SatNav and maps

[Beekay 5,189]

I wouldn't miss Satnav. After 60 years of driving I still prefer the good old map book. When planning a journey you can sit back with a cuppa, ( prior to journey) and plan out your route. Which way to go, what to avoid etc. Even though I have a Tom Tom and a built in satnav, I very rarely use them. Google maps do help mind, when planning.

[philmayfield 6,198]

I know my way around the country but I still need a satnav to find an address, give me my ETA, update traffic conditions and suggest alternative routes.

[letsavagoo 964]

Once upon a time many (many many) years ago I worked as a tv service engineer. I’d get a list of addresses to attend. So trying to find a house in say Derby or Chesterfield. You’d get to the general area but ask someone who would um and arh and ‘let me think’ for 5 minutes before deciding either they didn’t know or send you in the wrong direction. I gave up the job partly for this reason. I could have finished in a fraction of the time with a sat nav and save countless arguments of map reading en route with my wife. Stress free driving with sat nav an£ as Phil mentions eta distance left etc. Brilliant.

[LizzieM 9,514]

On a similar theme, does anybody actually use ‘Just 3 Words’. ? 

[Beekay 5,189]

I do, but she still doesnt believe me.

[philmayfield 6,198]

I’ve got it but I’ve never used it. On my business travels, way before satnav, I used to stop at a newsagents on the edge of the town I was visiting and purchase an A to Z. I’ve got an enormous collection of those! When I was in striking distance of my destination I’d call the company on my car ‘phone and the receptionist would guide me to my final destination. That gave me the idea of inventing satnav! 

[Rob.L 1,090]

Got ‘What Three Words’ on my phone, just in case, but never used it.
 

I do use my satnav when going somewhere I’ve not been before, although more as a local thing once I get to the area/city. Although when I was doing supermarket delivery around Nottm, I did ignore the one fitted in the van now and again as it didn’t know the area as well as I did. The Park was one of the worst, as it tried to get me to use a gated road which was off limits to van-sized vehicles. Another was a location in Chilwell where it tried to send me up a footpath. And then there were the new estates where the machine hadn’t yet been updated to show…

[Brew 5,425]

1 hour ago, letsavagoo said:

I’d go back 50 years in a heartbeat if it were possible and not look back (or forward if you see what I mean)

 

Something of a philosophical conundrum Lets, akin to chicken and egg - a real can of worms...

[Brew 5,425]

34 minutes ago, LizzieM said:

On a similar theme, does anybody actually use ‘Just 3 Words’. ? 

I have it on my phone and like others, have never used it. My car has voice controlled navigation but it's too difficult to be of use so hoping some clever devil will one day integrate what3words into the satnav system.

[Oztalgian 3,331]

Sat navs are not a lot of use in our regional/country areas as there is usually only one or two roads that will take you to where you want to go. The "lerts" are good as they help you avoid any delays. They do come into their own in the urban areas to find the exact address you are looking for especially in newer areas. Mine has lifetime free map updates which is useful as the city is forever expanding and there are many new suburbs that I have never heard of.

[Cliff Ton 10,483]

My car doesn't have a SatNav, so if I go somewhere I've not been before I have a couple of pieces of paper.

 

One page has a written list of the main roads to the general area, then I print off a couple of close-up maps from Google to get in to the final detail.

 

It's not failed so far.

[Jill Sparrow 10,322]

You and me both. CT.

[MargieH 7,613]

I love our TomTom and also sometimes use google maps or Waze at the same time.  I like to see if they both agree.   (I’m not the driver!!)

We also have an in-car satnav but it needs updating so don’t use that.

Before we go anywhere different I also  ‘drive’ round the area  on Street View.  I really love doing that!

@LizzieM I have used ‘3 words’ as well - it is so clever! 
I just LOVE Satnavs!!!

 

Strangely enough, we absolutely rely on TomTom when we come to Nottingham up the MI because after we’ve left it, there are some roundabouts with several exits and if there are tall vans and heavy traffic, it helps to be told by TomTom which exit to take before we actually get to the roundabout itself so we can get on the correct lane (sorry for very long sentence)

[Beekay 5,189]

I were driving up to nottingham once and some where around the M1 northampton service area, some mystery voice barked out beneath the dashboard, "Youv'e been driving now for two and half hours. Don't you think it's time to take a break"? I thought it were 'er indoors at first.

Bloody cheek!

[philmayfield 6,198]

I’ve got that but I’ve disabled it. I’ve just had to pay £119 to Mercedes to get my sat nav ‘add ons’ updated for another year. Robbing b******s!

[Beekay 5,189]

Phil., what would happen if you decide not to pay for an update.? I was watching a fella on you tube who had an EV with what he thought was fitted satnav and electric seat warming as standard. Turns out if he wanted to retain them he would have to subscribe, (Porche tycan).

[philmayfield 6,198]

I still get a basic satnav which is more than adequate but I get add ons such as car parking spaces, weather updates, local points of interest, live traffic information and diversions, car to car communication re hazards. The live traffic is the most useful as you can plan ahead on a long journey. We regularly go up to Lancashire and the M6 is a regular trouble spot. Last time our three hour journey took six hours. I was all for turning back when I saw the M6 was blocked but my wife said ‘press on, we’re over halfway’. I’ve vowed to ignore her in future and use my own judgement!

[letsavagoo 964]

My current car has inbuilt satnav which is very good but I’ve a new car on order which won’t have sat nav as it was a £1200 option. It will have Apple car play so I’ll use waze which I find pretty good when I’ve tried it or a stand alone Tom Tom or similar which will be considerably cheaper than £1200.

[letsavagoo 964]

10 hours ago, philmayfield said:

The time I’m talking of Phil, car phones were not for the likes of a humble TV service engineer. Only James Bond and accountants had those.

[letsavagoo 964]

5 hours ago, philmayfield said:

I’ve got that but I’ve disabled it. I’ve just had to pay £119 to Mercedes to get my sat nav ‘add ons’ updated for another year. Robbing b******s!

I understand that the steering wheel is an optional extra on Mercs and BMW’s

[LizzieM 9,514]

That Sat Nav woman always seems to pipe up with directions when I’m listening to something really interesting on the radio, such an annoying interruption. 

[Brew 5,425]

1 hour ago, letsavagoo said:

I understand that the steering wheel is an optional extra on Mercs and BMW’s

I don't know about BMW but my Merc came with 'sport' steering. I didn't order one so after something of a strop they crossed off the £436 charge. 

[MRS B 533]

I have an American Satnav, only because my husband hurled ours into the back seat of the car when we were in the States many years ago in frustration on a 6 lane freeway in LA. Of course we then had to buy a new one! Interesting for anyone else who is now a passenger in my car though and it works perfectly fine just has an American voice. I wouldn’t be without it, considering I worked for an airline for 30+ years my sense of direction is appalling. 

[Brew 5,425]

At work they issued tomtom satnav, within a week or two not one had the standard voice... I wonder if you can still get them...

 

[Beekay 5,189]

I put about 6/8 voices on my Tom Tom, though i never use it nowadays. Homer Simpson, wife Marge, Mr.Burns, Ukreneian grandma, but my favourite is the one that stays on and thats the robotic voice of a Cylon, from Battlestar Galactica. " By your command "!