# Your advice re: usefulness of SAT NAV for Europe tour



## Lesleykh

Hi,
When I leave work in a few weeks they will be getting me a leaving pressie, which they'd like to link to our trip (I know they are collecting some silly things already). One of the things I was thinking about though was a SAT NAV.

We have never used one and husband has an innate dislike of gadgets and a huge love of "real" maps. 

How useful do you those of you who have SAT NAV find them and any ideas on a good make for a year's tour of Europe?

Cheers,
Lesley


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## Briarose

Hi we wouldn't be without ours, and I think once you have actually had one you will probably feel the same.

We have a Tom Tom, but I know a few members on here have bought the Garmin truck, which you can put height and widths in too...........I have been wondering how they are getting on with them.

Also check anything that you do buy covers Europe :wink:


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## gdleeds

Would not be without our TomTom 930 citys can be a nightmare without one
Also taken ours to USA and Australia best bit of kit I have bought in ages


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## geraldandannie

Another thumbs up here. Although we do have maps too, and Annie follows the journey on the map, we wouldn't leave home for any trip without it. Ours is a now-ancient TomTom910.

We also use ours in the evening when we're planning the next day of a tour. Find a place on the map that looks about the right distance, get the TT to plot it and find the distance, try again until we're planning about 100-150 miles, look in the books (or on the TT) for a campsite / aire, and iterate until happy 

Gerald


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## neilbes

Would not go without one,use with a "proper" map.

Great for towns and cities

saves so much stress and arguments,

great for advanced planning,

tells you how long it takes to get where you are going,

unless you have a major hold up it's quite accurate.

I would look at tomtom truck.


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## jhelm

One of the greatest things a navigator can do is just tell you where you are, which can at times be very difficult in an area you are not familiar with.


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## eddied

*SatNav*

Ciao tutti, afraid I have to be to differ. Have a TomTom 710 Go which given to me as a gift after a disastrous visit to Barcelona. It is no doubt a marvellous piece of technology, and very useful I know if you are negotiating big cities or need to find an address in the centre of town . For touring though, I now leave it at home and rely as before on Michelin or Touring Club or ADAC maps. TomTom has taken me once too often down narrow gravel tracks, or in the wrong direction!
Just a personal take on this of course.
saluti,
eddied


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## peedee

The best thing about Sat navs is they take the stress out of driving in strange places especially those that are busy areas. You and your passengers can relax more and therefore pay more attention to your surroundings and the road. They do not replace maps and and common sense. I still carry both maps and sat navs.

peedee


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## erneboy

I partially agree with EddieD, when using a Sat. Nav. you must be ready to over rule it at a moments notice. If it tries to take up a road which looks too narrow, just ignore it and let it re-calculate, they seem to have many glitches and mislead you for no reason at all. With that caveat I would not be without one. They are excellent in towns and cities. 

I would say that a map lover could come to hate them for that reason, Alan,


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## Grizzly

I'm with (most of) the above. Our TT700 is indispensible.

As well as the reasons given above she is also a great help when you are suddenly confronted with an unexpected diversion- roadworks, accident etc.

Within seconds she'll recalculate your route and make sure, when you are lead off into the bush and then abandoned by the yellow DIVERSION signs, that you know which way to turn.

If you upload campsite and aire POIs then you can always ask for directions for a place to overnight at short notice.

A very good choice of leaving present. Go for it !

G


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## Westkirby01

*SatNav*

Sat Nav is well worth the investment. It's cheaper now than ever before.
Continue to use hard copy maps for general interest and to visually plan ahead. It's great to know what's ahead. Look at the road signs and don't rely completely on the sat nav as some do. It's an aid to driver, not the driver.

SatNav is excellent in cities, where due to traffic you cannot pull over to check your directions, also when you have inadvertently taken a wrong road the SatNav will redirect, usually within a hundred yards of travel. I was lucky enough to purchase one nearly 10 years ago for daily travel in London. I got 2 tickets for stopping to locate where I was. None since the SatNav usage.

There are some expensive 'Truck' SatNav that allow input of width, height, weight etc. But if you read the road signs then the cheaper SavNavs are great Value.

