Sat Nav Makes Us All Worse Drivers!

[Anees]

Just been thinking about this.

My Sat Nav system (IPAQ, Tom Tom, Bluetooth GPS) has not been working for the last week.

I've become so aware as to how much I rely on it ; its worrying!

For the past week I've had to have the :tsktsk: taken out of me from friends and family saying that I should learn how to read a map, get an A-Z and that Sat Nav makes you a worse driver!

I was thinking that when I'm driving I hardly notice places and street names anymore- I just go where the nice Tom Tom lady tells me! Does this make me a worse driver?

What did people do before Sat Nav?

Have I rotted my brain? :yack:

Nooooo!!!

[Gord]

Just been thinking about this.

My Sat Nav system (IPAQ, Tom Tom,  Bluetooth GPS) has not been working for the last week.

I've become so aware as to how much I rely on it ; its worrying! 

For the past week I've had to have the  :tsktsk: taken out of me from friends and family saying that I should learn how to read a map, get an A-Z and that Sat Nav makes you a worse driver! 

I was thinking that when I'm driving I hardly notice places and street names anymore- I just go where the nice Tom Tom lady tells me! Does this make me a worse driver?

What did people do before Sat Nav?   

Have I rotted my brain? :yack:

Nooooo!!!

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YES but you dont need sat/nav to be a bad driver ive seen YOU DRIVE

[Anees]

You should be concentrating on the road in front of you!! :P

What I mean is have modern drivers maybe lost "something" that older drivers had when they had to find places due to technology - sense of direction?

[Tony9r]

Several times I've ventured into the electrical stores, or studied these PDA/TOM TOM GO navigators intending to buy... but at the last minute I keep thinking to myself what's the point in paying out 3 - 400 quid, when all I need is an atlas, paper & pen half an hour before the journey!?!?!

I've been in a car with the TOM TOM GO and thought it was excellent... but I still can't bring myself to doing it

Tony.

[Lexxy_703]

i wouldn't be without mine, but then again - i did get lost whilst driving in Jersey...

seriously tho, i think it makes you a better driver - just listen to the directions with a quick glance at the screen every now n again - loads more time to concentrate on your driving & what's going on around you.

[Anees]

seriously tho, i think it makes you a better driver - just listen to the directions with a quick glance at the screen every now n again - loads more time to concentrate on your driving & what's going on around you.

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I think so too! I think that being without mine has just shown me what a terrible sense of direction I have! :P

[Matthew_McNally]

rubbish. :D

sat nav makes you a safer driver.

Before you had sat nav - you had written directions, A-Z what have you.

so you have stressed drivers, who have no idea where they are, looking for landmarks, trying to read road names, stopping suddenly when they see the road they once - all instead of paying attention to their driving and potential road hazards.

contrast with sat nav - you know where you are going. you can miss as many turns as you like, and the nice lady will simply re-route you without so much as a harsh word.

you are given plenty of warning when you should be turning, so can get in the right lane in advance.

And most important - you are nowhere near as stressed. You know the sat nav will get you there - so you just roll with it.

I won't own a car again without sat nav

[Tony9r]

rubbish.  :D

sat nav makes you a safer driver.

Before you had sat nav - you had written directions, A-Z what have you.

so you have stressed drivers, who have no idea where they are, looking for landmarks, trying to read road names, stopping suddenly when they see the road they once - all instead of paying attention to their driving and potential road hazards.

contrast with sat nav - you know where you are going. you can miss as many turns as you like, and the nice lady will simply re-route you without so much as a harsh word.

you are given plenty of warning when you should be turning, so can get in the right lane in advance.

And most important - you are nowhere near as stressed.  You know the sat nav will get you there - so you just roll with it.

I won't own a car again without sat nav

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I should go for it then - worth the dosh

[Matthew_McNally]

I should go for it then - worth the dosh  

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how much driving to unknown places do you do mate?

[Tony9r]

I should go for it then - worth the dosh  

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how much driving to unknown places do you do mate?

