What ID do you carry/show..?

[ttper]

What kind of ID do you carry to show it to the law enforcment if you were ever stopped for?
I have a drivers license but I don't carry it when I commute because I am riding a bike. And I don't smoke and drink seldom so I am not asked to show id at most places.

I live in north of Toronto ON Canada and I only carry my health care card.

What ID do you carry when you commute by bike?

Thank you for your input.

[Helmsdini]

I carry my Driver's license with me because it is now the only government form of ID I have, and I want to be easily identified if I get whacked by a car. License is going to be the first thing an EMT looks for (around here anyway) I cant really think of a reason not to carry it or to leave it at home.

I dont even go on walks or runs without my license.

[Squash]

when I commute. My job entails driving so there's no way I'm not going to have my license with me. And there are other bits that I have to have along too, DOT certification, etc. So I usally just stuff the wallet in the seat bag or a jacket pocket. I bring it along on pleasure rides or grocery runs too. No sense in not being identifyable should it get whacked or have some other type of accident.

Good Dirt

[06OutlanderAWD]

i have my drivers liscense with me all the time as well as my wallet , i just put it in the camelbak and im set

[Idriver]

I usually just carry my wallet whenever I ride. So that means drivers license and other various forms of ID. I have always thought it is important to carry some form of picture ID when you ride in case something happened.

[Schmucker]

I carry my wallet. I have been pulled over and said that I didn't have any ID and I had to tell them my information.

[seosamh]

generally have a bank card on me thats about it...can't say i worry about the polis stopping that much tbh.. you don't need ID anyhow you just tell them your details and they'll call it in if they stop you, tho big brother is thinking of changing that these days and introduce id cards.

[jorbenweb]

I generally just roll with a debit card or a little cash. If the police want to see my driver's license, they can just look it up, as the previous poster mentioned.

[nnn]

Where I'm from we have to carry ID cards, so it's become a habit but here in London I just show my college ID or driver's license, I certainly wouldn't wanna get whacked and then for no one to know who on earth I am..

[axcxnj]

if im just out for a ride, i carry my drivers license, health insurance card, and credit card.

if im actually going somewhere, then ill take my whole wallet

[FireBallKY]

I take my wallet with license and insurance card and only a few dollars. I leave the credit cards and debit card at home. If my wallet gets jacked it's still a bit of money out of my pocket because my DOT license costs $50 to renew. Good thing I don't have a Class A w/ Hazmat!!

[wearetheborg]

As far as I know, you dont need to carry/show id to police for just walking/riding around.

[woodway]

As far as I know, you dont need to carry/show id to police for just walking/riding around.

As long as you are breaking no laws, true. But if you, say, blow through a red light on your cycle and a police officer stops you, you will be asked to show ID.

Which brings up a side question: Since cyclists are subject to the same laws as motorists when riding on the road, doesn't that mean you need to carry your drivers license with you? After all, you are required to have your license with you when you operate a automobile. Not saying this is fact, just wondering. I'll have to do some research...

[Psycho Mike]

Nope...kids can ride bikes, but are too young to have driver's licenses.

I carry my wallet, but if I am pulled over, I'll produce my birth certificate or similar first and see how much the officer protests it. They can give demerits if you give them your driver's license.

[woodway]

I spent a little time reading the regs for Washington State and the rules are ambiguous on the topic. There is a blanket rule that states if you are stopped by a law enforcement officer on a public roadway, failure to produce valid ID is considered obstructing a law enforcement officer. The rule was probably written with automobiles in mind, but it does not limit itself to automobiles, so I suppose it could also apply to bicycles. On the other hand, the specific rules pertaining to bicycles in this state do not say anything about carrying ID. So, I would be shocked if it were actually a problem.

Other states may have different rules.

Personal experience (OK, it was a long time ago) shows that not having a drivers license on you when stopped by a police officer won't get you thrown into the pokey for obstruction (but I did get a ticket for running a red light). But, if you choose to clam up and not share with the officer your name and address, then you can be reasonably sure of a ride to the heartbreak hotel.

[perttime]

My driver's license lives in my wallet, and I take my wallet with me when I go to work, library, book store ....

On trail rides (starting from home) I don't usually carry my wallet, but there's stuff on me that will ID me fast enough if I'm found unconscious or dead somewhere out there.