Hope you have a great time

Regards
Westkirby01
www.westkirby01.blog.co.uk


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## StephandJohn

I love maps, checking places with guide books, looking up campsites as we're travelling etc.but would not be without out sat nav now.
Just don't take everything it says on face value and use your maps as well.
Its got us out of some tricky situation and also nearly got us in to some as well but its usefulness can't be outweighed.
We also use ours when planning the next days trip.
We also use the ACSI CD as you can calculate distances and options on this (you don't have to just use it for ACSI sites)


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## greygit

erneboy said:


> I partially agree with EddieD, when using a Sat. Nav. you must be ready to over rule it at a moments notice. If it tries to take up a road which looks too narrow, just ignore it and let it re-calculate, they seem to have many glitches and mislead you for no reason at all. With that caveat I would not be without one. They are excellent in towns and cities.
> 
> I would say that a map lover could come to hate them for that reason, Alan,


I agree totally, we wouldn't be without ours and it's the old TT 700 model but as already been said you need to use your head as well.
Gary


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## peedee

One of the really good things about most sat navs is the ability to create or load pre-created POIs (Points of interest) There are now thousands available to cater for every interest and allow you to find places and objects very precisely.

peedee


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## lalala

Sat navs can be excellent to use and they can be awful to use. We tried out a large screen Garmin in Europe and it was constantly losing GPS, (even South of London) though another system we had with us still got a signal. We have used several sat nav systems and all have been different, but all have sent us wrong, sometimes with no instruction when one was needed, sometimes with the wrong instruction. We now tend to switch off for long journeys and use it for complicated directions or for cities.
if you want to avoid arguments and unnecessary errors my main advice would be to get one with a text to speech function, so it actually says the information on the screen, e.g. take the third exit on to the A75, rather than just take the third exit. The latter leads to so many problems. We find a large screen is easier, remember that the screen is not all map, there are written instructions on it as well.
We still use maps and Google for planning but for some things would not be without sat nav.
Your Devon Monte Carlo, is it high enough to need a system for truckers?
Happy retirement,
lala


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## Briarose

Hi just to add, we haven't had any problems losing signal either in Europe or the UK with Tom Tom.


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## tonka

JUST GO FOR IT !!

I was firmly in the "what do I want one of those for" camp...
However running out of idea's for a 50th birthday present they got me a Tom Tom one with Europe map....
Would never leave home with it (for Europe anyway).....

Apart from obvious route finding I love the way you can add points of interest.. Have downloaded several that give Aires, campsites, supermarkets etc....


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## jhelm

We also use a gps that plugs into our laptop and along with microsoft maps can see a full screen map with our position and our route. I usually pre-program the route on the computer. Sometimes the two disagree so being able to see the bigger picture is a great advantage. With all these tools one might wonder how we still manage to get ourselves lost on a regular basis.


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## sallytrafic

I'm a confirmed map user and TomTom user. Both have their place and the TomTom gets you out of unfamiliar places better than a map after all it knows where you are starting from a map doesn't.

However the practical point is who could afford the cost and the space of all the real maps you would need at the detail that your GPS carnav will give you.


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## Ian_n_Suzy

Hi.

We used our Sat Nav CONSTANTLY whilst touring France and Spain last summer. I would keep changing it to look for aires/campsites/places of interest/supermarkets/petrol stations/McDonalds, etc near to our current location or along our route. Lots of times I would use it to find a different route if the one we had set out on wasn't suitable. We'd ask it for Tolls when we wanted them or avoid them when we didn't.

We were that reliant on it, that I am considering taking a spare one with us this time (yes I can read a conventional map, and yes I did have one to hand if required - but I am a great believer in using the technology available to us).

All I would say is make sure that you have it set up with all the POI`s available to you prior to leaving, and it will be priceless to you.

Our's is a Garmin 7200.


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## SpeedyDux

I wouldn't be without my Garmin Nuvi with built-in Traffic Alerts (it came with a lifetime subscription). That has saved me from many horrendous motorway jams abroad by offering alternative routes. 

The estimated arrival time feature takes away the stress of not knowing what time you will arrive at the check-in for your ferry. 

