new toy -- Navigation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edwin Pawlowski
  • Start date Start date
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Edwin Pawlowski

I thought the GPS navigations systems were nifty, but could not justify
spending hundreds of dollars for it. I've been driving for 46 years using
my senses and maps and I've managed to find my house every time.

So, given a $500 gift certificate to an electronics store by my insurance
company, I did some shopping. Don't need another HD TV, don't need any more
stereo equipment. Happens that they had a Garmin for the same price as my
gift certificate so it became an easy choice.

Simple to set up and use, I did it in the parking lot of the store in just a
few minutes. My wife wanted to go to a store across the street at a
shopping center and she was able to see the street address so that was the
trial run. From there, dinner at a restaurant that I've never been to so I
plugged that address in. I admit, I'd have gotten to it the old fashioned
way, but it would have been out of my way compared to following the GPS map.

You really don't need one, but if you travel to different destinations in
cities or areas you don't usually travel, it certainly is handy. You can
choose many options, such as the type of vehicle (I'm guessing trucks may
get different routing), avoid tolls, avoid highway, shortest, fastest, etc.
 
I thought the GPS navigations systems were nifty, but could not justify
spending hundreds of dollars for it. I've been driving for 46 years using
my senses and maps and I've managed to find my house every time.

So, given a $500 gift certificate to an electronics store by my insurance
company, I did some shopping. Don't need another HD TV, don't need any more
stereo equipment. Happens that they had a Garmin for the same price as my
gift certificate so it became an easy choice.

Simple to set up and use, I did it in the parking lot of the store in just a
few minutes. My wife wanted to go to a store across the street at a
shopping center and she was able to see the street address so that was the
trial run. From there, dinner at a restaurant that I've never been to so I
plugged that address in. I admit, I'd have gotten to it the old fashioned
way, but it would have been out of my way compared to following the GPS map.

You really don't need one, but if you travel to different destinations in
cities or areas you don't usually travel, it certainly is handy. You can
choose many options, such as the type of vehicle (I'm guessing trucks may
get different routing), avoid tolls, avoid highway, shortest, fastest, etc.
Click to expand...

I bought one a few years ago and use it even when I know the way, it
lets you concentrate on the road instead of looking at exit signs.
 
Edwin said:
I thought the GPS navigations systems were nifty, but could not justify
spending hundreds of dollars for it. I've been driving for 46 years using
my senses and maps and I've managed to find my house every time.

So, given a $500 gift certificate to an electronics store by my insurance
company, I did some shopping. Don't need another HD TV, don't need any more
stereo equipment. Happens that they had a Garmin for the same price as my
gift certificate so it became an easy choice.

Simple to set up and use, I did it in the parking lot of the store in just a
few minutes. My wife wanted to go to a store across the street at a
shopping center and she was able to see the street address so that was the
trial run. From there, dinner at a restaurant that I've never been to so I
plugged that address in. I admit, I'd have gotten to it the old fashioned
way, but it would have been out of my way compared to following the GPS map.

You really don't need one, but if you travel to different destinations in
cities or areas you don't usually travel, it certainly is handy. You can
choose many options, such as the type of vehicle (I'm guessing trucks may
get different routing), avoid tolls, avoid highway, shortest, fastest, etc.
Click to expand...

I've used them in rental cars when I'm traveling on business (which I do
a lot) and they can certainly be handy, but there are also problems with
them:

1- They're not always accurate.

2- The routes they suggest are often far from optimal.

3- They don't work all the time. Try using one in Chicago with the "L"
tracks overhead or in any city with densely packed tall buildings.

4- People tend to become dependent on them and lose all sense of
direction. I'm not sure if some of the people I work with can even read
a map anymore.

While I certainly wouldn't turn down a "free" GPS, I wouldn't want it to
be my only method of navigation. When I travel, I still print out maps
of areas I'm going to be in and use them much more often than a GPS.
 
Brian Nystrom said:
2- The routes they suggest are often far from optimal.
Click to expand...

I'll find out tomorrow on my way to work. They suggest the same basic route
I use with one exception. In one spot, they have you going around a loop of
the town green. While only a couple hundred yards, iit takes you off the
main route, around the gazebo, and back to the main route again. Just plain
dumb.

3- They don't work all the time. Try using one in Chicago with the "L"
tracks overhead or in any city with densely packed tall buildings.
Click to expand...

It hast to be in "view" of the sattelites. I can see where that would be a
problem.
4- People tend to become dependent on them and lose all sense of
direction. I'm not sure if some of the people I work with can even read a
map anymore.
Click to expand...

Too many people never could read that map in the first place.

While I certainly wouldn't turn down a "free" GPS, I wouldn't want it to
be my only method of navigation. When I travel, I still print out maps of
areas I'm going to be in and use them much more often than a GPS.
Click to expand...

Exactly why the subject line reads "new toy" and not "essential equipment"
This model also can be used as an MP3 player and view of JPG photos. I
can't imagine why you'd want to do that.
 
