GPS Systems~Do you own one?

[DUNBAR]

Used a christmas gift for the first time when I went down to Louisville Kentucky this past wednesday.

I was skeptical of its use until I got to experience it, a buddy of mine told me that the learning curve was very small (I need this cuz I'm dumb) and once you figure it out, you'll love it.


His words rang true, the setup through the FM transmitter was perfect. The voice was dangerously accurate with directions and it almost felt surreal in how well it mapped locations.

Hitting the "Go Home" button reverses your steps without worry as well.


Just curious since this device has been around for awhile if anyone else has been using them consistently.

It's a device that I plan to just incorporate into my truck so I don't have to ask for directions any more; just the physical address and that's it.


Poll coming....:indecisive:



And before I start an internet war that smashes the flat rate/T&M controversy.........



YES, Women are better at directions than men. "holds head low, looks for acceptance"

[Knary50]

I have one and first used it all the time, With the exception of a few times it takes me the most direct path. Depending on the map updates, it my try and take you down a raod that doesn't exist or turn off a straight path only to come right back on it.
But over all I am happy with it and will contuine to use it when going into a new area I am not fimiliar with. I still get general directions, but do not need the entire step by step directions when heading some where. My brother has the same unit, TomTom One Thrid generation, I have and it has saved him from time to time with traveling with work.

[DuckButter]

I have a fetish for banging my head off the dashboard on obscure roads with no cell phone reception, mumbling to myself and cursing local highway dept's for too many one way streets to entertain the notion of eliminating all that fun with a gadget.
Well, no, maybe not...I need to get one...SOON!
Which do you have Dunbar?

[DUNBAR]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 750.

I'm horrible at directions and I think this will be my saviour of sorts because people sometimes don't clearly tell you the directions, or skip a street entirely.

It can kinda taint the beginning experience with your customer as well. I know of one that rings a bell that didn't tell me of the first entering street into the subdivision which made it freaking impossible to catch any other street at that point. He mumbled lowly, sorry when he could tell how pissed I was when I arrived at his home.


You guys that run service all the time.....unless it's a brand new street that hasn't been mapped yet, it will find your destination better than you can. And you can get the woman on your nuvi to speak in a british accent as well!!! :love:

[DuckButter]

I use Mapquest, copy, paste and print the map from Wordpad with all my customers info on the same page, then save the page on my computer for future reference.

[DUNBAR]

Ya know, I do (did) that as well and MSN maps used to be awesome! Was really good until they switched setups not once, but twice.


For some reason on my computer though, it won't let me copy and paste directions at times and I have to take it to my outlook express and mail it back to myself in order to print.

[DuckButter]

Ya know, I do (did) that as well and MSN maps used to be awesome! Was really good until they switched setups not once, but twice.


For some reason on my computer though, it won't let me copy and paste directions at times and I have to take it to my outlook express and mail it back to myself in order to print.

Not that you'd need this info now with your GPS, but try MapQuest...enter an address in the "maps" section..NOT directions, then click the "printer friendly" link on the upper left of the window.
Right click on "copy" and then paste it into an open WordPad document.
The BIGGEST problem I have is the fact that many side streets don't have the names...kinda hard to know sometimes if you passed your street or how far up it is.

[VASandy]

I've used GPS systems for years now. I got my first GPS to help out setting up the telescope (portable thing). I still have that original GPS since it displays the actual coordinates you're at, rather than showing a map. Works great w/the telescope.

As far as getting around goes, I've tried the Hertz "Never Lost" system. It's handy when traveling around unfamiliar areas. That system, however, does not do well around traffic! For some reason, Hertz doesn't use the traffic system that's now in place. There are several that do, however.

I have been researching these devices lately, and will eventually get one. The ability to find addresses would be a great thing. My service area for my company is very rural, so I'll have to make sure the system can handle these kinds of places. I know a nav system will be useful, but it has to have the right features. I want traffic info (only available in large metropolitan areas, but that'd still be handy when traveling into the city), spoken directions with street names, a large easy to see screen, and it has to be portable between vehicles. Bluetooth is nifty, but I think I'd rather have it speak the directions through the car's stereo speakers or it's own speaker rather than through my bluetooth phone headset. I don't know what other application Bluetooth in a GPS has, so maybe it would be handy.