An accessory I would not be without is the Universal Friction Mount instead of the standard rubber sucker windscreen mount that ALWAYS falls off at some inconvenient moment. 

As many posters said, you need to use your common sense and ignore the obviously silly directions that would take you off the main roads and along narrow tracks. 

Finally, remember the Sat Nav needs to to stay cool in hot weather, so position it where it will get the benefit of your cab aircon instread of frying its expensive little chips in full sunlight.


SD


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## hblewett

geraldandannie said:


> Another thumbs up here. Although we do have maps too, and Annie follows the journey on the map, we wouldn't leave home for any trip without it. Ours is a now-ancient TomTom910.
> 
> We also use ours in the evening when we're planning the next day of a tour. Find a place on the map that looks about the right distance, get the TT to plot it and find the distance, try again until we're planning about 100-150 miles, look in the books (or on the TT) for a campsite / aire, and iterate until happy
> 
> Gerald


That's just what we do - great way to do it if you're a 'wanderer' with a general direction but no route planned

Also invaluable for finding your way OUT of towns once you've got to the place you wanted to visit its hen a matter of finding the right road out - with a sat-nav there's no more going round and round in circles - you're straight off on the right road


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## CaGreg

I bought Greg a Garmin Nuvi for Christmas 08 as we were planning our first trip to France and Spain in the van. We were both looking forward to the trip but were a little anxious about the driving, wrong side, different signs, language differences etc.

On arrival in Cherbourg we put in the first aire that we planned to visit. We had been delayed in Cherbourg and it was getting dark and foggy. We were a tiny bit tense (you all understand the understatement in that sentence!)

The Garmin took us right to a parking place within about a half an hour and we found ourselves in a peaceful, dark, empty village square. 

The love affair with the Sat Nav had begun. 

Ca


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## Spacerunner

I think they're so good that I've got *three* of them!.

The most modern one, a Garmin 765T is the one I use for actually navigating the motorhome. It works very well and took me all over France last year. Importantly it has a junction guidance system which can indicate which lane to get in at busy intersections.

June uses an original Tomtom to give her a running update of our position. She uses this information in conjunction with her all-important road atlas and can tell me exactly where we are and advise on suitability of surrounding roads and has helped me avoid taking unsuitable routes.

I also have an older Garmin as a back up. There's nothing guaranteed to spoil a holiday faster than bad feeling over where we are and where are we going.

So its belt and braces for me and a knowledge that whatever happens we shall know *where* it happened!!


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## peedee

I just have a blue tooth GPS and use it with whatever computer I have with me usually either a PDA or a laptop. Currently I am running >Navigator 9< on desktop, PDA and laptop. I used TomTom for many years but Navigator 9 has many advantages over TT not least it is up to date and you can pre plan journeys on the desktop and easily move them to my PDA. (See >this thread<)

Whist I carry two PDAs, I am really not bother if the sat nav fails, I will revert back to guide books and paper maps which I always carry.

peedee


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## Gonewiththewind

Been a single traveller I wouldn't be without my "Navigon". Travelled down to Barcelona last year and never faltered once.
A couple of times has whisked me of the M6 around the roundabout and back on the M6. I suspect that is just to keep me awake. :roll: 

Don


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## Briarose

If you do decide to get a sat nav and intend to travel through Rouen..........read this topic very important info on what to avoid.
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/forum-printtopic-1-74410-30-0-asc-viewresult-1.html


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## rayrecrok

Hi.

If you both want to be totally involved with the journey here or abroad get a paper map.

If you both need the stress of going through different towns and citys following a line on a bit of paper that is suddenly interrupted by somebody digging the road up or there is an accident and you have to leave that nice safe line, then get up to your elbows in nose to tail traffic and all the rest, then a map is just what you want.

But!.

If you want to have a nice lady (Homer Simpson) tell you every turn, where to get off motorways and how long it is before you have to do it, or the passenger can look out of the window at the sights, get there head down for a snooze even going through a major city, even when diverted, even going to a specific point of interest you want to see in an instant with a route worked out by the nice lady in the black box, who very rarely gets it wrong. 

