Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:32:27 -0400
Reply-To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Maps vs GPS
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
My Garmin Nuvi 200 is absolutely freakin' awesome! I drive all over hell and back daily for my job, not including recreational driving.
I haven't cracked open a paper map in 3 years! There's just no comparision.
Yes, it does have an easy way to zoom in or out, click and drag the view in any direction, and show the entire route map. I'm not even mentioning the compass and GPS coordinates available with the push of a button.
But, the small screen is fine enough for me to be able to see anything I need, the database can be updated, the ability to save favorites, look for POI's wherever you happen to be, take me Home with one button press; I love it!
I even carried the thing with me on a recent cruise to the southern carribean, and was amazed to find street details on every island that we stopped at!
The other thing that I love (that no paper map can do!) is the ability to check speedometer accuracy with push of a button. I drive various vehicles and each has a different speedo error, so it helps me stay out of trouble with the police by setting my cruise control for steady cruising at or below the speed limit. No worries, mate!
I want to buy a new model (they make great Christmas gifts; hint, hint wifey!) with the traffic and construction avoidance/ reporting up-to-the-minute. This would greatly benefit me, as I frequently travel into and through various cities, and time saved is money earned.
No paper map can come close to any of these comparisons. I would know, I've worked this job for 18 years and have used paper maps continuously. Since I've used a GPS daily, I get more work done, I arrive at my destination sooner (the GPS knows the best route, I don't), I can accurately report estimated time of arrival to the waiting customer, and I have less aggravation and stress in my life. I do mute the voice (I find it annoying most of the time), and there are some times (rare) when no signal is available, but the full route map is still viewable, just not in real time.
The POI database is editable, and I've recently uploaded a VW van to use as 'my vehicle', so it now shows me driving everywhere in a cute little VW! What more could I ask for?
What's next in technology tomorrow, if this is where we're at today?
Overall, I'm loving it, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it! :)
Mike B.
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Grebneff
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 3:54 AM
Subject: Re: Maps vs GPS
With a proper map you can see the whole route at once, which can help
you keep it in mind. With a GPS unit's minuscule screen all you can
see is a wee bit, unless you are using it to navigate to the local
corner store.
I looked into a Garmin GPSMAP60 but the price of the software soon
adds up to far more then the unit itself, a real have. So I'm staying
away from GPS in droves.
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