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Well that's the thing... I don't really do that much, but it seems that just lately I'm having to travel to places that I've not ventured to before through both work and personal, which makes the TOM TOM GO seem a better option for transferring from my car to my van. Plus we bought a caravan last year and like to go on long weekends away (once I sort out a tow-bar for the GS ) to here, there & everywhere!

There's also the "gadget" aspect of it as I'm quite a fan of gadgetry - like I said in the earlier post, I went in a car with sat nav fitted and thought it was brill!

So maybe...???

[Matthew_McNally]

Well that's the thing... I don't really do that much, but it seems that just lately I'm having to travel to places that I've not ventured to before through both work and personal, which makes the TOM TOM GO seem a better option for transferring from my car to my van. Plus we bought a caravan last year and like to go on long weekends away (once I sort out a tow-bar for the GS ) to here, there & everywhere!

There's also the "gadget" aspect of it as I'm quite a fan of gadgetry - like I said in the earlier post, I went in a car with sat nav fitted and thought it was brill!

So maybe...???

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would never come betwqeen a man and his gadgets

:D

cant make the decision for you mate - but it does sound like you would get the use out of it.

I would not be without mine - I set it even when I am going somewhere (a far way away) that I know the route.

never know when you'll hit a diversion - or more likely, crappy motorway conditions.

its great knowing you can get off at the next junction, and try and work your way up a bit, and never get truly lost

[johnboy]

i would be lost without my sat nav :winky:

[Mr Morse]

On a safety basis alone a sat nav is essential.

In the old days I remember having the road atlas or A2Z on the passenger seat and constantly having to glance at it. Even worse in town. I cringe thinking about the number of times I narrowly avoided accidents.

It's a no-brainer - go get one and make the road a safer place

[derekyau]

I've got a iPac Bluetooth Tom Tom Sat Nav, as well as the Lex's own Sat Nav (not that I use both at the same time!!!) :P

Like people say, its a mission reading a printed "AutoRoute" or Multimap jobbo whilst driving. Its much easier and safer listening to instructions.

I think one of the main benefits is finding alternative routes when you're stuck in a traffic jam - Either look at any parallel roads on the display, or just take a random turn off and see what the Sat Nav says. :)

:zee:

[peter026]

I think one of the main benefits is finding alternative routes when you're stuck in a traffic jam - Either look at any parallel roads on the display, or just take a random turn off and see what the Sat Nav says. :)

:zee:

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Where possible make a U turn :D

[AMH]

Just been to Rockingham (BMW Driving day - OK sorry for those initials !) - first long trip without my Lexus and it's lovely Sat Nav - never again !!

Made me realise big time just how much easier and safer Sat Nav makes travelling - and yes the ability to re-route as brilliant as said above.

Just need to choose which way to go - Tom Tom Go or wait till April for the new Garmin unit ...

[flotsam]

Before Sat Nav, you spent half an hour with a map trying to memorise the route.

Then you'd get lost and have to stop every few miles. Then yo'd get on the motorway and drive with the map on the steering wheel and trying to find the road you want at 60mph with everyone over taking you. Then you'd get to the town you want and drive around for ages going round and around the same streets looking for the place you want.

Then same again on the way home.

[Rillo]

The sad thing is you do become reliant on it. I even use it when I visit my parents just so I know how long the journey is going to take!!!

:D

[Froomer]

rubbish.  :D

sat nav makes you a safer driver.

Before you had sat nav - you had written directions, A-Z what have you.

so you have stressed drivers, who have no idea where they are, looking for landmarks, trying to read road names, stopping suddenly when they see the road they once - all instead of paying attention to their driving and potential road hazards.

contrast with sat nav - you know where you are going. you can miss as many turns as you like, and the nice lady will simply re-route you without so much as a harsh word.

you are given plenty of warning when you should be turning, so can get in the right lane in advance.

And most important - you are nowhere near as stressed.  You know the sat nav will get you there - so you just roll with it.

I won't own a car again without sat nav

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I should go for it then - worth the dosh

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Another reason you may consider is that you can also add the safty camera database to your TomTom software to alert you of blackspot areas.

[AMH]

Group Buy on Sat Nav units anyone ?