Any of you bricKheads have an interest in a similar application on motobricK ?
Vote me in, I really like the idea of being GPS compatible and members taking full control of there contact information.
Thoughts JO,frankenduck,Red ?
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Introducing "Chain Links II"
I am very pleased to announce a new Chain Gang offering: a mini version of the "Anonymous Book" just for the Chain Gang and Black Belt Gang, but with a uniquely high-tech twist, in that it will be delivered in three different formats -- two of which are GPS-compatible. You can import the "Chain Links II" data into your GPS as "custom POIs" (points of interest). That means: no matter where you are, whether you have cell phone service or not, whether you have Internet access or not, you can easily and instantly find the closest club members -- including their phone numbers, what they have to offer in the way of assistance or social interaction, and turn-by-turn directions to a safe location where they're willing to meet you.
The main goals/priorities for the project were:
Make it easier for CG/BBG members to contact one another for emergency roadside assistance and/or for social interaction (ESPECIALLY when Net access is unavailable)
Make it easier to tell "who's closest" when you're near state borders or unfamiliar with the local geography (a long-standing problem with the MOA Anonymous Book)
Maintain security (i.e., don't publish anything that, if it fell into the wrong hands, would be a directory for bike thieves)
Make it inclusive of as many members as possible
Make it easy, if not effortless, to maintain and update (allowing members to opt in or out, change addresses/phone numbers/locations, etc.)
Project specifics:
We use the vBulletin forum database itself to store and harvest the data we need for this project -- just by adding a few custom fields to the "user profile" page. This allows folks to opt in and out by themselves, update their locations when they move, change the services or types of assistance they're able and willing to offer -- all with zero administrative overhead.
We format the OUTPUT in a GPS-compatible way, such that it can be uploaded as a set of "Custom POIs" (points of interest). Most modern GPS devices support this, and many of us already carry around, for example, just such a file containing all the North American BMW dealers.
We've automated the whole process, such that collecting/harvesting the data and re-publishing an updated and current "anonymous list" annually -- or even quarterly -- is virtually effortless.
We also provide the output in a user-friendly printable way for those who aren't GPS users
My location on the map (NOT my home; rather, a conveniently accessible nearby intersection that's "close enough" -- with food, drink, fuel and shelter where I could safely meet a fellow inmate in need):
