SAT NAV'S, How many use them and which one?

[Wilbury]

Hi All,
I would be very interested to learn this as I myself often feel some slight anxiety when
navigating unfamiliar areas.
Rgds

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I use a satnav, but always check the route before hand on a map, and use a route planner as well, plus if a club site then their directions as well. I try to cover all bases. Better than being led up the garden path (or a narrow dead-end road!!).

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Wilbury.

SatNavs are a fantastic invention, but you have to accept the technology is not perfect so its wise to check the route on a map before setting out . Most sat Navs offer an option to review the route instructions, and check them against a map.

On a long journey I usually have written down a series of towns/ cities I need to aim for , then only use the sat nav where road layouts are unfamiliar, There great in cities if they tell which lane to get into etc.

Where the entrance to a site is recorded as being tricky, I set the Satnav to take me to the beginning of the sites instructions, then follow the instructions from there.

As a precaution I always take a back up system - A map.

 

[Sproket]

Hi Wilbury

I have one of these with the 6" screen It has lane guidance as standard and does come in usefull, it also comes with free lifetime maps :woohoo: but as a backup I have the Phillips navigator ( truck version ) in the van due to the fine detail of the roads that are on.

Also if you have a smart phone like I have you can put such as Co-Pilot on and use it when out and about and stuck in traffic and your sat nav is at home :dry:

 

[morris1981]

I used to use a tomtom, but now it's all about google maps on the smartphone,
accurate and uptodate maps, plus I love the fact I hardly ever need a postcode anymore. with google maps you just type the place e.g. alton towers...and it finds pretty much any destination,

Using it drains battery so I'm still searching for a really good way to keep it mounted and charged.

 

[RayS]

After having original equipment satnav in previous car now have a Snooper, specifically because you can choose Car or Car+Caravan routings.

Although the maps are updated regularly, I still find lots of gaps. For example the Zargoza to Valencia autopista has been fully open for some years, but the satnav still tells me I'm 'off road' on some stretches.
The route plan system is cumbersome particularly using 'via' as it does not include using junctions.
The first unit failed and was replaced but not without some fuss. So i would look elsewhere for a replacement.

 

[Gozza]

I have a TomTom, I've been a dedicated TT user since the days when you could only get them as software for a laptop or PDA, before the standalone units came out. However...

I haven't used my TomTom since I discovered a programme for the Smartphone called NavFree. As you might guess from the name, it's a free download and uses open source mapping which is also free (I believe paid for upgrades are also available). When planning a route you can select from "car" option, "Truck/RV" (ideal for when towing), or "walking", for when on foot around an unfamiliar town. I run it on an Android phone and also on my 8" Android tablet, not sure if a version is available for i-devices.

As Morris says, using any phone-based navigation solution whacks the battery (it seems to be the device's internal GPS rather than the software itself), so you'll need to keep it plugged into the charger all the time. I also haven't yet found a mounting solution for the tablet that I'm totally happy with, but I'm going to persevere as I love the huge screen (compared to the phone).

 

[Wilbury]

Hi Gozza,
When using a smart phone with NavFree do you have to pay to recieve by the minute as you would a telephone call?
Rgds

 

[Gozza]

Hi Gozza,
When using a smart phone with NavFree do you have to pay to recieve by the minute as you would a telephone call?
Rgds

No, you can download the UK map when you download the NavFree from the AppStore, and it's all resident on your phone. My tablet doesn't have phone connection at all and it works fine on that - I downloaded app and map on wifi at home, then it just runs.

Should also say that with NavFree, maps are also free for most other countries, certainly everywhere I've been in Europe I've been able to get a free map for.

The only thing I don't like about NavFree is that it's a real faff to programme destinations or favourites by Lat and Long, which I prefer as it's the most accurate - I get the Lat/Long from Google maps, then programme it into the SatNav. It's possible, but could be a lot easier - it may be better in the paid version. Other than that, it's great!

Usual disclaimer - no commercial connection, just a satisfied user.

 

[Raywood]

We have a Garmin which works well but always check out the last bit on Google Earth and use the sites instructions if the roads look as though they might be a problem.

 

[Thedoog]

Raywood, on your Garmin have you managed to get it display the distance, and miles to go, we have just bought one and cannot find the setting to get mileage displayed. Our old Navman had it and i miss not knowing distance to go.

Steve.

 

[Gozza]

On a general point, whichever satnav you use...and I know most people here won't need telling this - a satnav is only a navigation tool, it isn't a replacement for the driver's brain. Just like using a map, or reading road signs, or following the caravan site's own printed advice, the driver still needs to look out of the "big window" and think about what they're doing. I get very frustrated at the usual crop of newspaper headlines like "my satnav made me drive into a river" - no it didn't, YOU drove into the river! Having said that, as I've previously said, I'm a real devotee of the technology and get really grumpy when Mrs Gozza has one of her occasional luddite purges and insists we do without the technology and navigate the "old fashioned way" - especially as that usually means getting lost!

