Garmin, tomtom, etc.. ~~RANT~~

[dan]

I see these things in so many cars anymore. It makes me wonder how these idiots got from place to place before the advent of such a thing?

I mean, I understand when I see an out of town/ state car with one all lit up, suction cupped to the windshield. But when I see a car with local plates on a local highway, it makes Charlie Murphy wanna smack a b@tch.

[lojasmo]

My wife is a political organizer with a territory of 30,000 square miles. She drives back roads to small towns. It is a boon for her.

[larryziegler]

It just puts the printers of maps out of business!

[dan]

Indeed. Her use in that respect would fall into the category I previously mentioned refering to out of towners.

But does she need it when she makes a quick trip to Wally world?

[hestersu]

I'm not sure how large Cleveland is, but in places like LA and New York, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and many other large metropolitan areas, these are great. If someone is driving to an unknown or unfamiliar area, these things help them get there. Does someone use to go down the to corner drug store? I doubt it. I don't own one but I would like a TomTom. I'm going to be making a cross country trip to places I've never been before and into cities where I need to get exactly where I need to be. I would feel more comfortable with one.

There are lots of people who are terrible with directions and have no clue if they are going north, south, east or west. Even in their own cities they get lost. I would think these kind of folks would love the things.

[JenBug]

I, for one, have a terrible sense of direction and only know if I am going north, south, east, or west based on the road signs (like, a sign saying I-88 West). I'd love any type of GPS to help me get places, because I think trying to read a map while you're driving is more distracting than a device telling you when to turn.

[kaiimac]

I live in Atlanta, and I am pretty sure I would have been dead by now without my GPS.

[Oyveychris]

I drive all over the State of Florida, and could not find half of my customers without mine... Dumb or not, GPS rules!

[Beetlemania]

I often think about Army Special Forces. They know how to use all the high technology equipment, but they also learn how to do it the old fashioned way, because you never know when technology will crap out on you. Think about the kids that can't make change from a cash register. And worse, the adults! I agree that we've become too reliant on computers, and I always laugh when they screw up. Unless it messes up my schedule, then I smash!

I was driving in LA a few years ago. I'm from a town called Broken Arrow. I got around just fine out there. Even on the highway. I've found that planning ahead and writing simple directions, sometimes used with a map if needed, can do wonders. And sometimes getting a little lost is a lot of fun!

[warren]

does make you wonder how people got around before GPS units (and mapquest/google maps, etc.) were everyday things.

bought my gps a couple years ago...nice, especially when traveling alone.

definitely on the packing list for business trips, since i always seem to arrive at my destination after dark, and often don't know my way around.

voice prompts are a big plus...plenty of time to get positioned for turns/exits, and never have to wake my "navigator" up from a nap to ask a last minute question about the route.

i'm more than ok with having point-to-point directions to where i'm going, instead of being lost "bigger'n Stuttgart" in East St. Louis...been there.

[from Margaritaville...]

It's also quite useful when traffic has ground to a standstill for some unknown reason. When you leave the congestion, it can find you differing ways get to your destination. It came in REALLY handy when I-5 was closed due to a massive collision. I ejected and (with the additional aid of Sigalert.com on my cell) was directed to a point beyond the wreckage to re-enter the freeway for the long drive home...

[PhoenixRising]

Originally Posted by Alan Margosian

It's also quite useful when traffic has ground to a standstill for some unknown reason. When you leave the congestion, it can find you differing ways get to your destination. It came in REALLY handy when I-5 was closed due to a massive collision. I ejected and (with the additional aid of Sigalert.com on my cell) was directed to a point beyond the wreckage to re-enter the freeway for the long drive home...

I love GPS. I use it all the tome to figure out ways in and around traffic. That and XM Traffic make my driving experience easier.

[ghostRder1]

Mine stays on the windshield when driving local highways.

[hestersu]

Well I ended up getting a Tom Tom One Version 2 last summer. I love it. I used it on a 14 day trip around the US. It was worth the money and paid for itself in Detroit, Chicago, St Louis and several other towns. I love it.

I have used it in town several times to take to me areas I'm not familiar with. Unless you live in a very small town, you probably don't know every street in your town. You know the areas you travel regularly but you may not know new sections of town or parts of town you don't frequent. The GPS sure helps to get you there without having to stop and ask directions.

I know, men don't ask directions, but women used to. With a GPS, we don't have to anymore.

[Alan From NYC]

Funny thing about my GPS (a TomTom One) is whenever I'm with someone, they always dispute the given directions.

Every GPS I know offers directions that are least likely to be screwed up by the driver. Maybe not the best way to go, but clearly the easiest.

And if anyone here is shopping for one, I recommend Garmin's Nuvi line.

[hestersu]

Yep. The TomTom and even the Nuvi make their own determination about what is the fastest, easiest way to go somewhere. TomTom and I suspect the others all will tell you in the manual that you (the driver) may be familiar with a short cut that will get you someplace faster. But you drive that area all the time and will be familiar with the area. The device can only rely on the latest map update which can be out of date.

I used the most up to date maps last summer. I got to where I needed to go in totally unfamiliar territory quickly and safely. That's really what the device is for. I need to update my maps again but will probably wait until the summer.

My brother bought a Nuvi. He likes my TomTom better. I think he decided to return it and is going to get a TomTom.

[SMG]

Real men don't need directions.

[hestersu]

Originally Posted by SMG

Real men don't need directions.

I knew someone would say this! Men just like to wonder around aimlessly and hopelessly lost. I've been married for 30 years - I know this for a fact!

[Lnzbug]

Originally Posted by SMG

Real men don't need directions.

That's a man for ya

[FlwrPwer]

I agree with the original statement made.

If you're going somewhere where you have no clue, they're good, but for local driving, they're DUMB. I see so many local people with them attached to their windshield. Did they just forget how to get to the grocery store?

Oh and I drive to NYC all the time....and can barely tell you street names, but i know that the river has to be on a certain side of me and as long as it's there, I'll find my way home. I can also count...which comes in handy in a town where the streets are labeled with numbers.