The passenger getting it wrong when reading from a paper map ends up in divorce or murder when they are reading maps slower than the driver needing to know which way to go!.. :roll: ..

The only thing you need do from the electronic navigator is judge if the road you are being sent down looks iffy, say it looks narrow or too rural, just ignore the nice lady drive on and she will work another route out for you instantly that you can judge to be more of your liking

A paper map with all the stress involved, or the nice lady in the box, ask Sandra its a know brainer she loves the stress free journey, (For her. :roll: )

PS. even low bridges can be avoided you can load down all routes that have low bridges and the such and it will calculate a route that avoids them.


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## Ian_n_Suzy

rayrecrok said:


> Hi.
> 
> If you both want to be totally involved with the journey here or abroad get a paper map.
> 
> If you both need the stress of going through different towns and citys following a line on a bit of paper that is suddenly interrupted by somebody digging the road up or there is an accident and you have to leave that nice safe line, then get up to your elbows in nose to tail traffic and all the rest, then a map is just what you want.
> 
> But!.
> 
> If you want to have a nice lady (Homer Simpson) tell you every turn, where to get off motorways and how long it is before you have to do it, or the passenger can look out of the window at the sights, get there head down for a snooze even going through a major city, even when diverted, even going to a specific point of interest you want to see in an instant with a route worked out by the nice lady in the black box, who very rarely gets it wrong.
> 
> The passenger getting it wrong when reading from a paper map ends up in divorce or murder when they are reading maps slower than the driver needing to know which way to go!.. :roll: ..
> 
> The only thing you need do from the electronic navigator is judge if the road you are being sent down looks iffy, say it looks narrow or too rural, just ignore the nice lady drive on and she will work another route out for you instantly that you can judge to be more of your liking
> 
> A paper map with all the stress involved, or the nice lady in the box, ask Sandra its a know brainer she loves the stress free journey, (For her. :roll: )
> 
> PS. even low bridges can be avoided you can load down all routes that have low bridges and the such and it will calculate a route that avoids them.


I've got to concur with the above post. Very true.


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## Losos

Can some of you Sat Nav users explain something to me.

If you're trundling along and the nice young lady with the mid atlantic acccent tells you to turn left, and the council has that very day made it a no entry, *what do you do *:?: Do you just *ignore her *:?: If you do ignore her, for how long does she *keep nagging you to turn left *or does she stop when you've passed the turning :?: When does she start telling you the *alternative* :?: What happens if the alterative takes you out of town, round the ring road, and back in from the other direction ie *many miles longer *:!:

I wouldn't exactly describe myself as a luddite but I do get annoyed when someone (Human or machine) starts telling me *to do something I can't do *:roll:

For me that would *NOT *decrease my stress levels one bit :lol:


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## Losos

rayrecrok said:


> The passenger getting it wrong when reading from a paper map ends up in *divorce or murder *when they are reading maps slower than the driver needing to know which way to go!.. :roll: ..


Oh yes, know all about that :lol: I think you are saying it's best to have both a Sat Nav *AND* some good paper maps, yes :?:


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## rayrecrok

Losos said:


> Can some of you Sat Nav users explain something to me.
> 
> If you're trundling along and the nice young lady with the mid atlantic acccent tells you to turn left, and the council has that very day made it a no entry, *what do you do *:?: Do you just *ignore her *:?: If you do ignore her, for how long does she *keep nagging you to turn left *or does she stop when you've passed the turning :?: When does she start telling you the *alternative* :?: What happens if the alterative takes you out of town, round the ring road, and back in from the other direction ie *many miles longer *:!:
> 
> I wouldn't exactly describe myself as a luddite but I do get annoyed when someone (Human or machine) starts telling me *to do something I can't do *:roll:
> 
> For me that would *NOT *decrease my stress levels one bit :lol:


Just drive on and within a couple of seconds there will be new route for you, or if there is no other route you will be asked to turn round and then another route will be found


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## rayrecrok

Losos said:


> rayrecrok said:
> 
> 
> 
> The passenger getting it wrong when reading from a paper map ends up in *divorce or murder *when they are reading maps slower than the driver needing to know which way to go!.. :roll: ..
> 
> 
> 
> Oh yes, know all about that :lol: I think you are saying it's best to have both a Sat Nav *AND* some good paper maps, yes :?:
Click to expand...

