[RogerL]

I've long been a sceptic of satnavs for any vehicle - when their route selection is challenged the stock answer from "fans" is to double-check the route with a map - in which case why not just use the map?

Having recently had a few "difficulties" with "safety" cameras I invested in a Snooper satnav. I chose that brand as it has the most up-to-date database of cameras, both fixed and mobile, with updates every day. Just for the record, I do try very hard to comply with all speed limits but like many others, am not perfect. As a camera warning device the Snooper works brilliantly although the possibility of new mobile sites which aren't on the database still has to be considered. As a "where am I now" device it's obviously near perfect but as a route planner......

I found too many times when driving solo that the satnav route had to be ignored and the frequency of ignored instructions when towing was unbelievable. Leaving aside the problems of narrow roads, too often it was picking routes which were longer and slower. As an example, I regularly use the A605, solo and towing, between Peterborough and Thrapston which is 15 miles of single carriageway primary route. Satnav routing whould have me use the A1(M) and A14, a distance of 30 miles, albeit on dual carriageway - even my now ancient MS AutoRoute '97 can avoid howlers like that. Brother-in-law recently towed from the Midlands to CC Wharfedale at Grassington, Yorkshire and was routed by satnav to J47 of the A1(M), then southwest to Otley and on to Skipton to pick up the CC advised routing - my AutoRoute would have sent him up the M6/M65 and avoided the M1/A1(M) altogether, saving 30-40 miles !!

Truck satnavs and the expensive caravan-specific satnavs may do better, I'd hope so given their price, but surely caravanners should be banned from using car-type satnavs?

[Steve W77]

RogerL, on 29 October 2009 - 09:49 PM, said:

I've long been a sceptic of satnavs for any vehicle - when their route selection is challenged the stock answer from "fans" is to double-check the route with a map - in which case why not just use the map?

Having recently had a few "difficulties" with "safety" cameras I invested in a Snooper satnav. I chose that brand as it has the most up-to-date database of cameras, both fixed and mobile, with updates every day. Just for the record, I do try very hard to comply with all speed limits but like many others, am not perfect. As a camera warning device the Snooper works brilliantly although the possibility of new mobile sites which aren't on the database still has to be considered. As a "where am I now" device it's obviously near perfect but as a route planner......

I found too many times when driving solo that the satnav route had to be ignored and the frequency of ignored instructions when towing was unbelievable. Leaving aside the problems of narrow roads, too often it was picking routes which were longer and slower. As an example, I regularly use the A605, solo and towing, between Peterborough and Thrapston which is 15 miles of single carriageway primary route. Satnav routing whould have me use the A1(M) and A14, a distance of 30 miles, albeit on dual carriageway - even my now ancient MS AutoRoute '97 can avoid howlers like that. Brother-in-law recently towed from the Midlands to CC Wharfedale at Grassington, Yorkshire and was routed by satnav to J47 of the A1(M), then southwest to Otley and on to Skipton to pick up the CC advised routing - my AutoRoute would have sent him up the M6/M65 and avoided the M1/A1(M) altogether, saving 30-40 miles !!

Truck satnavs and the expensive caravan-specific satnavs may do better, I'd hope so given their price, but surely caravanners should be banned from using car-type satnavs?

Sorry Roger

I can't agree, I have driven thousands of miles both solo & towing, both here and on the continent and I can count the time that my Tomtom one has sent me the wrong way on the fingers of both hands and maybe the toes of one foot, I do keep the map up to date by having quarterly updates and I log on to the web site for minor updates every other day.

A sat nav is just a tool and in my opinion should be used with caution and a big pinch of common sense.


Steve W

This post has been edited by Steve W77: 29 October 2009 - 10:03 PM

[slimseydy]

i have one but dont trust it,still go on the cc site & download a routeplanner every trip.then key it into the sat nav to see if it has the same waypath,if it does I use the sat nav as it tells you were % when to turn were a map can't .especialy if its onto minor roads

[TedNewman]

I have been using Sat Navs for so long I have to remember they didn't always talk to youhttp://www.caravantalk.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif AND no you should not ban their use for any vehicle - no reasons, no excuses JUST no they should not be banned.

