on a mountain bike ride. I called 9-1-1 and the reception was sketchy. The operator kept asking my location, indicating to me that she could not access my location from my cell phone information. Since I was in the middle of nowhere, and there were no street markers, I had difficulty explaining where I was on Dirt Mulholland. I had a similar issue when a fellow rider and I each double flatted on Stunt Road. I called for help from my wife, but had a hard time describing my location. To complicate matters, there are some places where cell service is marginal to non-existent (e.g. Yerba Buena). So, given these obstacles, how can cyclists convey location information in the event that we need an emergency rescue or a ride back? *Satellite:* Most cell phone companies are incorporating satellite emergency messaging into their phones. Apple, Samsung, and Google to name the most commonly owned phones now offer emergency satellite messaging. In addition, most of the big carriers (T-mobile, Verizon, AT&T) offer satellite messaging for some of their premium plans. Each phone and platform is different, so I encourage everyone to explore whether your particular mobile phone and/or cellular carrier offers satellite messaging, and whether this is part of your plan. If you have access, I suggest that you learn to use this functionality. Finally, there are dedicated satellite emergency devices that are available by subscription for those who spend a lot of time off the grid. The most commonly used one is Garmin InReach. *How to send a pin*; I queried Perplexity AI on how to send a location pin using Google or Apple Maps. I verified that the information presented was correct using my iPhone with each map provider. I provide the link below and suggest that each rider learn to access location coordinates to verbally convey them to a 9-1-1 operator or to message them (using standard or satellite messaging) to a 3rd party. Another option is to have a dedicated location app on your phone. I have a free app called ‘GPS Coordinates’ which lists the location coordinates and has an embedded ’share’ capability. [image: on-an-iphone-and-an-android-ph-kYwwhUhOR2.png] on an iPhone and an Android phone How do you send a location pin to emergency... <https://www.perplexity.ai/search/918c3085-484e-476f-bf2b-d0de3d59350f> perplexity.ai <https://www.perplexity.ai/search/918c3085-484e-476f-bf2b-d0de3d59350f> <https://www.perplexity.ai/search/918c3085-484e-476f-bf2b-d0de3d59350f>