Why not it can never harm, now where did we put that map we haven't used one in over 10 years!.. :lol: ..


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## PeterandLinda

Hi

We have both a Pioneer built in system, which also has a rear view camera, and a TomTom Go 730. The Pioneer mapping is not very good and you can't enter SatNav Co-ordinates, so we rely on the TT, which is regularly updated via the computer. Yes, it does suggest farm tracks occasionally but is generally reliable, but you do need to mentally over-ride it from time to time.

P&L


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## Losos

rayrecrok & peterandlinda - thanks - Thinking about it some more and I must admit that if you ignore the SatNav it can't hurl a load of abuse at you which is what SWMBO does when I don't follow her directions :lol: so maybe they are less stressful after all :lol: :lol: :lol: (Being a lifelong 'belt & bracers' man I'll probably go for paper maps *and* the SatNav)


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## pneumatician

*Sat Nav*

We find Sat Nav for the Uk is hardly worth the bother so it is little used.

Sat Nav when we are overseas is used virtually every travelling day.

Best of luck 
Steve


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## Rapide561

*Map*

Lesley

My advice is to hell with SatNav. Get a few good maps and guide books from charity shops and use websites such as www.vimichelin.com etc to find shortest, quickest, economical routes etc.

In my mind, SatNav is the worse thing ever invented.

Russell


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## Codfinger

*Sat nav*

I use a satnav on a daily basis, have also used our TomTom abroad, I recomend that you always back-up with a map pays to know where you are going and what ie rivers, railways etc you are likely to pass on route this helps to pinpoint your position, also with the Tom Tom you can zoom out and see poi, towns etc ahead of you.
Chris


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## SpeedyDux

Losos, my Sat Nav just says "recalculating" in a sulky tone, and then either directs me to a turning that will put us back on the original route, or if I repeatedly ignore her she will eventually pick a different route. 

I get more stress from SWMBO's comments - she sometimes sides with the Sat Nav. Women's solidarity against male drivers, I expect.  

SD


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Tom tom 730. Improvement on xl.

Lady p still sits with a map on her lap.

730 has inteligent mapping and is suposed to avoid regular jams .
Thats when the fun begins with Lady p.

Have downloaded all cc sites and cls. You can pinpoint your destination on the map in tomtom.
Get one and spend a bit of time playing around with it, its the future. :lol: 

Dave p


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## Codfinger

*satnav*

Dont forget the french aires dave 8)


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## rayrecrok

*Re: Map*



Rapide561 said:


> Lesley
> 
> My advice is to hell with SatNav. Get a few good maps and guide books from charity shops and use websites such as www.vimichelin.com etc to find shortest, quickest, economical routes etc.
> 
> In my mind, SatNav is the worse thing ever invented.
> 
> Russell


Ludite.. :lol: ..


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## Lesleykh

Wow! I come home from work and find 5 pages of replies, mostly all saying "go for it". Thanks to all of you. It's why I love this site.  

I'll force Rob to read all of your advice, though he will obviously pay most heed to Russell! :wink: 

I'll have a word with those who organise collections (usually my job, but not this time!) and see what they reckon. It might be that no-one has even thought of it.  

I think it could be the making of our year on the road together, as when I map read I do have a tendency to say "just follow that car in front" which I know the other half never appreciates!

Lesley


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## Rapide561

*Re: Map*



rayrecrok said:


> Rapide561 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lesley
> 
> My advice is to hell with SatNav. Get a few good maps and guide books from charity shops and use websites such as www.vimichelin.com etc to find shortest, quickest, economical routes etc.
> 
> In my mind, SatNav is the worse thing ever invented.
> 
> Russell
> 
> 
> 
> Ludite.. :lol: ..
Click to expand...

Yes, I was born in Heckmondwike, a famous stomping ground of the Luddites.

My map cannot fail to work. Map map will not get broken. Thieves are unlikely to smash a window for a £1.99 ASDA map. Print outs from Google earch and so on can even show all petrol stations and so on...and if I get lost, it is my fault, not the woman in the talking device.