Just ban idiots who think they are GOD and don't use their 'loaf' when driving.

[Eddie]

I agree with Steve W on this. I've used a Tom Tom one for various caravanning trips around the continent, as well as within the UK, and it appears to get the route spot-on about 99% of the time. I've really experienced very few occasions when it has got it wrong, and found it to be a brilliant piece of kit,especially for the advanced warning on approaching turn-offs.

[nelmo]

I have to admit to being a huge fan of sat-navs. I've used several brands and they've all been excellent, although my current one was free and is a bit iffy. Tomtom was always the best and don't recall it ever letting me down.

The hardest part is trusting it - just this week, I had set mine to find a petrol station. I was running on fumes when the thing sent me down a tiny country lane - it just didn't look possible that there was a petrol station that way. But I trusted it and 1 mile later, round a bend, I came out at the back of a retail park with the promised Sainsbury's petrol station! Cue weird scenes of me kissing and apologising to my mobile phone (my satnav runs on my phone)... :rolleyes:

[klyne]

Roger

Its interesting that the thing you find useful, ie safety camera POI's, I have removed completely from my TomTom. The main reason being that Switzerland banned them a couple of years ago and Germany are about to or may have already done so. As I tend to travel more in Europe than I do in the UK that seemed the sensible thing to do. I appreciate what you say about checking on the map but if you are towing its in your own interest to do the research to avoid problems on the journey and you do have the option of the sat nav finding an alternative route to avoid parts of the journey. Unless you have very large scale maps, unlikely on a thousand mile journey, sat navs really come into their own in towns and finding campsites using POI's is generally a lot easier than try to pin point and campsite on a map.

David

[TizzyLizzy]

I have no sense of direction, i could go to the same destination 10 times and still not remember how to get there ,without my sat nav i'd never find any site. I've a merideon car one,and its spot on. My Nicks got a tom tom and has an American women directing him, i dont understand her and all i can think of is a Big Mac http://www.caravantalk.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

This post has been edited by TizzyLizzy: 30 October 2009 - 11:14 AM

[RogerL]

John KS, on 29 October 2009 - 11:47 PM, said:

We are all blessed with an element of common sense and if you use that in conjuction with a map and a satnav then what's the problem?

So it's back to my original reluctance to use a sat nav - I have the common sense and a good set of maps - which is why I know when to ignore the satnav, many others may not.

Just because a satnav gets you to the correct destination 99.99% of the time, it doesn't mean that the best route was used !!

This post has been edited by RogerL: 30 October 2009 - 08:11 AM

[beejay]

klyne, on 29 October 2009 - 11:25 PM, said:

Roger

Its interesting that the thing you find useful, ie safety camera POI's, I have removed completely from my TomTom. The main reason being that Switzerland banned them a couple of years ago and Germany are about to or may have already done so.

David

They have.

[Fenester]

Why do we have to ban this and ban that?

If one doesn't like Sat Nav then use a map.... if you like Sat nav use it... why on earth should it be banned?


don't sugest banning something because it doesn't suite you.... Oh I use a map but I dont think Sat Nav should be banned... :blink:

[Watson(JohnG)]

They do not remove the need to engage brain and use common sense
The CC at least on some sItes say do not follow sat nav and its always better to use the site book instructions for the last bit
In Nantwich this week they have road signs saying
FOLLOW DIVERSION
NOT SAT NAV
http://www.caravantalk.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

[Brian1970]

How ever can Swis and Germy, Police the POI on a TOm Tom ? Its laughable.

Do they pull over everyone with a sat nav and ask them to go into the settings to see if there are any Fixed speed trap POIs in it ?

I have one of those Electric gates, with a Laser diode on my car that automaticly opens the gate.
Its a bit of a pain i know, but this device scatters the laser that the speed traps fire at you so ive been told ?

