Safe sat nav?

Question

Wouldn't it be safer to have that woman just talking rather than a monitor putting you off in the middle of the windscreen? The pictures don't really help if you listen to her and it has been proven they cause accidents so maybe a button for the screen to come on only when you think you need it?

And what about celebrity voice change? I'd have Emma Bunton... no, I don't think that would help....Al Murray-turn left...you missed it, you plum! What would yours be?

(2 questions for the price of 5 points!)

Answer 1

just use a map!

Answer 2

You're driving, not the sat nav. You can't blame the sat nav if you commit an offence or have an accident. It's your fault.

What you see must take priority over what the sat nav says. If the road looks wrong, don't take it. People have been marooned in fords, driven into rivers and down railways because their sat nav told them to.

You know what you're driving, the sat nav probably doesn't. If you have a large vehicle, or a trailer, you can't be sure that the road is suitable for you just because the sat nav tells you to go down it. Watch for signs.

Watch the road – not the sat nav. A sat nav can give all sorts of information about where you are going, much of which you don't need.

Put the sat nav in a sensible place. It should be in your line of sight, but should not create a blind spot. Put it where it won't injure anyone in an accident.

Don't try to programme the sat nav while driving. You know it will take one hand from the wheel, two eyes from the road and a brain from driving. Pull over to adjust settings.

Use all the sat nav's features. On a complicated, busy roundabout, it is unwise to take your eyes off the road to look at the sat nav, and much better to receive spoken instructions. Some have features which show you a simple diagram of the road ahead and only need a quick glance.

Check the route is practical before you start. Is the sat nav taking you to the right Farnborough? Hampshire, Warwickshire or Kent? If you put in the wrong destination, it will take you to the wrong destination. Does the route look right?

Update the sat nav regularly. It needs to know about new roads, new one way systems and generally keep itself up to date.

Remember, thieves like sat navs too. If it's detachable, always take it out when you leave the car. Thieves know that when people remove them they tend to keep them in the car, so mounts or suction cap marks also attract thieves.

Answer 3

on the rare occasion i use my dad's sat nav (ie long distance driving or to an unfamiliar location), i stick it to my door window so it's at the side and out the way, i can listen and glance at it when i need to know where i'm going next.

if the screen bothers you that much, just turn the volume up and leave the unit face down on the passenger seat!

i find it's infinitely safer and easier than using a fold out map - definitely a bonus for motorway driving.  particularly spaghetti junction in birmingham - i've been there once for work, armed with sat nav, and just about made sense of it - i would've still been there now if i was relying on road signs and a road atlas!

it was also a complete godsend when i was trying to get back to surrey from somewhere in wiltshire, but junctions 10-8 of the M25 were closed for maintenance, so i had to go through all the back roads.  some A roads are dual carriageways, and you can't just pull over and stop to look at a map, and you can't read a map properly when you've got to keep your eyes on the road.  sat nav will talk to you and give you a basic diagram showing you where to go on roundabouts, at junctions and when to take a slip road to get off the motorway.

tomtom do voice packages - i really want john cleese!  or stephen fry if they ever bring it out....

http://www.tomtom.com/plus/service.php?I...

Answer 4

Being as my British is a bit rusty, I am thinking that you are wondering about satellite navigation instrument?  Well, I think it is a waste of money and if I could have some celebrity voice that was doing the talking to me, it would be Sean Connery,  or Prince William, of course.

Jen

Answer 5

TomTom have a safety feature that can blank most of the screen when moving. But seriously just don't put it in your direct line of vision. It's just another instrument, like the speedo, fuel gauge &c. Where I have it at bottom centre of screen anything hidden by it is already under my near-side front wheel.

Answer 6

Are they really that good?, I mean why would you need one if your only driving local and you know the area.

How safe are they to use, give me a moby in one hand anyday, At least you don't have to look at your phone screen!!!!