SatNav on the dash or on the windscreen - is it safe at night or in poor visibility?

peterbaker

I've been meaning to ask this for ages:

I don't have SatNav as I luckily have a kind of inbuilt device called "I usually know where I am going and how to get there or make a detour".

If I was a travelling rep then I might use one I guess.

Anyway, I have noticed hoards of aftermarket SatNavs glowing in the dark from cars I am approaching from behind, and sometimes they seem to be almost as bright as the rear lights! They also seem more often than not to be placed right in the eyeline of the driver which may sound smart so they don't have to look down, but the brightness has often had me wondering if they can focus on the road ahead when it is dark and wet especially.

Many of these cars, so-equipped, I seem to often encounter meandering along in the middle lane at inside lane speeds, with the drivers seemingly straining to see where they are going!

Has anyone heard whether these have yet been cited as the cause of any accident?

Would you really be doing someone a favour by buying one as a Christmas present?

Lorian

I always put mine on night mode and dim the backlight at night. I can't believe people drive around with them in day mode with backlight so high, I'm sure it must affect pupil dilation.

Mind you I like to dim my dash lights too, and I'm suprised how many people don't do that either.

When you are lost though they certainly help you concentrate on the road in my opinion.

shown73

I'd go along with Lorian, in that I don't have a problem with it. A lot of car stereos nowadays seem just as bright, really, although not in the line of sight. As long as it's not directly in front of you, I can't see a problem.

daveyjp

A decent satnav (mine's a Garmin) will automatically go into 'nightmode' at sunset.

Anyone who sticks one onto the windscreen inside the swept area of the wipers is an idiot (anyone who puts it at eye level, just under the mirror etc needs sectioning) and should be pulled accordingly.

Mine sits on a bean bag on top of the dash and does no affect my ability to see out of the windscreen.

Biggles

peterbaker wrote: »

Would you really be doing someone a favour by buying one as a Christmas present?

The answer to that question has to be 'Yes', as there have to be more accidents and near-accidents with people scrabbling with maps and arguing about which way to go than by watching and listening to their satnav. Obviously, at night it should be in night mode and placed properly, as already mentioned.

peterbaker

Do you really think so Biggles? I know some people will try to read maps on the steering wheel, but seriously, how many journeys actually require maps? High days and holidays only unless you are a travelling rep. The map doesn't feature for the vast majority of journeys otherwise. However, stick an LCD screen PERMANENTLY up on the dash, night mode or not, and I think I can guarantee you that your visual accuity down the road where it needs to be, will be shot to pieces at night and in the rain or with an even slightly smeary windscreen. And the older you get, the bigger the problem because your eyes simply cannot instantaneously refocus continuously between near and far objects.

I remain unconvinced that it is a safety feature at all.

Biggles

peterbaker wrote: »

I know some people will try to read maps on the steering wheel, but seriously, how many journeys actually require maps?

Exactly the same number of journeys that require a satnav - either you know where you're going or you don't!

And, just like your dash, the brightness is infinitely adjustable.

peterbaker

My point exactly. The big difference is that the distraction is permanent with a SatNav LCD left on 24/7, whereas the map comes out once in a blue moon.

I don't think it's much like the dash lighting at all, based on the number of dash lights I notice (never) compared to SatNavs (a high proportion of all cars I encounter).

nearlyrich

I use Smartnav which has no screen but due to a recent change of job ( and company car) I am in a hire car with a borrowed sat nav.

I use it when I need it in areas I'm not familiar with, I don't feel it's dangerous although I prefer my Smartnav it isn't worth installing in a hire car.

anewman

I think there are also probably accidents with people fiddling with sat navs taking their attention off the road. Of course the proper method is to set your destination when at standstill and then move away and get to that destination and to pull over if you need to fiddle

Some sat navs automatically adjust to night mode and reduce brightness based on it's calculation of sunrise/sunset times.

scbk

I have mine mounted high up right out the way, in the where the rear view mirror would go. I hate clutter around the dash so I only have it on the mount when I know I'll need it.

It has auto night mode but even with the brightness turned right down it still can be a bit annoying, so only gets turned on if really needed. If I'm wanting to keep "half an eye on it" then I'll turn it away from me by a few degrees, still able to read the screen but aint too dazzling.


On a slightly related note has anyone noticed the amount of cars on the motorway at night with dvd screens for the rear seats!