A mate of mine has just suggested that I get a spare battery for my phone to ensure I’m never without a working phone in emergencies…

Such a stunningly simple (and cheap as it turns out) idea, why the chuff did I not think of it sooner?

Anyone else have the presence of mind to carry such an obvious thing?

WTF! Are you going to carry a spare handset on a different network too?

I (and the rest of the human race) survived without the need for a mobile phone until relatively recently in history.

Why the **** is it so essential to survive now?

I carry a spare.

Picked up a higher-capacity battery for my phone, so I have the original in a pocket. Great when you’re away in the sticks for a few days.

I’ve got a pocket torch that has a usb socket on it. Handy as a torch and I can charge my phone. Useful on longer outings.

I bought an extended battery for my phone, as using it to track long bike rides kept killing the battery before I got home. I carried the original as a spare.

I (and the rest of the human race) survived without the need for a mobile phone until relatively recently in history.

Why the **** is it so essential to survive now?

If I fall of and break my leg, I’d rather have a way of calling for help than not. It’s not essential, but it’s useful.

I don’t even carry a phone most of the time

I don’t even carry a phone most of the time

It’s probably not worth carrying a spare battery then.

If im going somewhere i think i might need to use my phone in an emergency – i turn it off … Then when i need it – its fully changed 😉

I carry an iPhone boost battery in my Camelbak.

Only when I’m cycle touring – then I have two extended-life batteries as spares.

I have a phone somewhere. Even if I knew I wouldn’t take it anywhere apart from shopping with the missus so I can disappear to bike shops whilst she is in M&S and then we can meet for lunch.
I do carry a spare pair of AA’s for the bike light though.

It’s probably not worth carrying a spare battery then.

I was thinking that myself, I’ll probably ditch it next time I have a clean out of my Camelbak 🙂

Seriously though, If I do have it with me when I’m out doing stuff like cycling, I do as trail_rat does and leave it switched off

WTF! Are you going to carry a spare handset on a different network too?

I (and the rest of the human race) survived without the need for a mobile phone until relatively recently in history.

Why the **** is it so essential to survive now?

Eh? Whatchuonaboutmista? Calm down you’ll bust a stent or something…

I seem to have posted this during dusty the old giffer’s lunchtime shift, I thought most of STWs members were in IT and hence not technophobes, my mistake…

Of course you’re absolutely right, if my phone runs out of juice I (and anyone else under the age of 37) just stop and stare at it like a brainwashed chimp awaiting instruction… I am completely in thrawl to it…

FFS Mobile phones are actually useful devices, and while not essential, they can be bloody handy if you find yourself in a bit of a pinch, or on an extended outing and in need of a means of communication… “Shocka!”

If im going somewhere i think i might need to use my phone in an emergency – i turn it off … Then when i need it – its fully changed

Ah but that pre-supposes you can predict your emergency, in which case I’d probably take similar action to avoid such an issue, riding is the obvious contender but emergencies do occur under other circumstances (notice I didn’t put this in the Bike forum).
I have found myself in unanticipated situations other than when out and about cycling with no/low phone battery and a need to place or recieve a call…

I was just suprised at my own lack of initiative at failing to think of carrying a spare battery sooner…

Not really

I do a little risk assessment.

Am i riding to work …. Yes
Do i know the route … Yes
Will it be less than 5 hours riding..yes
Are there alternatives for me to complete my journey … Yes
Does my phone battery have plenty charge ..yes

Phone stays on

Am i going into the cairngorms … Yes
Am i doing a big day out ….. Yes
Is it a new route i might get lost on or have uber tech sections ? … Yes

Then ill turn the phone off…l. Of course you can say complacency is the route of all **** ups …..but in that case i should ride to work in my full downhill body armour back plate neck brace and fullfacer , maybe some motorbike leathers too .

cookeaa – Member
Eh? Whatchuonaboutmista? Calm down you’ll bust a stent or something…

I seem to have posted this during dusty the old giffer’s lunchtime shift, I thought most of STWs members were in IT and hence not technophobes, my mistake…

I am not a technophobe and actually work in IT. I am however an old giffer (way over 37).

Whilst I do own and use a mobile I do wonder if perhaps the young folk could survive without using the ****’ thing every 2 seconds and perhaps observe and interact with the world around them a tad more? This would have the added bonus of extending battery life.

A time and a place and all that… ramble… it were all fields…. back in the day … ramble… bloody kids etc etc

Of course you’re absolutely right, if my phone runs out of juice I (and anyone else under the age of 37) just stop and stare at it like a brainwashed chimp awaiting instruction… I am completely in thrawl to it…

Many a truth said in jest!

This thread is now complete.

Got one of these for longer rides to keep Garmin charged. also recharge the phone and other usb stuff.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TeckNet%C2%AE-External-Sensation-Thunderbolt-Blackberry/dp/B000UH46YY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354637211&sr=8-2

I’ve got a tecknet battery case for my iPhone so I can track my routes and safely have enough battery left. It’s better than the mophie I had before it. I’ve also got one of the tecknet battery packs for when we go camping. It will charge the iPad, the iPhone, samsungs etc and it’ll recharge off the car.

Got a Juice Pack for my iPhone – nothing to do with safety, more because I wanted to strava all-day rides!

I did it for years while travelling (the world), saved taking a charger with me. This was in the days of when a Nokia would run a week quite happily on one charge, even when used heavily. And as I had a car kit, even if I got back with a dead phone, it’d be charging as soon as I got in the car.

“This was in the days of when a Nokia would run a week quite happily on one charge”

Still do if you buy the right one …. my works phone is a nokia c-02 and it gets charged once every couple of weeks.

absolute life saver in some of the places ive ended up.