Russell

Edit - I will also add that I find planning the route to be part of the fun. Every night when I worked in the coach industry, we (driver and I) would get together the night before with a map and a pint and plan the next day etc.


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## jhelm

I also use our nav on trips where I know the route just to keep track of distance to destination ETA, etc. In our car on such trips it tells me how many kilometers to our destination and the car tells us how far we can go on the amount of gas in the tank; takes out the guess work of deciding when to gas up. Yeah I know when the needle points to empty gas up you don't have to remind me. But say we see that we will be close to empty when we arrive in Milan we might decide to get fuel along the way where it's more convenient.


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## jhelm

*Re: Map*



Rapide561 said:


> rayrecrok said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rapide561 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lesley
> 
> My advice is to hell with SatNav. Get a few good maps and guide books from charity shops and use websites such as www.vimichelin.com etc to find shortest, quickest, economical routes etc.
> 
> In my mind, SatNav is the worse thing ever invented.
> 
> Russell
> 
> 
> 
> Ludite.. :lol: ..
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes, I was born in Heckmondwike, a famous stomping ground of the Luddites.
> 
> My map cannot fail to work. Map map will not get broken. Thieves are unlikely to smash a window for a £1.99 ASDA map. Print outs from Google earch and so on can even show all petrol stations and so on...and if I get lost, it is my fault, not the woman in the talking device.
> 
> Russell
> 
> Edit - I will also add that I find planning the route to be part of the fun. Every night when I worked in the coach industry, we (driver and I) would get together the night before with a map and a pint and plan the next day etc.
Click to expand...

Lets say you do get lost no matter who's fault it is does one of your maps tell you where you are assuming there are no handy road signs, city names etc. Just giving you a hard time. Nothing wrong with sticking to maps if one is comfortable with them.


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## Lesleykh

I know one thing these days - I can barely read the maps and we have to stop, find reading glasses, sometimes torches... I'm liking the sound of this SAT NAV lark more and more.

We will take lots of maps still and language books, because that's what HE does. He will forego clothes for the year to squeeze in language books. I am staring at an 8 ft double stacked shelf of them in the study at the moment and the accompnaying 50 or so maps. I think we may need a roof box or a trailer just for them.

Mind you, I have 21 Cary Grant films ready to take away, but they are on CDs and take up very little room. 

Lesley


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## blackbirdbiker

We use a TomTom 730.. brilliant *but* when you tell it to take you to a town it will.... our experience one year (take us to Cochem) on the Mosel.
The journey was great until we arrived right in the middle of town on very very small roads  very embarrassing..now we make sure we put in a *via*

Keith


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## rayrecrok

*Re: Map*

Ludite.. :lol: 
Yes, I was born in Heckmondwike, a famous stomping ground of the Luddites.

My map cannot fail to work. Map map will not get broken. Thieves are unlikely to smash a window for a £1.99 ASDA map.* Print outs from Google earch *and so on can even show all petrol stations and so on...and if I get lost, it is my fault, not the woman in the talking device.

Russell

So you do use Google technology to get you where you are going, where's your pencil :lol: Fuel stations are all on the sat nav and it will take you straight to the nearest one anywhere, a God send when you are on red on the fuel gauge. :lol: :lol: :lol: ..

Your only one step away from sat nav there's hope for you yet. :wink:

PS I'm from Wakefield..


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## Raine

*sat nav*

brilliant, we've had a garmin, got stolen, a tom tom, pinched by son, another tom tom, and i finally got round to using it (instead of hubby) and they are brilliant, the aforementioned son, used his (ours) to drive out to corfu and back!


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## chasper

They are brilliant, i have a Garmin Zumo 550 which i use on my motorbike (K1100Rs) But it does not give you the same satisfaction of achievement of getting out of troublesome situation like i used to years ago, i.m still here! Sorry on my second bottle of red, but i could not resist a comment.


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## billmac

we have a gatmin 760 nuvi and would not be without. I too am a map enthusiast but it is great to plot a route from a map and feed it to the garmin so I can then enjoy the drive. Its great to drive through a town without the worry of checking the map every 10 mins.


