SatNav or paper map?

[john.wigley]

'Canis'' post regarding the role of SatNavs in my 'hand signals' thread struck a chord with me, too. Like 'canis', my wife also hates them with a passion, but has been known to occasionally use the facility on her phone.

Then again, she, like me, can read a map. She does, however, infuriate me by orientating the map to the direction of travel, whereas I prefer to keep 'North' to the top of the page. Yes, she does hold it upside down when we are traveling 'South'!

What do you do?

Regards. John.

[Sasha94]

The V50 has a built in Sat Nav and I like having it for ETA and traffic info even if the map is out of date and I often ignore it! I have the phone for an up to date map that will read voice instructions over the speakers via Bluetooth if needed. I can read a map but it’s been a while since I personally have needed to but like yourself, I prefer to have North at the top of the page

[green van man]

Both, sat nav is useful but a paper map, orientated with north at the top essential in my view.
You see the bigger picture with a paper map and a detour around an incident is so much easier. In fairness returning home on the M4 from a funeral my sat nav advised I leave the motorway at the next junction due to an accident, this I did and recalculated a route around the accident to rejoin the motorway below it with the road atlas. Brother was stationary for near an hour as his satnav had not warned him and he got caught in the chaos.

I use satnav for strange town negotiation but always have a papermap to back it up for country travel and if it's an area I regularly visit I will buy an O/S map of the area. When I'm greenlaneing it's O/S maps every time.

Paul.

[DaveNP]

Having been driving trucks for 31 years I tend to use 'Brain-nav' these days, I've usually been there or somewhere near before, I supplement that with google maps and Streetview before I go as I can then see the junctions I need before I get there, the trouble with that is I get to a point where I'm not sure if I've actually been there in real life or just on Streetview.

I had a new guy out in the truck with me for a few weeks recently and he's a satnav user. We were off to a depot in the Southeast which we'd been to before so he's capable of driving there and his satnav is programmed up from the last time we were there so I'm dozing in the passenger seat. I half woke up about a mile short of the depot and thought we'll be there soon and relaxed, that was why I didn't notice his satnav take us past the correct turning, fortunately he had the common sense not to turn down the single track lane (which was the shortest route) that the satnav then tried to take him on. Finding somewhere to spin a 40t artic in the dark on a country road with a novice at the wheel was a challenge to say the least.

[BEJ]

I use the satnav, but, I never go anyuwhere without a paper map in the car.
If going on holiday, I usually also have an OS map or maps of the area.
In the "what if" situation of the satnav playing up arose ( it has happened ), I can still get to my destination.

[canis]

As said, I don't use sat-nav, ever. I do plan journeys ahead of time, and make a list of instructions. I will sometimes draw a local map of an unfamiliar destination, but that's only because I am jinxed with printers and they always break as soon as I try to print anything. Or more usually, do nothing at all.

I did borrow a car which had a large screen with a constantly scrolling map. Very useful for upcoming junctions, which it got right almost all the time. In particular, showing the lane system ahead of time. (Why oh why are lanes in the UK painted with arrows, only to be rendered invisible by traffic on top of them - why not a sign at the side of the road? Whoever thought that one up?)

Yes, the digital map on the ample screen in the centre of the dashboard was actually a good thing, I did like that feature. Programming in a destination was way too much effort though, and simply impossible while travelling, especially over speed humps, and having to delete the incorrect characters just entered by the slip of the joystick during the last speed hump, and concentrate on the road, and having to take eyes off the road to look at the screen and physically read every character to make sure it's correct, and MIND THE BIKE!, and "Sorry mate", and finally after spending several minutes of scant attention to driving, pressing 'enter' to discover it had no idea where I meant anyway - there is no way that is safe!

Now, I'm sure reading a map whilst actually in motion used to be considered driving without due care and attention. How fiddling around with devices can be allowed is simply beyond me.

I plan journeys. Or rely on the Brain-nav. Simple.

What bothers me is this - with the invention of navigational aids, will planning journeys become a lost skill? A bit like setting off in time instead of simply breaking the speed limit? The technology becomes the master instead of the servant. We become dependant on it. Don't believe me? Take out the 'lights on' warning - see how long you last!

[john.wigley]

Yes David, local knowledge - or 'Brain-nav', as you put it, is always best, but I find that things can change so quickly these days that it can go out-of-date along with SatNavs and conventional maps.

M1 J24 just up the road from me is a case in point; I use it several times a week, but only this week-end had to reprogram my brain on account of the lane markings being changed!

I know that you can buy 'truck-drivers' maps which avoid low bridges, etc., can't you also get SatNavs specifically set up for trucks to avoid such hazards as you describe?

Regards, John.

[Harvey1512]

I'm a huge fan of SatNavs but I use them alongside a paper map. My recommended technique is to know the bulk of the journey via a paper map but then use the satnav when you get near to the destination for the final leg of the journey. Satnavs are brilliant for taking you exactly to your destination and as someone who goes to a lot of golf clubs in some weird locations they are invaluable. You would be amazed how many courses are in the middle of housing estates that you would struggle to find using old fashioned methods alone.

Doing the whole journey via satnav is a recipe for disaster however as you will end up going through city centres, down odd country lanes etc. Embrace the benefits of a satnav but don't be entirely reliant on it.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

I know that you can buy 'truck-drivers' maps which avoid low bridges, etc., can't you also get SatNavs specifically set up for trucks to avoid such hazards as you describe?

Regards, John.

Truck satnavs are available and can be set for weight, height and width, they're still vulnerable to not having the roads properly programmed in to them as my newby found out. Last time I looked they also cost significantly more than the regular car ones, probably reflecting the added info in them and the more limited sales, consequently cheapskate truckdrivers (and foreigners) still get in trouble with the car ones.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

'Canis'' post regarding the role of SatNavs in my 'hand signals' thread struck a chord with me, too. Like 'canis', my wife also hates them with a passion, but has been known to occasionally use the facility on her phone.

Then again, she, like me, can read a map. She does, however, infuriate me by orientating the map to the direction of travel, whereas I prefer to keep 'North' to the top of the page. Yes, she does hold it upside down when we are traveling 'South'!

What do you do?

Regards. John.

a map any day , just study it and you get an idea of where you are going , I just write a list of towns and roads i will use , don't forget there are millions of road signs around , that is what they are for !