A good Sat Nav for a new/inexperienced driver?

Lum

Android comes with a decent enough satnav system built in, free of charge, based on Google Maps. Symbian comes with Ovi Maps which is either free or needs a small annual subscription. Not sure what Blackberry comes with these days.

I'd still discourage using them until you have more experience. Then I'd try one of the smartphone ones if you have it available. You can decide if it meets your needs and if not you will know what annoys you and can make more specific requests when shopping for a new satnav.

grizzly1911

Lum wrote: »

Android comes with a decent enough satnav system built in, free of charge, based on Google Maps.

It does but with HTC it always seems to tell you where to go just at the point of needing to turn or 50 metres past it:mad:

Lum

grizzly1911 wrote: »

It does but with HTC it always seems to tell you where to go just at the point of needing to turn or 50 metres past it:mad:

CyanogenMod is your friend

Especially given the current massive unpatched security hole in the stock HTC firmware.

grizzly1911

Lum wrote: »

CyanogenMod is your friend

Enlighten me please:(

Lum

http://www.cyanogenmod.com/

Try not to brick your phone while installing it. I'm running it on my Desire Z and it's much much nicer than the stock HTC firmware.

pendulum

I bought a TomTon One XL new for £200 a good few years ago. Dad wanted one so I recommended he get the same and he picked it up for £60 used/refurbed on eBay. Most importantly the instructions are given in good time and it's easy to check where it wants you to go by looking at the screen which is very clearly displayed. I would always get a TomTom over a Garmin as I just wasn't impressed with the Garmin I once used.

I disagree that sat navs are distracting as well. They are an aid rather than a distraction. The only people who do stupid things like drive in to a river and then blame the satnav are idiots anyway and would have done it whether they had the satnav or not.

Sally_A

Hintza wrote: »

OP have you got a map please buy one of these too. If you input the first part of a postcode eg BA instead of KA when would you know you had got it wrong?

When you are in the lovely City of Bath instead of Kilmarnock, and scratching your head as to where 10 gallons of fuel, and 8 hours of your life has gone

LandyAndy

k3lvc wrote: »

Sorry but I'll be controversial here - get used to driving and being comfortable in the car before resorting to distracting devices. Sit and plan your journey before you set off, watch the road signs and if you miss a junction then put it down to experience.

Once you have the driving ability/confidence then visit the TomTom outlet but not until you're sure you can ignore what the device is telling you if the manoeuvre is unsafe.

grizzly1911 wrote: »

"Learn" to drive first. Be comfortable in the car and on the road.

Map and common sense. Plan in advance give yourself sufficient time.

If you are looking for a specific building Google/Streetview often helps for recognition.

Satnavs have their place especially for delivery drivers etc but for the average Jo/Joe they are a gizzmo.

liam8282 wrote: »

When I first passed my test that was part of the fun, going out on days out with friends to the coast or wherever, getting a bit lost or finding new places.

I do use a sat nav now to go to places I do not know, but am confident I could find most places without it.

Hooray for some common sense.

MrsLA and I both drive all over the country and have done for many years. Never used a satnav and never yet failed to arrive at our destinations. A basic knowledge of British geography and the ability to follow a map will always pay off.:)

Billy-no-Money

If you're going any distance in unfamiliar country all you need is a list of the towns you'll be going past or through; if you're using the motorway also write down which one and the junction numbers.

As you approach each town, look on the signs for the NEXT town in the list, that'll route you down the bypass if there is one.

When you arrive near your destination, use your spider sense to get near to where you're going, then pull over somewhere safe and set up your satnav for the precise postcode.

Apart from that, only use the satnav if you get utterly lost!

I'm not anti-satnav, but I think if you rely on it for A to B all the time you miss out on building a mental map of places and landmarks. It's a bit like always using the Underground in London and not understanding how the stations relate to each other on the ground. It's hard to describe why I think it matters, maybe it's something instinctive that I feel I have to do (one-way systems don't half ****** it up though)

[EDIT: If you're going anywhere near Milton Keynes, ignore the above and use a satnav...]

pendulum

LandyAndy wrote: »

Never used a satnav and never yet failed to arrive at our destinations.

Bet you've spent ages hunting round for hard-to-find houses in the middle of nowhere though. Finding and frequently referring to a map takes longer and is more distracting than having a sat nav lead the way. Try one and you'll probably change your mind.