Not sure if its true, as i never go that fast on Dual Carrigeways to find out.

This post has been edited by Brian1970: 30 October 2009 - 10:19 AM

[SamP]

Roger, I think the problem may be with your Sat Nav. Some are much better than others, Snooper are very well known for their speed camera detectors, but not so well for their satnavs, having recently read review after review of satnavs when looking to get my mum and dad one, I did not even come across a review of snooper.

They should not be banned, they are a very useful tool. I've been using my TomTom for about 4 years and it's always got me to my destination. When it comes to navigating to sites, I will use it to the point where the CC instructions start, and then follow them. Al that is required is a bit of common when using sat nav, they should not be banned, they make navigating so much easier and thge Mrs and I arrive on site still on speaking terms!!!!

Remember a few months ago the guy who drove his BMW up a dirt track to the edge of a cliff and got stuck, all because he followed his satnav and did not use his loaf, what a prat!!!!


Sam

[TedNewman]

<How ever can Swis and Germy, Police the POI on a TOm Tom ? Its laughable.

Do they pull over everyone with a sat nav and ask them to go into the settings to see if there are any Fixed speed trap POIs in it ?


Yes if they see you with one on the screen. Good excuse to pull you over!>


And remember it could cost you dear if caught - not just a fine - about £250.00 in Switzerland - they also confiscate the equipment -- and please don't ask 'what if it is built in?' the Swiss police will still confiscate it - car and all!

This post has been edited by TedNewman: 30 October 2009 - 10:13 AM

[Artleknock]

RogerL, on 29 October 2009 - 09:49 PM, said:

As an example, I regularly use the A605, solo and towing, between Peterborough and Thrapston which is 15 miles of single carriageway primary route. Satnav routing whould have me use the A1(M) and A14, a distance of 30 miles, albeit on dual carriageway - even my now ancient MS AutoRoute '97 can avoid howlers like that.

Then your satnav is obviously set up wrong.
I have a TomTom One XL, mainly for speed cameras - I've been caught once. And I regularly drive the A605 from Peterborough past Thrapstone (Mother lives in Irthlingborough), I live near the Oundle Road in Peterborough and my TomTom always gives a route to the Fletton Parkway then directly along the A605. If I decide to take the scenic route up the old Oundle road, as soon as I cross the A1 it re-routes via Chesterton and Elton back on to the new A605.

Also, owning a satnav doesn't absolve you from reading road signs, no system is perfect, even a paper road atlas is out of date before it leaves the publishers.

[Eddie]

klyne, on 29 October 2009 - 11:25 PM, said:

Roger

Its interesting that the thing you find useful, ie safety camera POI's, I have removed completely from my TomTom. The main reason being that Switzerland banned them a couple of years ago and Germany are about to or may have already done so.
David

Surely you didn't have to remove them all David? Or do you mean you have only removed Switzerland and Germany's?

[TedNewman]

Eddie, on 30 October 2009 - 11:05 AM, said:

Surely you didn't have to remove them all David? Or do you mean you have only removed Switzerland and Germany's?

It is best to make sure they are inactive! Some GPS units allow you to do this. Whilst I have always found the German Police reasonable and understanding the Swiss Police can be a different - very difficult for example:-

Whilst escorting a group of MGs around Europe when entering Switzerland the Border Police decided to do a boot check on a number of the cars. In one they found stowed away, totally inactive and actually forgotten about a 'Snooper' type device, when we said that they were legal in the UK we were told that what the UK did was unimportant and that for any person to have one in their possession was a CRIMINAL OFFENCE - the 'snooper' was confiscated, the driver fined £250.00 and I was threatened with imprisonment for 'interfering' with the law. The whole thing was then handed over to the Canton Police who insisted that we travelled in convoy to their headquarters where the driver concerned was questioned and now they insisted that I acted as interpreter for them even though am not qualified to do so. These police were in fact better than the Border Police BUT we still lost the best part of 6 hours! Needless to say the driver concerned was not the most popular guy in the group.