I came across this article whiich states that men use their sat nav more than women. I know in our house this is indeed the case, but I frequently use mine to give an estimated time of arrival to a destination.

Anyway the article got me thinking on how often people actualy use their sat navs. Are they just another gadget that hides away in the glovebox, or do we use them frequently?. So here are a few questions to ponder.

Feel free to add to the list.

What make of sat nav do you own?

How many sat navs are in your house?

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

How often do you use your sat nav?

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1227/breaking21.html

Edited 28 December, 201015 yr by Photoemt

Columbus in the car, Garmin for rentals when abroad.

I only use it for destinations I have not visited before - or to keep track of travel time.

The traffic problem warnings are useful - partially, as the authority issuing the information tend to be way too slow to remove it again. So more often tahn not, the problem is resolved before you get there, or was exaggerated to begin with.

I have only followed the alternate routes a few times, and it has been a mistake each time. This applies equally to the Columbus and the Garmin.

Tom tom 720 traffic

1

Wife

Once a month

Yes

No, mainly use it for mainland Europe, or going to places never visited before, and speed cameras in that area

What make of sat nav do you own?

Garmine Mobile XT on my mobile phone. Nokia maps also but I dont use it.

How many sat navs are in your house?

Just 1.

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Just me. Wife cant drive(or use technology for that matter)

How often do you use your sat nav?

In a car not often. Just when I go to some unknown place and its diffucult to find. I use it more often when going skiing to track my speed. Personal record so far is 91.1 km/h.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Nope

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

Nope

Why is this thread posted in the Yeti forum?

Garmin Streetpilot i3, yes not all of them are in museums yet.

I tend to look at a map to get the general idea of where I am going and take notice of the satnav when I get near to the end of the journey. My map is out of date now and so it often flips out as it thinks I am driving through fields, rivers etc when I am actually on tarmac. NEVER use a satnav from start to finish as they are not intelligent, they are a blunt instrument.

I would not be without one now. If mine died I would replace it within days. Genius devices

What make of sat nav do you own?

Don't have a dedicated Sat Nav unit - I use my HTC Desire,a built in Navigation app.

How many sat navs are in your house?

2 (technically) the missus has a G1 - but at present, only I drive.

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Me

How often do you use your sat nav?

Only when I am going somewhere unfamiliar, or I hear on the radio of congestion on a route I intended to take and detour around it.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Nope - I do have an OS in the boot - just in case technology fails me.

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

No - I have Traffic info on the radio for that.

What make of sat nav do you own? Columbus in the Superb, TomTom and at truck sat nav on my netbook

How many sat navs are in your house? 3

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse) Me, SWMBO doesn't use them.

How often do you use your sat nav? Probably once a week.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure? Most of the time.

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information? No. IIRC the traffic info comes up automatically on the Columbus whether the sat nav is on or not, the other twoo do not have traffic info.

I dive between 1K and 3K miles per week and therefore know most routes without needing to look at a map / sat nav, I only tend to use mine when I am going somewhere new.

Would I ever buy a sat nav? ... probably not the Superb came with it as std, the TomTom was a 'hand me down' when my step son wanted to upgrade his and the truck one was downloaded. They are useful for giving you an ETA but other than that they don't always take you the easiest/fastest route so I will rely on route planning via a map as I always have done, where they come into their own is in the last mile or so getting you to the actual address you need.

What make of sat nav do you own? TomTom and the navigation app on andriod

How many sat navs are in your house? 2

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse) Me, and my dad

How often do you use your sat nav? Once every 2 - 3 months, or if I get lost I'll use my phones app. Happened a fair bit recently in Oxford.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure? No

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information? No, just leave early as there are multiple routes I can take on my commute.

Why is this thread posted in the Yeti forum?

It was posted in the Yeti forum, as I wanted to know what the opinions of the Yeti demographic were.

In that case rule out my answers... I don't own a Yeti :p

Not atall Simbo, seeing as the post has been moved to this forum, I,ll throw it open to everyone. I was meerly answering the query put to me.

Edited 29 December, 201015 yr by Photoemt

What make of sat nav do you own? Nokia Ovi Maps

How many sat navs are in your house? 1, my phone

Who uses their sat nav most? Me

How often do you use your sat nav? Only when I need to - usually on long journeys

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure? Nope

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information? Nope

What make of sat nav do you own? Garmin PND (old), Navigon PND (currently lent to a friend), HTC Desire with Google Maps and Navigon software, Columbus in the car

How many sat navs are in your house? See above

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse) Me (I'm single)

How often do you use your sat nav? Very Often, normally only need it for the last few miles though, when first going to a new customer etc.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure? Rarely

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information? Yes

What make of sat nav do you own?