I have one and it saved my butt in NJ during a recent trip. If you want to
get somewhere, it will get you there, but you are correct in saying that it
may not always be the way you think you should go. Therefore, don't use it
to drive places that you already know how to get to. It can be frustrating
in that case. I also found that it wasn't to accurate guiding me to an
Olive Garden restaurant. It got me within a block.
If you travel, by all means, it's worth it. Mine cost $275. Well worth it
for my trips.
 
Edwin said:
I'll find out tomorrow on my way to work. They suggest the same basic route
I use with one exception. In one spot, they have you going around a loop of
the town green. While only a couple hundred yards, iit takes you off the
main route, around the gazebo, and back to the main route again. Just plain
dumb.
Click to expand...

I've seen similar things where the recommended route made no sense or
was far more complex than necessary. Construction areas and detours are
a problem, too, but that's to be expected.
It hast to be in "view" of the sattelites. I can see where that would be a
problem.
Exactly.


Too many people never could read that map in the first place.
Click to expand...

Good point!
Exactly why the subject line reads "new toy" and not "essential equipment"
This model also can be used as an MP3 player and view of JPG photos. I
can't imagine why you'd want to do that.
Click to expand...

I find that pretty mind-boggling, too. It reminds me of a spoof iPhone
commercial that I saw recently:

 
Tom said:
I have one and it saved my butt in NJ during a recent trip. If you want to
get somewhere, it will get you there, but you are correct in saying that it
may not always be the way you think you should go. Therefore, don't use it
to drive places that you already know how to get to. It can be frustrating
in that case. I also found that it wasn't to accurate guiding me to an
Olive Garden restaurant. It got me within a block.
If you travel, by all means, it's worth it. Mine cost $275. Well worth it
for my trips.
Click to expand...

The one time I was really glad to have a GPS was on a business trip
where we had to drive from a meeting in NYC to Wilmington, DE. Getting
out of the city was a nightmare of traffic jams and the GPS (in an Avis
rental car) had automatic traffic updates that really helped get us
through the mess. Other than that one instance, I've been less than
impressed.

If you carry a laptop, there is a relatively inexpensive alternative to
a dedicated GPS, Microsoft Streets and Trips with a GPS sensor. It's
more cumbersome than a dedicated unit, but it works pretty much as well
and it available for well under $100 if you shop around. A couple of the
guys I work with have it and it's useful at times.
 
I considered the laptop route also, but rejected it because my laptops are
not very bright in direct sunlight and I couldn't read them. Also, you have
to look down to see the screen whereas the GPS unit is mounted right at eye
level above the dash.

Tom
 
Tom said:
I considered the laptop route also, but rejected it because my laptops are
not very bright in direct sunlight and I couldn't read them. Also, you have
to look down to see the screen whereas the GPS unit is mounted right at eye
level above the dash.

Tom
Click to expand...

I agree and I haven't gone that route either, at least not yet.
 
How about the Verizion Navigation on your cell phone? A buddy of mine has
one and pretty impressed with it, accurate down to matters of feet.
 
DaToteman said:
How about the Verizion Navigation on your cell phone? A buddy of mine has
one and pretty impressed with it, accurate down to matters of feet.
Click to expand...

About the only thing I can think of that would be even worse than using
a computer-based GPS would be to try to deal with the tiny screen on a
cell phone.
 
Brian Nystrom said:
About the only thing I can think of that would be even worse than using a
computer-based GPS would be to try to deal with the tiny screen on a cell
phone.
Click to expand...

It really is not bad using a cell base GPS Brian - not at all as bad as you
might think. I have it on my Blackberry and it's not perfect, but certainly
useable. My Razor would be serviceable as well. Far from the most
desirable solution, but serviceable.
 
Mike Marlow said:
It really is not bad using a cell base GPS Brian - not at all as bad as
you might think. I have it on my Blackberry and it's not perfect, but
certainly useable. My Razor would be serviceable as well. Far from the
most desirable solution, but serviceable.
Click to expand...

At $9.95 a month, it is really no more than the price of buying a dedicated
GPS over a couple years expected life. As long as it is not using up your
minutes when it is in action. Since it is really not needed often, using it
on day rate is even cheaper.

I've yet to use the Garmin for any serious navigation, but I've found a
couple of new routes to the same places I've been going to for years. Can't
say they are better, just different that I've never had reason to try. It
also gave me a different route to the same place on different days for no
apparent reason. The logical way looking at a map is to take route 102 about
8 miles, make a left onto 146A. One day it had me take a left earlier and
then a couple of back roads that led out to 146A about a half mile closer to
the destination, but more complex and through a residential area. I'd never
intentionally go that way.
 
Mike said:
It really is not bad using a cell base GPS Brian - not at all as bad as you
might think. I have it on my Blackberry and it's not perfect, but certainly
useable. My Razor would be serviceable as well. Far from the most
desirable solution, but serviceable.
Click to expand...

Well, I might be worth seeing if I can do something with the Blackberry
that my employer gives me, at least as a backup. I won't do it on my
personal cell phone, as I've disabled Internet access on it, since it
seemed like every time I pressed a wrong button, it connected me to a
service that cost me money. Cell phone companies really suck!
 
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