Sat nav? - Page 3 - SV650.org

17-06-07, 10:43 PM

As a courier it's a godsend. Nothing worse than turning up in a village on a wet Friday night armed only with a house name.

You do have to accept that it will make the occasional mistake but 95% of the time it has got me to the door or at least the correct road.

But don't buy the bike versions. Just get a car one (I use a TomTom One), a £5 ciggy lighter from Halfords and a tank bag with a clear map compartment. I also use an earpiece for any distance work I do.

21QUEST · 17-06-07, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester666

As a courier it's a godsend. Nothing worse than turning up in a village on a wet Friday night armed only with a house name.

You do have to accept that it will make the occasional mistake but 95% of the time it has got me to the door or at least the correct road.

But don't buy the bike versions. Just get a car one (I use a TomTom One), a £5 ciggy lighter from Halfords and a tank bag with a clear map compartment. I also use an earpiece for any distance work I do.

Pah!!! proper couriers wouldn't need have the need to use one

Ben

Thinking of getting one myself but because I'm not a proper courier like

17-06-07, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21QUEST

Pah!!! proper couriers wouldn't need have the need to use one

Ben

Thinking of getting one myself but because I'm not a proper courier like

I don't use it in town!!

Just for distance work. I got fed up having a top box 1/2 full of different mapbooks that get mashed and f***ed when wet!

21QUEST · 17-06-07, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester666

I don't use it in town!!

Just for distance work. I got fed up having a top box 1/2 full of different mapbooks that get mashed and f***ed when wet!

Hehe...better than me then course I probably need one for town

.

I've been on a contract run till last week and you are right, having to carry different map books suddenly made me think "hmm...I think I may just get one....".

Surprising how slack I've got/much I've forgotten from being on a contract run for so long

.

Anyhoos, seen black cabbies with SATNAV so "it's all good"

Ben

18-06-07, 12:21 PM

Mate of mine was using one this weekend as was "leading" the group.

Now I am a firm believer in SatNav, but like any other gadget, you must know how and when to use it.

He (well his SatNav) decided to take us off of the main route into Bowness on Friday. Down a single track road full of gravel and I managed to pick up a puncture. It then took us through a gated road (not one gate, 7 of the bloody things) again a single track and it took us 30 minutes to get to a point 2 1/2 miles away.

They're useless if they're not set up properly (No "single track roads" and set to fastest not shortest route) and even worse if they guy using it doesn't know what he's doing !!

If I had mine set up for permanent use on the bike I'm confident that it would get me to where I want to go quickly.

.

18-06-07, 01:47 PM

I use tom tom on my Ipaq and sling it in my pcket with headphones. There is a bit of lag which you need to be aware of, when it says 800 yards turn right, its usualy about 600 yards as you have passed that point. Used carefully and programmed properly they are good tools, but dont replace a god nose and attention to road signs IMHO.

Plus after a long straight when Jane says AT the next junction etc I tend to jump out of my skin hehe. Booo!

Red

18-06-07, 04:06 PM

I have a very basic outdated handheld GPS intended for ramblers and
yachtsmen. This model does not talk + the screen is very small so I
can't read it while riding. Problem is, I am both shortsighted and
longsighted so when riding I have to make a choice whether to go for
specs that allow me to see at distance or the ones that allow me to
see close-up. I opt for seeing at distance. The downside is that in
these specs I can hardly work out the reading of the speedometer,
leave alone the GPS. If I get lost I have to stop, take off my specs
and use my GPS.

Hope one day someone will give me, as a present, a talking sat nav
with an enormous screen.

18-06-07, 04:27 PM

ive got a tot-tom one set up on the bike and its great ,,if im going somewhere far away iv gen got an idea how to get that area ,its when your within say ,,,5miles that i start paying attention to it .i used it in the car when i was taxi-ing and for all the local jobs it was n,t really looked at ,BUT when your in an area that you dont know its brill and the 'navigate to home /nearest fuel station 'is superb ..it sometimes displays a wrong street name so its not 100% but on the whole its very good .if youv not got one stuarty get one and youll b singing its praises

17-06-07, 10:43 PM	#21
Jester666 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Sat nav? As a courier it's a godsend. Nothing worse than turning up in a village on a wet Friday night armed only with a house name. You do have to accept that it will make the occasional mistake but 95% of the time it has got me to the door or at least the correct road. But don't buy the bike versions. Just get a car one (I use a TomTom One), a £5 ciggy lighter from Halfords and a tank bag with a clear map compartment. I also use an earpiece for any distance work I do.

18-06-07, 12:21 PM	#25
Jelster Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Sat nav? Mate of mine was using one this weekend as was "leading" the group. Now I am a firm believer in SatNav, but like any other gadget, you must know how and when to use it. He (well his SatNav) decided to take us off of the main route into Bowness on Friday. Down a single track road full of gravel and I managed to pick up a puncture. It then took us through a gated road (not one gate, 7 of the bloody things) again a single track and it took us 30 minutes to get to a point 2 1/2 miles away. They're useless if they're not set up properly (No "single track roads" and set to fastest not shortest route) and even worse if they guy using it doesn't know what he's doing !! If I had mine set up for permanent use on the bike I'm confident that it would get me to where I want to go quickly. .

18-06-07, 01:47 PM	#26
Redster Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Sat nav? I use tom tom on my Ipaq and sling it in my pcket with headphones. There is a bit of lag which you need to be aware of, when it says 800 yards turn right, its usualy about 600 yards as you have passed that point. Used carefully and programmed properly they are good tools, but dont replace a god nose and attention to road signs IMHO. Plus after a long straight when Jane says AT the next junction etc I tend to jump out of my skin hehe. Booo! Red

18-06-07, 04:06 PM	#27
Professor Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Sat nav? I have a very basic outdated handheld GPS intended for ramblers and yachtsmen. This model does not talk + the screen is very small so I can't read it while riding. Problem is, I am both shortsighted and longsighted so when riding I have to make a choice whether to go for specs that allow me to see at distance or the ones that allow me to see close-up. I opt for seeing at distance. The downside is that in these specs I can hardly work out the reading of the speedometer, leave alone the GPS. If I get lost I have to stop, take off my specs and use my GPS. Hope one day someone will give me, as a present, a talking sat nav with an enormous screen.

18-06-07, 04:27 PM	#28
jim@55 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Sat nav? ive got a tot-tom one set up on the bike and its great ,,if im going somewhere far away iv gen got an idea how to get that area ,its when your within say ,,,5miles that i start paying attention to it .i used it in the car when i was taxi-ing and for all the local jobs it was n,t really looked at ,BUT when your in an area that you dont know its brill and the 'navigate to home /nearest fuel station 'is superb ..it sometimes displays a wrong street name so its not 100% but on the whole its very good .if youv not got one stuarty get one and youll b singing its praises