Navigation systems?
#1
10-06-2004, 09:33 AM
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Stockbridge, GA
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Navigation systems?
Who has them? who likes them? ... just curious
Just curious.. I borrowed a buddies Garmin for a road trip. I have made this trip many times and didn't really need the nav. system, but thought I would try it out. It was ok, but I also found it to be distracting. I tinkered with it a little too much while driving, when I should have been paying attention tot he road. It calculated you speed, trip time driving and total trip time. I found myself challenged with it to try and keep my avg speed including stopped time at abouve 75MPH. Well, that means I had to do 90 on occasion to make up for the little ladies powder room sessions.
When we decided to get off the interstate and drive back roads around Nashville, I tried to reprogram it to take me. Well I constantly got the woman's voice telling me I was "OFF ROUTE". Wife went nuts! (plus I am nver good at following directions! )haha .. we finally shut it off, grabbed the old atlas and went to town. Wife did the map reading (yes she actually is good at reading maps as long as I show here north! )
I grew up driving back woods roads and have never had a problem reading a map. I do find the Nav. system to be nice in cities on occasion, but at $1000.00 or so a pop, I just can't see the need, IMHO.
how many of y'all find these to be usefull in comparison to the cost?
Budget
Just curious.. I borrowed a buddies Garmin for a road trip. I have made this trip many times and didn't really need the nav. system, but thought I would try it out. It was ok, but I also found it to be distracting. I tinkered with it a little too much while driving, when I should have been paying attention tot he road. It calculated you speed, trip time driving and total trip time. I found myself challenged with it to try and keep my avg speed including stopped time at abouve 75MPH. Well, that means I had to do 90 on occasion to make up for the little ladies powder room sessions.
When we decided to get off the interstate and drive back roads around Nashville, I tried to reprogram it to take me. Well I constantly got the woman's voice telling me I was "OFF ROUTE". Wife went nuts! (plus I am nver good at following directions! )haha .. we finally shut it off, grabbed the old atlas and went to town. Wife did the map reading (yes she actually is good at reading maps as long as I show here north! )
I grew up driving back woods roads and have never had a problem reading a map. I do find the Nav. system to be nice in cities on occasion, but at $1000.00 or so a pop, I just can't see the need, IMHO.
how many of y'all find these to be usefull in comparison to the cost?
Budget
#2
10-06-2004, 11:04 AM
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#3
10-06-2004, 12:20 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Utica, NY
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I travel quite a bit for my work, and use DeLorme Street Atlas 2003 all the time (hooked to my laptop). I wouldn't go without it now, although it took a little while to get used to. I have never used one of the smaller screen types, though.
Budget, most Nav-oriented systems have a "auto-reroute" function (mine is disabled by default...I leave it that way...) and I usually turn off the voice guidance thing. But on my 14" screen, it is much easier to glance at the "next turn" text than it probably is on the smaller ones.
Another point is, with the laptop version, if you have a passenger, they must be committed to holding it on their lap for a little while, at least...
Matt
PS If you already have the laptop, you can find the Software/Reciever package for around $100...Well worth it if you travel unfamiliar territory often.
Budget, most Nav-oriented systems have a "auto-reroute" function (mine is disabled by default...I leave it that way...) and I usually turn off the voice guidance thing. But on my 14" screen, it is much easier to glance at the "next turn" text than it probably is on the smaller ones.
Another point is, with the laptop version, if you have a passenger, they must be committed to holding it on their lap for a little while, at least...
Matt
PS If you already have the laptop, you can find the Software/Reciever package for around $100...Well worth it if you travel unfamiliar territory often.