The Assistance List is now available for ST.n members

[bungie4]

The Assistance List is available for you to sign up!

http://www.assistancelist.com

What is it?

The Assistance List started life in 2006 as a voluntary on-road assistance list for the FJR Forum. It's a co-operative, you volunteer to help somebody traveling in need of assistance, and in return, you get the same when you travel. Since that time the list has grown immensely with nearly a 1000 participants all over North America and the world. Over the years, it's helped many people and proven its value over and over again.
It originally was distributed monthly via an email .pdf file, then, in 2009, a GPX file for your GPS was added. It got to be a bit of beast to manage on a monthly basis manually, so it's been automated and made available to any organization, group or forum.

Simply put, the Assistance List only maintains the bare minimum of information about you to get the job done. Your forum handle, your first name only, the city, state/prov and country your in, some telephone numbers for travelers to contact you and the types of assistance you can provide. This information is only available to other participants and not publicly available on the website.

So, what is new and how does it affect me.

• The assistance list is no longer manually maintained. You maintain your own data via the website[/*]
     
• The list is available on demand 24/7. Ready for printing or for downloading the GPX file.[/*]
     
• It is no longer just the FJR list. It is for any group or organization who wants to have their own list. You decide which groups you want to participate in. Your information is only available to the groups you join. This can greatly expand the the amount of, and reduce distance to, the help you require. If your a member of another forum and want to start a list, just send me an email and I'll add it.[/*]
     
• You can filter the list for only specific countries, state/provinces or even assistance types. Keeping the size small for printing.[/*]
     
• Secure, the assistance list uses your email address to send you a 24 hour access code, after that 24 hours, you must generate another access code.[/*]
     
• The assistance list is Telephony enabled! This means we can send out Text Messages in real time in addition to email when you request assistance.[/*]
     
• You can access the assistance list at any time from any device. Desktop, tablet, or smartphone.[/*]
     
• Speaking of Spot Trackers, we've wired up your Spot Tracker directly to the assistance list. Press HELP and we'll contact as many people as you define via email and via text message in addition to any members within a 100 mile radius of your location. That's right, the list is now fully location aware.[/*]
     
• When we know your location, we even send a google map link to your exact location in both email and text message so responders know exactly where you are.[/*]
     
• Don't have the list printed or on your GPS. Text our number with your location and we'll contact your Spot Contacts via email/SMS.[/*]
  

DISCLOSURE
 
The assistance list has been, and will continue to be free. You can use it to participate and generate a list or GPX file and seek help in any way you see fit. Just like always.
 
However, the telephony component (Text Messages, Voice access which is coming soon!) will carry a $5.00 Cdn charge for each incident request. It doesn't matter if we send out 1 or a 100 SMS Text messages, it is still the same rate. This is to cover the cost of providing that service and to offset the cost of running the website. I seriously doubt anybody will be getting rich off this.
 
You have a 3 day grace period from the date of sign up to configure and test the website SMS functionality and I will wave the charges. Don't kill me m'kay! It shouldn't take more than a couple of tries to verify it works. After that, add as many 'Spot Contacts' in both email and telephone and your good to go.

[Sport-Touring]

[FJR1300]

Looks good, but I would have someone proof read the pages. There are a lot of grammatical and spelling errors.

[bungie4]

Looks good, but I would have someone proof read the pages. There are a lot of grammatical and spelling errors.

Your hired, send me a list

[miles]

Your hired, send me a list You're hired.  Send me a list.

FTFY

[JimWilliamson]

 

[FJR1300]

FTFY

 

Bungie... if I get time this weekend, I'll send you a PM. Good job on the site!

[bungie4]

 

Bungie... if I get time this weekend, I'll send you a PM. Good job on the site!

Thanks a bunch, I'd appreciate it.

I pushed the site out live the other day after about a month of tweaks and UAT. Naturally a couple of other issues came up that pushed the spell checking and grammar down the list of things to get done. Nothing serious, but you know what they say about making things idiot proof

[bungie4]

Hey, much thanks for the pin!

Lots of lookers from ST.n, not many sign-ups. Yet

Issue?

[Cobalt]

I'm in. My house and toolbox are always open.

[bungie4]

I'm in. My house and toolbox are always open.

Thank Carb, as are mine. I've been running this for years on the FJRForum and it's proven to be extremely useful to a lot of people.  I don't ever recall hearing of any abuse. It's unfortunate that I had to 'restart' the list when I launched the site, but the FJR guys are coming back steadily. They know it's value.

It's a simple crowdsource equation, the more people who participate, the more useful the list becomes.

[Cobalt]

I also have a trailer and access to a tow vehicle. So, there's that.

[bomber]

I"m in (I think) -- My Assistances have been saved, so I'm guessing I'm in ;-}

Just a data point -- if you are a member of more than one forum, you may not have identical handles on each one . . . .

A very small nit . . .thanks for putting this together . . . . . like insurance, I hope to never need it (or be needed) but tiwll be glad to have it, if and when.

[bubba zanetti]

I'm in.

[bungie4]

I"m in (I think) -- My Assistances have been saved, so I'm guessing I'm in ;-}

Just a data point -- if you are a member of more than one forum, you may not have identical handles on each one . . . .

A very small nit . . .thanks for putting this together . . . . . like insurance, I hope to never need it (or be needed) but tiwll be glad to have it, if and when.

Ya, that handle thing I noticed, but it's going to stay the way it is, it's not like your going to call somebody up and ask for Bungie, your going to use their first name.

I can't tell you how many guys have the FJR list printed and stashed in a baggy under their seats, and, over the years, it's proven invaluable. Everything from needing a directions to tires to deer strikes. Lots of times, it's been the difference between having an adventure and having a really CRAPPY trip.  The funny bit is, the guys that have met through the list end up being really good friends after.  I guess it makes sense, somebody helps you out, you tend not to forget them.

[Stormcrow]

 
I am in. Why not? Always happy to help.

[Moto Morphin Power Ranger]

So what if I cant help at the time I am needed?  If I can help I will but my work schedule is a mess.

[bungie4]

So what if I cant help at the time I am needed?  If I can help I will but my work schedule is a mess.

This is all voluntary, if you can help and you do, awesome! If you can't because of commitments, so be it! The site doesn't 'rate' it's participants by response or by request.

It is important to sign up however, the more on the list, the better the odds of finding somebody close by that can help.

[Moto Morphin Power Ranger]

THANKS  

[bungie4]

I've gotten some feedback on the site and the number one issue was one of privacy, specifically, some don't want any personally identifiable information made available.

So, as of last night you can now choose to enable privacy on your telephone numbers. This is entirely opt-in and free.

In a nutshell, when the privacy option is enabled on a telephone number it is replaced with a 6 digit code on all output from the website. Should a participant need to call a user with a 'code', they call the Assistance Lists published number and enter that code when prompted. The Assistance List will then forward your call to that telephone number. Both parties caller id info is protected.

The downside is that the caller will instill a charge because it uses the telephony services of the site ($5 Canadian per usage - lets be clear about this, I'm out of pocket when telephony services are used. If you make 10 calls to find the help you need, it's still only $5, unless the actual cost goes over $5, then you will be billed actual cost. I'm not going to charge $5 each call. As a side note, if the calls you make are in North America, you can talk for 2.5 HOURS before going over $5!).

[Papa Lazarou]

Seems I'm the first in the UK...