Tom Tom 910 and one

How many sat navs are in your house?

2

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Me

How often do you use your sat nav?

Everyday

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Sometimes

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

Yes

Use my one for work everyday, but like Gizmo i to am a LGV Driver and do about 2000m a week so don't really need it on but it's handy for checking arrival times and alot easier than reading a map book for the last few miles.

The 910 is great for trips abroad, normally find my destination on Google and type Lat. and Longitude in. and has always taken me to our destination no problem.

What make of sat nav do you own?

Mio C710 and 575, MMI, Route 66 on my Samsung phone and still have a RNS510 (stored, not in a car)

How many sat navs are in your house?

See above.

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Me, as I drive the most miles.

How often do you use your sat nav?

99% of my travels.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Not always, only if I plan the journeys.

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

Always on, especially on familiar routes for the TMC.

I

What make of sat nav do you own?

How many sat navs are in your house?

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

How often do you use your sat nav?

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1227/breaking21.html

Garmin

1

me

daily

sometimes

It's on all the time for the safety (speed) camera database.

What make of sat nav do you own?

Used to have Co-Pilot on O2 XDA Orbit II, now Google maps on HDC Desire. I've got Nokia maps, but 6303 phone does not have GPS. I suppose also Human Brain with those old things called paper maps :p

How many sat navs are in your house?

No specific sat Navs, only 1 phone with map software

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Dad. It's on his phone. I suppose I do, when both of us are in the car and I'm driving. I don't use Nokia maps at all.

How often do you use your sat nav?

Used Co-pilot all the time, even on familiar journeys (but without directions), for sped camera and speed trap locations. GPS used for accurate speedo in Average speed zones, etc. He has only had the Desire a week (screen broke on Orbit), still not used Google maps. He will probably not use it as much as it needs a permanent internet connection (unlike Co-pilot) to get maps to use it. He doesn't have unlimited data use on his phone contract. He will probably download and buy Co-pilot for phone as that stores all maps on the phone.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Yes

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

Yes (see above). Co-pilot did not have trafic info, not sure if Google maps do.

What make of sat nav do you own?

Garmin

How many sat navs are in your house?

Two that are currently being used 5 in total

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Dad, taxi man.

How often do you use your sat nav?

whenever I am going a fair distance.

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Nope.

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

i mainly use it to check my speed.

The invariablity of most the journeys I make, and my familarity with the areas I travel though means that I don't really have call to use one that often. similarly, |'ve no need to keep track of journey distances.

And when I do, it isn't to navigate, its used just to confirm that I'm where I think I am. I'm of the generation, who for the most part used the sun compass or a map to get to unfamiliar destinations. If time isn't a pressure or traffic congestion a low probability then its more fun doing it my guess and by god.

That said, i've a hand held Garmin for when I do country walks and that doubles for use in cab when I go on my foreign hols - again position confirmation rather than navigation.

Mostly still rely on Os maps.

Per previouis utterances on this forum, personally, i think that the aftermarket and some of the dashboard built-in car ones are a distraction to driving and a danger, requiring your line -of-sight to be in the office rather than heads-up on the road ahead. Strangely the authorities think that mobile phones are a greater hazard !

What I would go for big time are the type of display you get in the higher priced Beamers i..e a HUD projected onto the windscreen - or a reflector inboard of the W/S but in lineof-sight at the 12'0 clock position

But I think the latter are restricted to turn indications (Or dogfights and bomb release )

Of course what would be really beneficial would be a HUD with turn indications, Points of reference pictures (a la Street view), map call -up and driving stats all activated by speech didn't the London Taxi Drivers have something similar developed for them ?

Nick

Edited 30 December, 201015 yr by Clunkclick

What make of sat nav do you own?

TomTom App iPhone & TomTom 520/530

How many sat navs are in your house?

3

Who uses their sat nav most? (you or your partner/spouse)

Me.

How often do you use your sat nav?

at least once a week as an average. I have use it everytime I go to my girlfriends. six months on, I still can't find me way there......Shhh!

Do you cross reference with a good old map, just to be sure?

Nope. That's why i traded up to the TomTom after a dangerously unreliable Navman......

Do you use it on familar routes just to keep up to date with traffic information?

No, don't have traffic info service on any of them.