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## rugbyken

i have a tom tom 910 go wouldn't be without apparently i now talk to the wife in the car/van instead of snarling
take the time to load all the available P O I 's if the aire or site is full or you don't fancy it its great to be able to check that there are another half dozen option's within ten miles and a device that knows where they are 
like all thing's it's a tool to help if you ignore it it won't throw a map at you and tell you to find it yourself but if you don't fancy where it's trying to take you it will diligently find an alternative, but your still holding the steering wheel 
i'm the sad sort that has the tom on even when i know where i'm going just so i can hear the dulcet tones telling me to turn around when possible etc


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## peedee

The one disadvantage I experience is that when I did all my planning using maps and guides, I had a mental picture of where we were going, especially the places and roads in between. That seems to disappear when you use a sat nav and quite often, although not lost because of sat nav, in my mind, I have no idea exactly where we are or where we have been if that makes sense :? 

peedee


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## Grizzly

peedee said:


> , although not lost because of sat nav, in my mind, I have no idea exactly where we are or where we have been if that makes sense :?
> 
> peedee


There's also a useful function on TT ( and perhaps others?) called "Where Am I ?" This came as a free upgrade when we bought another set of maps for our TT 700.

This is very useful if you break down. Touch the icon and it gives you your exact location and coordinates and, a further few presses, and you're directed to the nearest fuel, hospital, breakdown business and so on with phone numbers.

So impressive if you can tell the AA exactly where you are !

G


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## rayrecrok

peedee said:


> The one disadvantage I experience is that when I did all my planning using maps and guides, I had a mental picture of where we were going, especially the places and roads in between. That seems to disappear when you use a sat nav and quite often, although not lost because of sat nav, in my mind, I have no idea exactly where we are or where we have been if that makes sense :?
> 
> peedee


Yer great init!. :lol:


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## Zebedee

peedee said:


> The one disadvantage I experience is that when I did all my planning using maps and guides, I had a mental picture of where we were going, especially the places and roads in between. That seems to disappear when you use a sat nav and quite often, although not lost because of sat nav, in my mind, I have no idea exactly where we are or where we have been if that makes sense :?
> 
> peedee


Spot on Peedee.

As I mentioned in another thread - specifically the final para of the quote below. :roll: :roll:

" . . . several experiences where friends have relied entirely upon the satnav - while we planned (loosely) with the map before setting out. We had by far the most relaxing journeys, didn't get lost, usually saw much more of interest en route . . . and still used the infernal satnav gadget but made it do as it was told by entering our chosen route in smallish sections, or ignored the little swine when it got into a strop!! :roll: 8O

Hence we knew in advance where we were going! On more than one occasion they have looked at our map after the journey and said, _"How on earth did it take us right out there!!"_ 8O 8O "

Dave


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## dereversken

we have tom tom, but use microsoft autoroute express on the laptop. it really is great! it is effectively an infinitely variable scale map which will set a route for you if you wish, if not go, your own way creating a trail of where you`ve been on the screen, particularly useful in awkward areas where there might be roadworks/diversions, and of course having completed the trip you can save it on the computer, for later reference. there are also useful downloads on this site which are genuinely handy and easy to use!


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## Zozzer

Call me a wuss but I wouldn't travel across europe without a Satnav.
I personally believe they are invaluable, especially when nagivating through built up area of towns and cities.

We use our to locate to locate the nearest supermarket along the route or close to a campsite or stellplatz, ALDI supermarket in Germany
or the Tesco in Poland. Now that's something a map will not provide.
A map cannot cope with the unexpected, like a washout bridge after heavy flooding or a closed road due to road works. A satnav can be reprogrammed for an alternative route. Even as your driving along and you see something of interest on a signpost and decide to investigate, the satnav will reprogramme itself. 

We also use our in town centres, to make sure we can find our way back to the van. Simply save the GPS pop it in your back and go walk about.
Should you get lost, out comes the satnav to guide you back to the van.
Don't forget to turn the sound OFF, or you will get some strange looks or laughter from the locals. 

I also love big maps, and can sit for hours in the evening with them spread out on the table. And of course, they too are a invaluable as a backup should anything go wrong with the satnav.