My nusual technique is to look at a map and decide what I think is the best route, then programme the satnav and see how it compares. If the satnav and I agree, we're good to go - if not, I go back to the map and work out why the we disagree - usually it's because there's a road on the way where I know there are usually huge jams (A31 around Ferndown, anyone?) where the gadget has just seen a dual carriageway and assumed it's a fast road. I can then adjust the satnav's route so it and I agree on the best way! Then I can get in the car and concentrate on driving, and not have to
a) try to remember the route directions
b) take my eyes off the road to look at a printed map
c) keep waking Mrs Gozza to check the map

 

[carper2]

I use this one from Ebay, I put the size of the car and Caravan in then set it to economical then off I go. It has maps for all of Europe and free updates.

eBay number 261118441333

Les

 

[Wilbury]

Hi carper2,
Thanks for the heads up on this, it looks very good to me.
I have sent a query to them about the illegality of using speed cameras in France to see if they can either dissable this function or change it to the area warning that has been mentioned on this Forum to overcome this problem.
I will post their reply whatever it may be.
Rgds

 

[Thingy]

Many Sat Navs do have a speed camera database, legal in this country but a total nogo in France. TomTom have a firmware upgrade for older models to disable this facility for France. Later models are using a different system I believe, and as I understand it, they are being marked as danger areas rather than traffic cameras, as in accident black spots, schools etc. However, knowing the French Gendarmerie I would not like to be put in a position to argue the point roadside with them. I was in France last year and my TomTom go was reporting cameras as accident black spots.
Road Angels (not their Satnavs) will get you a proper big fine at least, so be really careful if using them. Personally, I use Snooper but I dont mount it in France, wifey holds it Its small enough to pop down the cleavage if necessary.

 

[carper2]

Hi carper2,
Thanks for the heads up on this, it looks very good to me.
I have sent a query to them about the illegality of using speed cameras in France to see if they can either dissable this function or change it to the area warning that has been mentioned on this Forum to overcome this problem.
I will post their reply whatever it may be.
Rgds

Wilbury

You can disable the speed cameras, I had to do it last Saturday when we came to France and also last December when we went to Spain.

Les

 

[Wilbury]

Hi Les,
If you were stopped by the police how would you convince them that your set had not been working and that you had not only just then switched off the detection function?
Rgds

 

[carper2]

If they ask me I would go into alerts and show them that they had been disabled. If I was stopped near a camera and they had not been disabled there would be a picture of a speed camera.

Les

 

[Gafferbill]

............... on your Garmin have you managed to get it display the distance, and miles to go, we have just bought one and cannot find the setting to get mileage displayed. Our old Navman had it and i miss not knowing distance to go.

Steve.

...........after you have entered your route and you have a signal from the satellites you can press the speed display at the bottom of your map screen. This will bring up a new screen with your journeys statistics including mileage completed and remaining.

 

[Wilbury]

Hi All, After reading about the French banning of speed camera warning as extensivly as I could it seems that simply having a warning device in the car can and has incured fines. Switching it off it seems is no guarantee of innocense or immunity from prosecution.
So, I sent off an enquiry to the suppliers asking what if anything they can do to adopt the new acceptable "danger zone" terminology in place of the "speed camera" terminology and wether that would be modifying the software to comply.
This is the reply I recieved,

"Hi

You can turn camera's on or off via the settings on our units.

Settings / Sounds and Warning / Alert Point Settings / untick alert points to turn off, tick to turn back on.

Regards"

I am not at all convinced.
It is a shame as this particular Sat Nav has a lot going for it.
The same applies for other brands of course.
Rgds

 

[carper2]

I have been coming to France for 14 years and have never been stopped for any reason. From your last post it would appear your best bet would be not to have a satnav. I personally don't worry about it knowing my camera warnings are turned off.

Les

 

[JonnyG]

the simply answer is to buy a sat nav from one of the better companies, Tom tom or garmin ect or a phone sat nav App again from one of the better sources ie co pilot... recall some of the stories from 2 years back advice being thrown around not to use sat nav's because of this that or the other.. did a google looking for horror stories of french police brutality on people with sat navs,[ well you know what the French police are like! I had one once help me with direction, the cheek]... came across a few " my friend said stuff"! but really nothing of substance.the fact is the big sat nav companies comply with the laws of the land...at the same time as this was a thread of topic over 2 years ago,we were also being told on this site that speed camera locations on sat navs were ban in German too!.along with Switzerland and Liechtenstein for the latter 2 that would be correct and neither tom tom nor garmin list speed camera's for those 2 places.but they still do for Germany.

 

[Thedoog]

Gafferbill, tried out your suggestion today brilliant found loads of extras we hadn't found before. Thankyou i was beginning to think we had bought the wrong make again.