Posted: 1/5/2008 3:27:50 PM EDT
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I've been contemplating getting one of those GPS navigation gadgets, mostly for road trips through small towns that don't feel any obligation to put signs on the turns that the state roads take through them. There's been a few times where it really would have come in handy. My main objection is that everyone that I've seen use these systems turns into a complete idiot as far as navigation goes. Once they get that GPS, they seemingly become incapable of even the most basic navigation tasks on their own. They have no clue what road they're on, what cities they're near, what the major roads in the area are and where they go, or even what direction they're going in. I don't like to depend on a machine that much; I'd prefer to depend on my own brain. You know the usual problems - machines break, make mistakes sometimes, can become unavailable for a variety of reasons not under my control. Have any of you guys been able to use a GPS without becoming more dependent on it then a crack addict? Or do you have any funny tales of people a little too dependent on theirs? |
I always go over my route using a map (either paper or google maps) before I punch in the address into the GPS. I always know what major highways I'm supposed to be on, where to turn, etc. The GPS unit comes most in handy in case I miss a turn, or something else out of the ordinary comes up. |
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I'll sometimes leave it on when driving as an electronic compass (since main roads aren't freaking straight in Pensacola), and as a moving map of my surroundings. I think it increases my situational awareness. Of course, when following directions, my SA goes in the shitter. |
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I picked up a new one last month (Navigon 7100 - snagged one for ~$300 after rebate) - nice big color screen and free lifetime traffic. I figure with gas going through the roof, always want to take the shortest way possible and sometimes when I get out in the boonies it's a little tough to know precisely where you are. The GPS solves that. I still keep a set of DeLorme books for every state I go through, in addition to AAA Maps. I would not rely on a GPS alone. |
I LOVE my Garmin Nuvi 350 
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I have a Magellan Explorist 500 LE I use for hutning, fishing, and driving A friend's has occasionally reversed North and South with the onboard compass, so I always carry a real compass to, though mine has yet to reverse.... they are great, but I would never trust one 100% with my life, hence why I carry more old school backups |
| I used my dad's Street Pilot and liked it so I looked for my own. My research said to get a Garmin Nuvi (what Garmen replaced the Steet Pilot with) and am very happy with it. I can get a signal in the house, he can't. Lots of little features, but I got the 200 (basic model) because I didn't need a larger memory or blue tooth. My 2 cents. |
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I avoid GPS systems like the plague. I've used one that my cousin loaned me to navigate through New York, but it quickly turned me into an idiot. It worked nice, but I'd rather have a map and a compass. This past summer I was in Western Alaska and sat in the right seat of a turbine Otter and we flew VFR via GPS for about a half hour with my face pressed to the glass looking for contacts (mountains, other aircraft). We made it into Dillingham where conditions were just above minimums, but just barely. This wasn't a practice that I'd like to repeat very often. Both sons are very comfortable with GPS. Our youngest doesn't have one right now, so he uses map and compass on the roads on the East Coast. Junior, our oldest, is never without a GPS on missions. He carries two. Plus a map and compass of the area. Both learned their navigation skills in the Boy Scouts. I've been told more than once by some of his teammates that they pretty much relied on him to always know where they were and that he always had at least two or three insertion and extraction routes worked out ahead of time which helped their Recon team on more than one occasion. When Mrs. Bananas and me are on road trips in the Lower 48, I use a map to get an idea of where we're moving for the day while she holds onto the map and gives me the fine detail directions while we're driving. It takes us a day or two to work everything out, but once we've found our norms, we get around very well like this either day or night. |