Navigators

[RC45]

Never.

A little planning with a map in hand, a compass and some simple common sense is all you need for a road trip.

[evoWalo]

If we had sat nav over here it would be a godsend.

maps dont get updated as often, compasses can be influenced by 3rd party magnetic fields & sense isnt as common as before. ;)

[RC45]

I have no doubt the navigaitn systems are easy to use, and I have some experience using them in cars that have them fitted as standard, but with the number of and low cost of very detailed maps in and around most major cities these days, a $10 map and your own sense of direction is not only cheaper but actually quicker and simpler.

But if you want to just be a vegetable blob behind the wheel of your radar speed cruise and radr barking selt steering auto-car then by all means garmen your way to hell and back ;)

[LotusGT1]

It's at good use at high density places like downtown city where you have no time to stop and look at your map. I have good experiences with TomTom systems, easy to use and relatively cheap.

[RC45]

Maybe its just the Scouting/Military background that has me always needing to know exactly where I am going, how I am gointo get there and back and how long it should take - or I am just a control freak :P

[LotusGT1]

I suppose. Rarely hear people taking compasses in their cars ;)

[RC45]

I suppose. Rarely hear people taking compasses in their cars ;)

Well - many cars have compasses in the rear view mirror or have watches with compasses and even install a simple dash mount compass.. it's a "Sunday Drive" thing.. for which you need to have a country big enough to actually drive in... ;)
(So people rarely have compasses in their cars - yet there is nothing odd about a $500 navigation system -- sure :P)


Besides which - you surely can tell direction just by the position of the sun and the time of day... right? ;)

[LotusGT1]

Well, IIRC the sun always rises in the east and goes down in the west. With time of the day I think I could find my way...sort of ;)

European-spec cars don't have compasses. I encountered a compass in a car only once. That was in our rental Ford Windstar when me and my family were in California...

[TNT]

I enjoy nav. on a trip and to play with in traffic. but for daily driving its not worth it. but sometimes i play with it to find other ways to the places i go to all the time. :mrgreen:

[No.1]

Never.

A little planning with a map in hand, a compass and some simple common sense is all you need for a road trip.

I full agree - there is no substitute for a good map. It's a disappearing skill, but i'm glad that my father has ensured i can use a map effectively.

:good:

That's not to say a Nav system is useless. They are good when i have used them (TomTom was nice), and they help out people who have neither the time/inclination/intellignece to decipher a map on a page. :wink:

[Mattk]

Maybe its just the Scouting/Military background that has me always needing to know exactly where I am going, how I am gointo get there and back and how long it should take - or I am just a control freak :P
I'm like that as well, not so much because of the scouting/military background, but my dad's influence. I always look at the street directory to seek out the best routes, and one or more alternate routes to where I'll be going, if I'm going there for the first time.

I've never even heard of this concept of compasses in cars. My watch has a compass, but it doesn't seem to work very well compared to my magnetic compass. You have to hold it at a certain angle for it to be accurate.

[RC45]

RC, in the US it isn't hard. In a town you only have mainstreet, obvious and then you start counting, 5th north, 4th west ;)


Nah, I use one, comes in really handy and saves time when you need to go from one adress to another.

Not all cities/towns in the US are laid out that way, in fact not many... and besides, I learned to navigate in a country that is as haphazard and disorganised as yours... in fact - your country helped shape and influence the haotic nature of settlements in Africa... ;)

[pitfield]

Tried driving around central london when you don't know it? And TMC? No map can work that kind of magic. You'd need a crystal ball.

[nthfinity]

RC, in the US it isn't hard. In a town you only have mainstreet, obvious and then you start counting, 5th north, 4th west ;)


Nah, I use one, comes in really handy and saves time when you need to go from one adress to another.

I sometimes wonder where your innefiable knowlege comes from.

the fact is, while most towns have a Main street, many Cities dont. Many towns dont have a 4th street, and so on, but rather "Juniper" and "Rosemarry" etc. such as my town. Main street isn't that main, and First street isn't followed by second street.... West street turns north; and so on.

In another city i lived in; there is no main street, but there is a Mack Ave. There are mile roads, but there are 30 streets between them; and by the time you are at 9 mile, you are out of the city, and 6 mile is Detroit.

But, 8 mile is called Vernier, and 7 mile is called Moross....
so, if you can find your way around D-town w/out a map, or GPS; be my guest (or live there for some years)

[pitfield]

or try somewhere really old

[Mattk]

in fact - your country helped shape and influence the haotic nature of settlements in Africa...

Only in the Congo, really, and they didn't do much there but work all the poor folks to death, and killing them anyway of they didn't work, or even if they did.

Sydney roads tend not to have really visible road signs, which kinda sucks. It's OK near the city, but not so much outside of it.

[LotusGT1]

Interesting atmosphere around here lately :P

[RC45]

Interesting atmosphere around here lately :P

shudddup... :P

[nthfinity]

nthfinity is was bullshitting you know, relax man ;)

hehe

yeah, i suppose i didn't notice the smiley

:oops:

modified opinion taken in jest

[ae86_16v]

Never.

A little planning with a map in hand, a compass and some simple common sense is all you need for a road trip.

How about just The Northern Star ;) .