Considering getting GPS
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We finally gave in and bought a new one this year. Last summer there was a couple of intersections where our (6?) year old unit didn't know about the changes; the new unit has a bigger display and states what the speed limit is, so it's a nice upgrade. Plus I can have the old one, which I sometimes put into my car for fun.
I still prefer to look at paper maps and get a feel for the route, and to have a plan drawn out for the trip on paper. The gps makes detours easier, and beats having to own a stack of atlases, one per state. gps is also nice for finding ETA.
I still prefer to look at paper maps and get a feel for the route, and to have a plan drawn out for the trip on paper. The gps makes detours easier, and beats having to own a stack of atlases, one per state. gps is also nice for finding ETA.
One thing I would suggest is get some good maps of any cities you plan to visit.
The one thing our GPS was not good at was navigation in Florence, IT.
It couldn't maintain our location in the midst of the buildings. We made the mistake of returning our rental car in the city center instead of our pickup strategy in Rome which was get the rental car at the airport near the Autostrada.
Maps would have helped in Florence. Or just parking at the edge of the city and taking the train into the center.
Our GPS was great in Tuscany and all the day trips from our rental home. I simply should have used the same strategy for return as I did for the pickup in Rome.
The one thing our GPS was not good at was navigation in Florence, IT.
It couldn't maintain our location in the midst of the buildings. We made the mistake of returning our rental car in the city center instead of our pickup strategy in Rome which was get the rental car at the airport near the Autostrada.
Maps would have helped in Florence. Or just parking at the edge of the city and taking the train into the center.
Our GPS was great in Tuscany and all the day trips from our rental home. I simply should have used the same strategy for return as I did for the pickup in Rome.
That's a good point, my Garmin cannot keep signal while driving down 34th St in NYC.
Originally Posted By: Nick R
There are people who still don't own a GPS?
Yes. I don't have one... I don't see a need. That is what maps are for.
There are people who still don't own a GPS?
Yes. I don't have one... I don't see a need. That is what maps are for.
^^ Right so you can open and fiddle with paper maps while driving ...and endanger everyone around you, and yourself.
oh and does it give you turn by turn directions with voice?
GPS may not be perfect, but are probably about 25 times more convenient, provide more information, and safer.
on topic:
I have 2 stand-alone Garmins - both of them work pretty well.
One TomTom I had wasn't as nice. Garmin interface is much better, IMO.
The built in TomTom unit on my wife's Mazda6 is pretty good, though.
oh and does it give you turn by turn directions with voice?
GPS may not be perfect, but are probably about 25 times more convenient, provide more information, and safer.
on topic:
I have 2 stand-alone Garmins - both of them work pretty well.
One TomTom I had wasn't as nice. Garmin interface is much better, IMO.
The built in TomTom unit on my wife's Mazda6 is pretty good, though.
Co-Driver, not everyone drives alone.
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
^^ Right so you can open and fiddle with paper maps while driving ...and endanger everyone around you, and yourself.
oh and does it give you turn by turn directions with voice?
GPS may not be perfect, but are probably about 25 times more convenient, provide more information, and safer.
on topic:
I have 2 stand-alone Garmins - both of them work pretty well.
One TomTom I had wasn't as nice. Garmin interface is much better, IMO.
The built in TomTom unit on my wife's Mazda6 is pretty good, though.
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
^^ Right so you can open and fiddle with paper maps while driving ...and endanger everyone around you, and yourself.
oh and does it give you turn by turn directions with voice?
GPS may not be perfect, but are probably about 25 times more convenient, provide more information, and safer.
on topic:
I have 2 stand-alone Garmins - both of them work pretty well.
One TomTom I had wasn't as nice. Garmin interface is much better, IMO.
The built in TomTom unit on my wife's Mazda6 is pretty good, though.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Nick R
There are people who still don't own a GPS?
I have a Garmin 2555LMT, and I refuse to use anything but Garmin. They are the easiest to use and rarely let's me down. the only exception is it sometimes doesn't know a street is one way, in some areas.
On the contrary I'm surprised folks are still buying them, especially if they have smartphones. I'll concede that there are some benefits to a real gps, and so long as they aren't set up with some silly setting selected (like the report above), they work pretty well these days.
Still, for 99% of the places people go (and I travel extensively all over the country), a smartphone works nice.
Yes, a gps is cheaper in recurring costs, but many already have the phones.
There are people who still don't own a GPS?
I have a Garmin 2555LMT, and I refuse to use anything but Garmin. They are the easiest to use and rarely let's me down. the only exception is it sometimes doesn't know a street is one way, in some areas.
On the contrary I'm surprised folks are still buying them, especially if they have smartphones. I'll concede that there are some benefits to a real gps, and so long as they aren't set up with some silly setting selected (like the report above), they work pretty well these days.
Still, for 99% of the places people go (and I travel extensively all over the country), a smartphone works nice.
Yes, a gps is cheaper in recurring costs, but many already have the phones.
I've been waiting for them to come down in price, i'm suprised they have not already. I so see that many now come with lifetime map updates.
I see Tracphone has some Andriod smartphones; am tempted to check those out. Kinda don't want to upgrade though, I like how my phone goes for a week plus w/o charging.
Speaking of co-pilots: we've had a couple incidents of "turn left here--no way I meant right!" Humorous later but never quite that funny in the moment.
Speaking of co-pilots: we've had a couple incidents of "turn left here--no way I meant right!" Humorous later but never quite that funny in the moment.
We were in Ireland last summer and had a lot of trouble navigating with maps. We're very experienced travellers but for some reason (lack of signs maybe) things didn't go so well. We got to meet a lot of very nice locals (asking for directions) so it wasn't all bad!
So we bought a Garmin 2495LMT - with lifetime maps of North America for about $100. I'll admit to being a luddite in general but I have to say it's (mostly) great. It tells you what street is coming up next, it tells you the speed limit (on main routes at least), it tells you which way upcoming turns will be, it even tells you what direction you're going. We've just been on a major road trip and we used it everywhere. It's especially good at navigating in unfamiliar urban areas.
I don't think I'd go anywhere without a map however. There's that story about the couple who ended up off the road and stuck in the middle of no-where apparently following directions from their GPS. He died trying to hike out. She was found after many weeks.
Travelling on a newly opened highway was a very odd experience. The GPS was really confused about where we were, but a map (and we had one) didn't help much either. We just had to trust the signs. Later, we ran into a police diversion, after dark, with no signs and no-one providing directions at turns. It was a good thing we had a map!
So we bought a Garmin 2495LMT - with lifetime maps of North America for about $100. I'll admit to being a luddite in general but I have to say it's (mostly) great. It tells you what street is coming up next, it tells you the speed limit (on main routes at least), it tells you which way upcoming turns will be, it even tells you what direction you're going. We've just been on a major road trip and we used it everywhere. It's especially good at navigating in unfamiliar urban areas.
I don't think I'd go anywhere without a map however. There's that story about the couple who ended up off the road and stuck in the middle of no-where apparently following directions from their GPS. He died trying to hike out. She was found after many weeks.
Travelling on a newly opened highway was a very odd experience. The GPS was really confused about where we were, but a map (and we had one) didn't help much either. We just had to trust the signs. Later, we ran into a police diversion, after dark, with no signs and no-one providing directions at turns. It was a good thing we had a map!
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