Hello,
I'll probably get a new Helmet for the next trip. It's gonna be white, but I thought about getting some emergency information painted on it. Maybe one side in russian (cyrillic) and one in english (going east next year).

To be perfectly honest this is more about looks than anything else, but what would be good and needed in information in case of a crash and is that a good idea at all?

So far I would go for name, nationality, blood group and maybe emergency contact. I'm not sure about the blood group though, is that of any use at all nowadays?

I realise this would make me a perfect example for a poser, but it's winter, I can't really bike (for various reasons) and my mind wanders off from time to time and brings back strange ideas from the mental wilderness...

Cheers
buebo

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Projekt Balkan
www.buebo.de - Der tägliche Wahnsinn

So you only fall off on one side where Russia is understood, and the other side for English speakers? How do you plan for that?

Name, contacts etc of little point in an emergency IMO You would be wanting treatment - FAST, not the niceties of being called by your correct name! They will find your name in your pockets/papers in due course.

There are other threads on the merits or disadvantages of displaying a nationality - and the situation changes as you travel!

Blood group I reckon could help, especially where blood stocks may not be large and in a hurry they have to make do giving you Group O.
And known allergies.

More salient would be the message "If injured, do not to remove helmet". Better to have your brains spill out on the hospital table than over the roadside and hands of a well meaning amateur.

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
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You might add "unless I'm not breathing. We can worry about the broken neck if I live"

To add to my earlier post -

"She" has come back from shopping and, by chance, is a Doctor, and Russian.

In Russia, information on clothing (helmets, overalls, jackets etc) is as good as useless. Roadside assistance, ambulance crews etc do not carry blood supplies or much else, other than (only in the best requipped ambulances) a defribulator, saline drip, analgesics, dressings etc for use only until they reach a hospital.

Once at the hospital a seriously damaged or unconsious patient would have all clothing removed prior to inspection/treatment by Doctors. Thus they would be unaware of what was on clothing.

What they would look at, which is quite commonly worn there, is a Blood Group bracelet. Or an "Information Tag" around the neck. These would not have been removed - and have little likelyhood of belonging to someone else.

There is always the chance clothing was borrowed which could really complicate things if that was relied upon.

On the point of Blood Groups, she says that no doctor in RUS would transfuse blood on the basis of written information, but would always do preliminary blood compatability tests first (possibly based on that written information) to be safe. They even ignored the Blood Groups which used to be included in RUS Passports. It is one of the few 'negligence' matters for which they could go to prison.

She jokingly added maybe "не говорю по-русски" on your helmet might make them realise you simply don't understand them and are not mentally deficient. Except for the act of motorcycling over there that is - as she tells me each year! Her family are always amazed I get there, around Russia, and back on a bike. She flys!

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

Thanks for your Input!

This basically tells me that it's all for show, so if I get the brain bucket painted I could just make something up

Btw: I'll not be going to russia this year (maybe later though), just Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Albania, maybe Moldavia and Transabsurdia as well and I reckon Russian might be of some use there.

Cheers
buebo

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Projekt Balkan
www.buebo.de - Der tägliche Wahnsinn

You will find in former Soviet Union sates older people will know some Russian but not much of English. The reverse for younger people (say up to 30).

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

I have to take blood thining tablets (warfarin) and had a hell of a job getting a UK race license.

My cardiologist passed me as fit to race, but insisted that I have name, blood group and medical issue on my helmet. I used pre-cut stick on plastic decals in day glow orange and they've lasted 3 years of racing so far.

I also have a set of US dog tags stamped with medical info on one, and contact details of the wife on the other (ID info is supposed to be required for UK racing, but not enforced).

Yes, I do look like a Dakar refugee, but - should push come to shove, I'd rather have that info on me & obvious - I've seen some nasty accidents caused by minor issues.

RTS

Blood type ie O pos or neg NOT O + or O-

current medacations ie nitro, asaprin

medical allergies ie pennicillin

medical problems ie heart, seizures etc

They don't carry blood on the ambulace anywhere, but when you get to the hosp they can tell them if you need it.

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John