Should Sat Navs have screens?

[lauriematt]

Is it my imagination or do many people have sat navs on even on their regular routes?

Yes, because mine has traffic info, so it'll alert me to any traffic holdups on my route, and automatically re-route me around them.

Ben

what about when a natural disaster occurs ie tree on the road, flooding...does it now this??

[caldini]

i use the trustworthy method of ASKING someone for directions...am i old fashioned???

Not only old fashioned but also illegal for men under 65.

[Ben Lovejoy]

Is it my imagination or do many people have sat navs on even on their regular routes?

Yes, because mine has traffic info, so it'll alert me to any traffic holdups on my route, and automatically re-route me around them.

what about when a natural disaster occurs ie tree on the road, flooding...does it now this??

It doesn't matter what the cause of the holdup is, it knows the average speed of traffic on a given stretch, knows what the usual average is for that stretch and thus knows how much time it will add to the journey. It then calculates the times of alternative routes, and if one of those is faster, it will automatically change its route accordingly.

Ben

[hubgearfreak]

it knows the average speed of traffic on a given stretch, knows what the usual average is for that stretch and thus knows how much time it will add to the journey. It then calculates the times of alternative routes, and if one of those is faster, it will automatically change its route accordingly.

i bet cities next to motorways love them then. instead of the poor fool motorists sitting it out on a blocked m-way, they're racing around communities in the vicinity

[thirdcrank]

i bet cities next to motorways love them then. instead of the poor fool motorists sitting it out on a blocked m-way, they're racing around communities in the vicinity

I live about a mile from J27 on the M 62. Get a big hold up on the M62 and half Bradford - the bit near the A 650 is soon jammed. It's not only trafficmaster etc that cause this. It's Sally Traffic on Radio 2, AA road reoprts and all that as well.

[reohn2]

Is it my imagination or do many people have sat navs on even on their regular routes?

Yes, because mine has traffic info, so it'll alert me to any traffic holdups on my route, and automatically re-route me around them.

what about when a natural disaster occurs ie tree on the road, flooding...does it now this??

It doesn't matter what the cause of the holdup is, it knows the average speed of traffic on a given stretch, knows what the usual average is for that stretch and thus knows how much time it will add to the journey. It then calculates the times of alternative routes, and if one of those is faster, it will automatically change its route accordingly.

Ben

Does it tell you when to go to the toilet too?

[Ben Lovejoy]

I think if you need someone to tell you when to go to the toilet, it's more than a GPS you need ...

Ben

[reohn2]

I think if you need someone to tell you when to go to the toilet, it's more than a GPS you need ...

Ben

Going off the way some of these GPS worshippers follow their boxes of tricks it would seem they don't know if they've already been to the toilet or not

[Ben Lovejoy]

I can imagine exactly the same conversation being had by the traditionalists when these new-fangled pneumatic tyres came along ...

Ben

[reohn2]

Ben
My comment was intended as a joke, perhaps one of these should have been on the end.

[Ben Lovejoy]

I'm not saying they're not a good thing,just that some people lack a certain amount of common sense when it comes using one.

Indeed. The same is true of paper maps, of course.

Also that some of the programing on these things is a bit below par too.
Or on the other hand are that sophisticated some people can't use them.

It's important to get a good one (there are some rubbish ones around), and one that's right for your needs.

I would use one if the need arose,but to some they are the latest toy not a tool to do a job

There's nothing wrong with toys. Mine does the job, but I also enjoy using some functionality which isn't strictly necessary but which adds to my enjoyment. Think of it like a bike: a £20 clunker will get you from A-B, but many of us choose to have more sophisticated bikes for the fun of it.

Ben

[2Tubs]

Okay, the screen is kinda essential for entering in the destination. But the screen should be blank when driving.

Should petrol gauges and speedometers also be blank when driving?

Ben

People tend not to gawp at the petrol gauges as they drive.

And judging by the quality of most driving, they never look at a speedo.

I think you must consider that there is a clear difference here.

A speedo needs a quick glance, eyes hardly leave the road.

Sat navs seems to take preference over the windscreen when drivers set off over unfamilier routes.

As cycle, I can tell the drivers with satnavs. They're the ones who are cutting across my path or mounting the kerb.

Gazza

[2Tubs]

I can imagine exactly the same conversation being had by the traditionalists when these new-fangled pneumatic tyres came along ...

Ben

Nothing wrong with progress.

I work in technology. I'm a nerd. So, y'know, it pays my wage.

I support the use of technology to make our lives easier. I have sat nav too (on my phone/pda).

But I also support the use of technology to help make us safer. The screen should be blank when the car is moving. I know, you can't do that with paper maps but that isn't a good enough excuse to allow idiots to stare at a screen while driving.

There is also a clear difference which you have touched on with sat nav and maps. you use sat nave all the time. I assume you're a responsible driver. No everyone is. And those who use sat navs on journey's they know well, would not have a map open in front of them if the sat nav wasn't working. It also has the gadget appeal from techno freaks like us.

I reckon we sit on the same side of this debate (though it's hard to see from your posts, at least to me!), nothing wrong with sat nav. Something wrong with idiot drivers.

And because of those idiot drivers it should be law that sat nav screens are disabled when the car is moving. A simple solution to protect us from ourselves.

Gazza

[Ben Lovejoy]

A speedo needs a quick glance, eyes hardly leave the road.

Same with a GPS - the primary means of use is speech; you just glance at the screen to get a quick visual as required. Plus GPS units tend to be on the windscreen, so the eyes have less distance to travel than to the speedo.

Ben

[Ben Lovejoy]

I reckon we sit on the same side of this debate (though it's hard to see from your posts, at least to me!), nothing wrong with sat nav. Something wrong with idiot drivers.

We're on the same side with that bit ...

And because of those idiot drivers it should be law that sat nav screens are disabled when the car is moving.

... and the opposite side with that bit. If we design all rules to pander to the lowest common denominator, we end up with an absurd amount of regulation.

We need to tackle the root cause, which is a low-standard driving test which people pass once then forget. What's needed is not a billion rules in a vain attempt to compensate for incompetent drivers, but rather an advanced-level test with 5-yearly retests.

Ben