[slocaus]

My wallet, since I may need license, bank cards, bus pass, etc.
I wear a Road ID all the time, since I had cardiac surgery, even when not riding, i.e. gym, work, etc.

[MemphisR32]

I carry my drivers licence and med insurance card and an emergency card with parents phone number and a good friend's cell number that lives close to my residence. That way if something happened they could find out easily who to contact.

When riding international I also carry my passport just incase something happened and they needed to take me across the border while injured.

[rodar y rodar]

I just carry my wallet with eveything in it where ever I go. My butt feels strange if I don`t have it. Good point about being identifiable just in case. There was a similar thread on rbr a few months ago and one guy mentioned keeping a piece of tape on the back of his DL that said "Emergency contact: (wife`s name and cell number)". Kind of a "lite" version Slocaus`s wrist band. Sounds like a good idea, but I don`t do it even though I ride alone 99% of the time. About the legalities, I think you`ll find all state laws pretty vague in that area. Most likely a case of how you handle yourself when you get stopped, then whether the judge is having a good day if you show up in court. Thats my opinion anyway.

[LetsGoOutside]

I have two wallets.

One is my everyday wallet: Credit/Debit/Member cards, cash, Drivers License

Number Two is my Bike Riding/ Bar Wallet: This has my state id, an old bus pass w/ picture (gotta have two forms of id as a young bar hopper) and only enough cash as I will need.

Completely eliminates the chance that I lose my wallet and have to spend the day canceling credit cards and requesting new medical/insurance cards.

[HardyWeinberg]

I spent a little time reading the regs for Washington State and the rules are ambiguous on the topic. There is a blanket rule that states if you are stopped by a law enforcement officer on a public roadway, failure to produce valid ID is considered obstructing a law enforcement officer. The rule was probably written with automobiles in mind, but it does not limit itself to automobiles, so I suppose it could also apply to bicycles. On the other hand, the specific rules pertaining to bicycles in this state do not say anything about carrying ID. So, I would be shocked if it were actually a problem.

I would think 'valid id' for non-drivers would be a passport or maybe birth certificate + some photo id. Or a non-driving state ID

[kjm2664]

My wallet, since I may need license, bank cards, bus pass, etc.
I wear a Road ID all the time, since I had cardiac surgery, even when not riding, i.e. gym, work, etc.

That road ID is a great idea. I just ordered one for myself and one for my son. I often forget my wallet and think (halfway through the ride) 'what if the worst happens?' no one would know who I am. Terrific idea.

[lobolator]

I keep my expired licenses and stuff them into my gear. Some of them don't look much like me anymore, but they'll get the idea. I leave one in my Camelbak and one in my life jacket, for when I paddle, this way I never think about it and more importantly, can't forget to take one with me.
If my phone is with me, it has an I.C.E. (in case of emergency) contact listing. One phone call starts a phone tree and will confirm to the medical people that I want to be pulgged in and kept alive at all costs.
And thanks to Homeland Security, if an officer asks for ID, let's just say not doing it will get you a nice pair of bracelets, quick.

[slocaus]

That road ID is a great idea. I just ordered one for myself and one for my son. I often forget my wallet and think (halfway through the ride) 'what if the worst happens?' no one would know who I am. Terrific idea.

Yes, I ride alone most times, and when I learned about the Road ID, I got one immediately. I got the interactive version so I can update my info online as needed. Ten dollars a year is such a deal!

[Jerk_Chicken]

Wallet and passport. Out here, unlike the US, the police can and will ask for proof that you're legally in the country and ticket inspectors on trains will do the same.

[Gringo]

Unless you're moving in and out of an immigration/passport control zone, carrying your passport around is a dumb, foolish thing to do. Keeping a photocopy of your passport and visa with you is smart. If you're legally in-country, your name and citizenship is enough along with U.S. or local drivers license, especially for European authorities in particular.

If your moving around the EU, do yourself a favor and leave the passport in a safe place. If your paranoid, or in a less stable place, make sure to register with the Embassy/Consulate. They will officially give you the same advice.

G.

[crisillo]

Wallet and passport. Out here, unlike the US, the police can and will ask for proof that you're legally in the country and ticket inspectors on trains will do the same.

I used to carry my license and passport all the time.... but now I usually only do it when traveling far....I have been stopped by police and they have been content with my student ID from the local uni (in the town I live in...I still take my passport when going to other cities)