UK 'over-reliant' on GPS signals, engineers warn

Gargamel · 03-13-11, 01:49 PM

I hate the things. I can navigate better on my own. Whenever somebody has one, I try to beat the estimated time. Gimmy a map and compass any day.

As a medic, I refused to let new partners use them. Did they really expect to sit and punch in addresses when seconds count? They need to know the roads.

If I ever saw another crew using one, and they were out of there truck, I'd change the voice setting to swedish. "Bjork 2 kilometeres BORK BORK BORK!" People would really flip out when that happened.

Jimbuna · 03-13-11, 01:53 PM

I find mine to be very helpful in planning alternative routes when it is warned of traffic congestion or accidents up ahead.

Oberon · 03-13-11, 01:54 PM

Some of the screw-ups that people have deliberately made whilst following their GPS astound me...like driving into a river that the GPS thinks is a ford...I mean...you have eyes don't you?!

XabbaRus · 03-13-11, 02:58 PM

They have their uses but like I said you look at a map when working out where to go you spot other places that look interesting and you plan a detour.

I sometimes wish that it would all go wrong just to see how the nuggins in the street cope.

Oberon · 03-13-11, 03:05 PM

They'd probably all drive into the sea.

I like using maps too...I might not be so great with them sometimes...but that's how you find interesting little places.

Jimbuna · 03-13-11, 03:28 PM

The only time my satnav was no good to me (not that I use it that often) was last year when I tried to use it to find Grizedale Hall (U-boat Hotel) but in fairness to it, Grizedale Hall is now a Forestry Commission Centre and probably goes by another name.

I also had fun with an earlier model shortly after the motorway modifications at Ferrybridge where the A1 links up with the M62....the bloody thing didn't know the motorway had been moved 1/4 of a mile and thought it was in a field

CCIP · 03-13-11, 03:38 PM

I wanna see what would happen if you take one of those things up on a plane

"Drive down 10 kilometers, then turn left..."

Gargamel · 03-13-11, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

I wanna see what would happen if you take one of those things up on a plane

"Drive down 10 kilometers, then turn left..."

Spent 2 weeks on a house boat on the St Lawrence a few years ago. Brought the Garmin car GPS.

Yeah... the thing was useless. Kept trying to get us to drive to the nearest road. And it didn't even have the rideau canal properly mapped so it thought we were going through fields.

Then, on the week long drive home (stopped and camped at mutiple spots), we stopped at Fort Ticonderoga. The GPS found it ok... but only the driveway...... which is like 4 miles long. The entire time, it kept saying (cause I couldn't mute it or get the volume below 10%) "Turn around, turn Around"

After about 15 minutes of this, I swear to God, it said "Fine!" and turned off.

03-13-11, 01:49 PM	#1
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	I hate the things. I can navigate better on my own. Whenever somebody has one, I try to beat the estimated time. Gimmy a map and compass any day. As a medic, I refused to let new partners use them. Did they really expect to sit and punch in addresses when seconds count? They need to know the roads. If I ever saw another crew using one, and they were out of there truck, I'd change the voice setting to swedish. "Bjork 2 kilometeres BORK BORK BORK!" People would really flip out when that happened. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

03-13-11, 01:53 PM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	I find mine to be very helpful in planning alternative routes when it is warned of traffic congestion or accidents up ahead. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-13-11, 02:58 PM	#4
XabbaRus Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 5,330 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	They have their uses but like I said you look at a map when working out where to go you spot other places that look interesting and you plan a detour. I sometimes wish that it would all go wrong just to see how the nuggins in the street cope. __________________

03-13-11, 03:28 PM	#6
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The only time my satnav was no good to me (not that I use it that often) was last year when I tried to use it to find Grizedale Hall (U-boat Hotel) but in fairness to it, Grizedale Hall is now a Forestry Commission Centre and probably goes by another name. I also had fun with an earlier model shortly after the motorway modifications at Ferrybridge where the A1 links up with the M62....the bloody thing didn't know the motorway had been moved 1/4 of a mile and thought it was in a field __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-13-11, 03:38 PM	#7
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	I wanna see what would happen if you take one of those things up on a plane "Drive down 10 kilometers, then turn left..." __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

03-13-11, 01:54 PM	#3
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Some of the screw-ups that people have deliberately made whilst following their GPS astound me...like driving into a river that the GPS thinks is a ford...I mean...you have eyes don't you?!

03-13-11, 03:05 PM	#5
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	They'd probably all drive into the sea. I like using maps too...I might not be so great with them sometimes...but that's how you find interesting little places.