GPS Talk (Relocated from another thread)

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mthead

Senior Member
Location
Long Beach,NY
I copied mthead's post from another thread.

I will say up front that this may seem off topic at first-...,Ever had the wife buy you a tool or "Toy"[which for many of us could be a really expensive tool] that you not only didn't ask for but specifically tried to discourage them from even thinking about it?
As a musician ,I've got to buy my guitars-as an electrician I want to pick my cordless drill-as a guy I want to pick my boots..
Then I became an inspector.
So that xmas the wife bought me a GPS for the work car.
I hadn't been getting lost before as far as I know.!
I know how to use mapquest at the start of my day and in an attempt to stave off alzheimers I think ocassional use of the rand mcnally when in doubt is almost like a booster shot.!@#$
So...2years later-The GPS is still in my office in the basement...,in case I get lost down there-and I guess its working fine .
It could be me...,maybe I'm just mentally constipated.@#$
 
Last edited by a moderator:
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
GPS Talk (Relocated from another thread)

I understand and agree with all you said until you got to the part about leaving the GPS in the basement. :)

Maybe you live and work in an area with few roads but where I am my GPS is a huge time saver. I keep my maps in the truck but they get darn little use.

I may know the quickest way between my house and customer 'A' and the quickest way between my house and customer 'B' but the GPS knows the quickest route between A and B. :cool:

Keep in mind my last service call was 240 miles round trip.
 
TOOL_5150

TOOL_5150

Senior Member
Location
bay area, ca
mthead said:
I will say up front that this may seem off topic at first-...,Ever had the wife buy you a tool or "Toy"[which for many of us could be a really expensive tool] that you not only didn't ask for but specifically tried to discourage them from even thinking about it?
As a musician ,I've got to buy my guitars-as an electrician I want to pick my cordless drill-as a guy I want to pick my boots..
Then I became an inspector.
So that xmas the wife bought me a GPS for the work car.
I hadn't been getting lost before as far as I know.!
I know how to use mapquest at the start of my day and in an attempt to stave off alzheimers I think ocassional use of the rand mcnally when in doubt is almost like a booster shot.!@#$
So...2years later-The GPS is still in my office in the basement...,in case I get lost down there-and I guess its working fine .
It could be me...,maybe I'm just mentally constipated.@#$
Click to expand...

I really like my GPS, I used to print off google directions every day but why waste the paper and ink? The printed directions arent going to help you when youre at someones house and you need to find the nearest home depot or supply house, the GPS will.

~Matt
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
mthead said:
So that xmas the wife bought me a GPS for the work car.
I hadn't been getting lost before as far as I know.!
So...2years later-The GPS is still in my office in the basement...
Click to expand...
Meathead, I never got lost either, I have a great sense of direction, and I can read a map as well as Rand Mcnally can. (I can even re-fold sheet maps!) I wasn't interested in a GPS for years, either.

Last year, my mom bought two Navigon 2100's for about $80 each, from Staples. We started using ours right away, exploring the menus and setting preferences. It's a fantastic tool, and we love it.

Like you, mom's stayed in the box for almost a year. After experiencing ours a few times, she finally asked us to show her how to use it. After a few rough starts, she's gotten used to it, and she loves it, too.

It really is one of those things you didn't know you needed until you use it. It's faster than MapQuest, and you don't need a computer. It talks to you, alerts you to upcoming turns, and names streets.

It also contains searchable 'points-of-interest' for thousands of locations, you can add your own by storing any location, and automatically recalculates the route for missed turns and forced detours.

"Try it; you'll like it!" :smile: If you try it and don't like it, I'll buy it from you.
 
JohnJ0906

JohnJ0906

Senior Member
Location
Baltimore, MD
LarryFine said:
It really is one of those things you didn't know you needed until you use it. It's faster than MapQuest, and you don't need a computer. It talks to you, alerts you to upcoming turns, and names streets.

It also contains searchable 'points-of-interest' for thousands of locations, you can add your own by storing any location, and automatically recalculates the route for missed turns and forced detours.
Click to expand...

Also, it is difficult to read a map/directions when you are driving. I don't always have a passenger/helper.

I love my Garmin. :grin:
 
N

nakulak

Senior Member
I thought the gps's were a waste of time and a bunch of bs, but then my wife got one for xmas. I'm hooked. I always used to take side trips and just find my way by navigating (sun/moon/north/south), but the gps really does make it easy (especially when you might not want to take all day getting somewhere). I have a garmin nuvi, and I'm even learning a little chinese, too.
 
O

ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
I mounted my laptop in my van on a small TV wall mount.
I use MS "Streets & Maps GPS program" which I bought for $125 at Wal-Mart.

Works great plus I have all the computer and printing capability.
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
I have the Garmin Nuvi and I like having it even when I know where I'm going. The ETA readout is very handy.

Sometimes distractions can make me miss a turn (hate that!...wound up in the wrong state one time :roll:) but with the Garmin, the audible turn instructions help keep me on track.

It is still no substitute for knowing where you are going because sometimes the unit can send you on a wild goose chase (hate that too!). I find the wild goose chases to be rare as compared to the good directions.

I have found it will get you very close, but many times you will find you are a block away, or on the wrong side of the street. Close enough for govn't work.:smile:
 
ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
I got one of those 99 dollar TomToms for Christmas from my dad, I love it, it has way more than paid for itself in time spent looking for addresses....
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
mivey said:
I have the Garmin Nuvi and I like having it even when I know where I'm going. The ETA readout is very handy.
Click to expand...

Ditto. Mine stays on 24/7 and I use it almost every trip.

I find the wild goose chases to be rare as compared to the good directions.
Click to expand...

I agree and now can usually sense when it is about to send me round and round.

Another thing I like is it takes me on routes I would never have seen, I got to cruise through some nice farm lands in CT while going to about 50 supermarkets across the state. I told the GPS to avoid highways and I was sightseeing.
 
B

boboelectric

Senior Member
Location
Eighty Four,Pa.15330
I first got Magellan for Christmas which beat phone directions,and MapQuest. Now I have OnStar,which is the best.Sometimes I have to OnStar to find my way back home.(I Can't find My Way Back Home.(Cream)
 
M

mthead

Senior Member
Location
Long Beach,NY
GPS Talk[Relocated from another thread]

GPS Talk[Relocated from another thread]

Ok,ok-I give-I'll charge it up and update it and try it--but I still want to buy my own guitars and boots.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
mthead said:
but I still want to buy my own guitars and boots.
Click to expand...

Understand entirely, I have a lot of well meaning tool gifts from my wife.

Here is one :D

5d052ce9-0562-45e6-aaf8-636b1d3d7ef3_300.jpg




Battery Powered Tape Measure

She meant well:cool:
 
ptonsparky

ptonsparky

Tom
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
I had handheld Garmins for several years that were more toys than tools although they worked well if you had the time to squint at the screen. Wife wouldn't even look at them. Bought a Garmin Nuvi and within an hour the wife had it figured out.

My wife can't read a map unless we are traveling in the direction she is holding it and I point to where we are. Kind of hard while you are driving in heavy traffic in unfamiliar cities. Makes traveling so much easier.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top