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## Zebedee

Who am I to disagree Zozzer . . . you are a Wuss!! :lol: :wink: 

So am I though, and agree with everything else you say.

You appraisal of how to make a satnav work for you, rather than against you is absolutely spot on.

The only one you forgot to mention was escaping from large towns when the signage is awful or non-existent. The satnav reall is handy then.

I just wish the little swines would not try to send us down back alleys and goat tracks when we get within spitting distance of the destination!!

We are due for a new one as our Nuvi 350's on/off switch is near death! Don't know what to get though since the reports on the so-called "HGV Friendly" ones are very varied - and they are expensive.

Dave


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## Suenliam

Think I'm with Russell on this one.

We borrowed a Tom Tom once. Took us to where we wanted to go and then didn't want us to leave :? Every time we got onto the motorway to come home it wanted us to go back to the original place. I know we must have programmed it badly, but the map did not argue with us and insist we turn round etc. 

I am sure sat nav is fine for people who need to know where they are going - for us on holiday our only firm destination is the ferry home. Otherwise general planning before we set off and then follow the road that looks the most interesting. Our constant changes of mind would really upset the lady in the machine :wink: 

Sue

P.S. contrary to the stereotype, I am a good map reader. If I make a mistake, I can rectify it with out the driver realising. Also we have more important things to do than argue about whether we should have turned right/left etc.


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## oldenstar

I am surprised no one has mentioned the Snooper Ventura yet.

It has just got us, safely and easily, from Le Havre down to the Algarve, and with the dimensions of the van installed never once put us down a narrow lane or 'too low' underpass.

It only got slightly confused once, on a new stretch of motorway south of Salamanca, but as previously said using a Satnav should not disengage the brain! Therefore just ignore it if obviously wrong, or you don't want to go thataway-It will simply pick up again later and reroute if necessary. Without nagging too.

Would not be without it - All ACSI campsites are ready installed so really easy to programme.

Great piece of kit.

Paul


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## zappy61

*Satnav for Europe*

No one's mentioned the Garmin 465T truck or car satnav. Great piece of kit. Down to £247 now at MNC a good buy.

One drawback with Snooper range is you can't add custom Poi's, yet.

Graham


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## Zozzer

We have the Tom Tom 730, and I'm sure it should it should have been badged as the Tom Tom 666 and come he voice of Damien. Ours is sadistic to the point of being evil.

The last thing you want to here after a very enjoyable holiday, as you wait to disembark the ferry in Dover is .....

"Turn Around When Possible".

But on a serious note. 

I think the Satnav is a marvelous invention and I've often thought what my dad a truck driver all his life would have thought of them.

My brother was also a trucker, venturing as far as Saudia Arabia, Moscow, and up the north of Norway, all without the aid of a Satnav.
These days, he's working for himself still tramping around Europe in a white van, and when I asked him why he uses a Satnav, he replied,
"It saves money, you can waste a lot of fuel trying to find the place your going.". 

Forty years ago trying to navigate through Russia you had to stop to check the map, compare each letter of the place on the map with those on the roadsign.

GPS hasn't made the world any smaller, but it's made it much easier to explore.


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## GEMMY

When we're off investigating cities on our scooter, we used to have trouble finding where we had left the m/h,  I bought a cheapie sat nav thats stuck on the scooter fascia, then by using the facility of 'where am I' imputted before we leave the m/h solved all. Great as a back-up for the tom tom and came into its own last Sept.when tom blew a gasket  

tony


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## sallytrafic

Suenliam said:


> We borrowed a Tom Tom once. Took us to where we wanted to go and then didn't want us to leave :? Every time we got onto the motorway to come home it wanted us to go back to the original place. I know we must have programmed it badly, but the map did not argue with us and insist we turn round etc.


Sue all that means is you didn't quite get there (may have been only a few metres from what the TomTom had as your destination) under those circumstances all you do is enter the next place or 'cancel route'.


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## drcotts

Great things i think
They do much more than navigate as well.

Get one with europe maps and also consider a truck version which lets you input the size of your vehicle so it will avoid narrow roads and brigdes
Phill


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