Satnav or Cellular

[Snail]

I have to say I've used an early TomTom Rider, and a far more user friendly Garmin ZÅ«mo 350 LM for the last few years. I have up to date UK, European, and separate North American maps, and have never once used or felt the need to use logtitude and latitude settings on it.

I might if I had Africa maps and needed to find somewhere in darkest Namibia. UK is straightforward, for Europe it's the destination country, then city, town, and street is sufficient to find a route. I don't understand the comment about post codes either.

Hi, Every guide I have for western Europe I use for finding camper stops and campsites places of interest, the location is always expressed as a lat and long co ordinates, I guess if just want to find a route across a country then you can go town by town, everyone has their own way, I was only mentioning it so if wouldn't be regretted after buying it

[rayb]

I have to say I've used an early TomTom Rider, and a far more user friendly Garmin ZÅ«mo 350 LM for the last few years. I have up to date UK, European, and separate North American maps, and have never once used or felt the need to use logtitude and latitude settings on it.

I might if I had Africa maps and needed to find somewhere in darkest Namibia. UK is straightforward, for Europe it's the destination country, then city, town, and street is sufficient to find a route. I don't understand the comment about post codes either.

Whenever the Air Ambulance called at our school, I had the task of marshalling it onto the playground and making sure kids didn't run out and get mince-meated. I would chat to the pilot and he told me that, if ever I was staying out in the "sticks" to call up the long/lat and make a note of it. If we ever need their services, it could take minutes of their arrival time.

[MrGrumpy]

Whenever the Air Ambulance called at our school, I had the task of marshalling it onto the playground and making sure kids didn't run out and get mince-meated. I would chat to the pilot and he told me that, if ever I was staying out in the "sticks" to call up the long/lat and make a note of it. If we ever need their services, it could take minutes of their arrival time.

Interesting, though if you haven't got a SatNav then getting long/lat might not be so easy - or can you get it from the GPS function of your phone??? I'm more familiar with OS Grid References as they can easily be got from (paper) maps, and at work they are used more often by the GIS system I use. And there seems to be more than one format to record Long/Lat. Hopefully if I need the air ambulance they'll understand OS Grid Refs.....though if I really need one, I probably won't be in any state to call them!!!

btw. to go off on a tangent...accidents do strange things to you. When I had my big prang 10 years ago, someone called out the Air Ambulance (unnecessarily, fortunately). It landed barely 50m away from where I was, but I never heard it........weird.

[ramasay]

For god's sake use a proper map. No wonder 95% of two wheel RTC's are a result of bikers etc. looking at their SatNav's and not the road, same goes for car etc. drivers. " let's all watch the lovely blue screen" while we are driving/riding, instead of looking at the road.

Even now. there are still juggernauts getting jammed in a single road near me, following their useless SatNav's, telling them the shortest route.

The old bill must be p**ded off by this on a daily, or more basis, trying to back them out.

Get a life and look at a proper map.

[Taipan]

Lol, cos no one ever got lost reading a map!

[rayb]

And let's do away with those nasty, smelly internal combustion engines and go back to travelling on horseback. Preferably, with horses that know where they're going.

[ramasay]

And let's do away with those nasty, smelly internal combustion engines and go back to travelling on horseback. Preferably, with horses that know where they're going.

Whats this got to do with this topic.

FWIW, any post code finder will take people to 1/2 mile from my road. Today I was at my parents house (all day) but had arranged for a national (now privatesed) company to do some removal work. When I booked this, they asked for a contact phone number to give 20 mins notice of arrival, (not unusual) when I said I will be there all day no need, they said 'we must have a number, as Satnav s do always show the correct location' (well that's a first).

Guess what, phone rings, 'we can't find you', I always say will come and get you and hang up straight away. The driver(s) are always amazed when I turn up at a flyover roundabout over A10 in Herts., 1.5mls away. The postcodes for mine and parents have been in use at least since 1981.

Just realised rayb, you taking the piss.

[Bluebottle]

What Meldrew said

Plus - with a map open across the bars I can’t see the Scrabble tiles on my phone underneath

PS. I was formally taught to read maps, standard OS style and air maps.

[rayb]

I plan my route with a proper map and then use the satnav to get into and out of a strange town. Invariably, if you miss a turning, the satnav will get you back on course without a u-turn. Conversely, coming back from Wales yesterday, the satnav wanted to take us 25 miles out of our way and whilst I ignore it's directional abilities, it was useful to know how far to the next junction.