GPS is definitely handy for any business that has to travel to customer sites. It makes a much better impression when you don't have to call the customer for directions to their location, and you just show up on time!

[Gene Bickford]

I can read maps with out any problem but my small brain will not retain the info. So I am constantly rechecking the map."was that a right or left at RT23. Oh **** it's not RT23. I should be on RT32".
My Tom Tom was the one wish list item(something I didn't need but wanted) that I got when I started the business. It was $500 but I figure I have avoided 3,467 rear end collisions:eek: by keeping me eyes on the road and not in the map.
Another great feature is it gives a pretty accurate ETA, if I drive fast or slow it will automatically adjust the ETA. So if I'm running late I can call the customer and give them a heads up. If for example in the A.M. I have an appointment in a area I don't know well. I put the destination in the night before, then I know exactly what time I have to leave.

[PLUMBER RICK]

i've had gps for over 10 years. but in the last couple of years they have gotten inexpensive and much better at real driving directions.

i use mine all the time. i can enter the whole day sch. and hit a button to get me from job to job.

even adam has one now:D so now when i tell adam to get lost, he can't:smack-head:

rick.

[smorris]

I have a Garmin nuvi 680 on my Burgman. I use it for finding directions if I'm in an area of a city I don't know, and for tracking trip stats on longer rides.

But when I'm just riding around, I don't have it on. What I've done is use it to get back to somewhere I'm familiar with after hours of meandering. That makes it fun to just go "wherever" without any concern of how to get back. Especially after dark when you can't use the sun for directional reference. I went on a ride about 180 miles across Ohio on roads I wasn't famliar with. it wasn't until about 3/4 of the way there that I used the map to find my way to a highway that headed to my final destination. My route was 40 miles further than the normal way I go, but a lot more fun and scenic!

[Josh]

I have one and it comes in handy for trips into areas I dont know well at all. Our salesmen love theirs as well.

Josh

[mrs. westcoast]

i've had gps for over 10 years. but in the last couple of years they have gotten inexpensive and much better at real driving directions.

i use mine all the time. i can enter the whole day sch. and hit a button to get me from job to job.

even adam has one now:D so now when i tell adam to get lost, he can't:smack-head:

rick.


Yes I do, and not very proud owner of it..

Rick reccomended Mio that my hubs got me for my birthday...It is taking me to blind streets..telling me to make a u-turn on a no-u-turn strett..overall it is ok if i'm only looking at the map and not the direction.

[Wagon Man]

I was travelling quite extensively back in late 90's, (based in Asia but came back to the States a LOT...). I needed the "NeverLost" in all of my rental with hertz... since then I couldn;t "leave home without it"...

When I returned back to the U.S. in 2000, the very second item I ordered was the StreetPilot III (first item was the cell phone, obviously :D). I used it whenever we travel out of town..

Never regret the pruchase.. and I still own it despite thois model is now considered an antique.. it still works like a charm, no reason to "upgrade".

[westcoastplumber]

I use mine all the time in my work van, call to call, works great. It is the magellan 2000, older model, but works perfect.

as for my wife, she has the Mio, sucks, sucks, sucks, don't buy it ever. for a 100 more, you can get a magellan.

[Batman]

I have the Magellan 2000 and the wife has the Garmin 650 both work beautifully. I even droped mine once from about 4' and the thing still works fine.

[Tyman]

How does GPS systems work for rural addresses? A majority of my calls are addresses like 6621 north 560 south. I have always wanted one but concerned with how they would do in the country.

[PLUMBER RICK]

How does GPS systems work for rural addresses? A majority of my calls are addresses like 6621 north 560 south. I have always wanted one but concerned with how they would do in the country.

most gps units in the store are working models. just plug in the address and see if it will route to it. if so you're set to go.

as a side note to answer the no left turn sign.

the mapping software knows 1 way streets as long as the mapping was newer than the street.

the mapping doesn't know when they install a no left turn sign or a no turn on red sign:smile2:

all gps units are only as good as the mapping software. the more current the software, the more accurate it will be.

rick.

[Drain Medic]

I have a TomTom and a Magellan Road Mate. The TomTom sucks. If you turn it off, then turn it back on, it takes forever to find a signal, so you have to leave it on all the time, otherwise, it gives good directions. The Magellan is ok. Not a problem losing signal or finding signals, but the maps arent as good as the TomTom.