Which GPS bean bag holder?

I understand completely. I'm snowbirding in the Phoenix area now. I find that I never can find places on my own (after using a GPS to find the location the first time) if I always just use my GPS and listen to the 'sexy voice'. After using the GPS the first time, I need to find it 'on my own' the second time. If I don't do that I never learn how to get there.

And the other weird thing is that I actually have to be driving to learn the route. It does no good for me to be a passenger. Weird I know, but that's the way my brain works. Maybe the 60's really DID have an effect ??

The problem with something like a GPS is that it is so doggone addictive. I love the things. Once you start using them, I don't think you'll want to be without one.

Tim

GoPackGo wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
Since this thread has veered of course I will throw this out; I predict that GPS units will be outdated soon. On a recent trip I used "Waze" on my phone.

The Waze app is a community-based traffic and navigation app. You and other drivers enter info as you travel plus it monitors your speed. The app uses this info to warn other drivers of slow downs, accidents, vehicles on the side of the road and even active police radar units.

Traffic was heavy and without me doing anything the phone app told me to leave I95 and routed me on an alternative route to avoid a slowdown.

I doubt that GPSs will become outdated just because there MAY be an alternative for traffic congestion. A GPS does a million other things.

Will Waze know I am pulling a 35 ft 5th wheel when it tells me to jump off the interstate and head down city streets, or even a county road ? What about the fact that I need 13'6" clearance ?? What about the fact that right hand turns on city streets can be a very big problem ? And what about the fact that a phone screen is way smaller then my 7" GPS, which sits on the dash in plain view.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all in favor of progress. But I learned a long time ago that just because something is new, that does not make it better. And I'm just not sure this sounds better for me.

Tim

I'm not a early adopter either. That's why I don't have a GPS. :p

(I never drive far from home. I understand why GPS would be helpful for those of you that travel a lot and a long way)

I have a 30 year old friend. I live in the country 25 miles from him. He has been at my house 4 times. The last time he came out here he had to call me up (on my cell phone of course) and ask me for my address. He had lost it and could not find his way to my house without it because he has to put the address in his GPS Every Single Time he drives out here or else he gets lost. :S

I live in the rural Midwest. All the roads are straight and there is a road every mile. It's all just a big grid, he's 30, and he still can't find his way around. I'm still amazed over this.

GoPackGo wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
Since this thread has veered of course I will throw this out; I predict that GPS units will be outdated soon. On a recent trip I used "Waze" on my phone.

The Waze app is a community-based traffic and navigation app. You and other drivers enter info as you travel plus it monitors your speed. The app uses this info to warn other drivers of slow downs, accidents, vehicles on the side of the road and even active police radar units.

Traffic was heavy and without me doing anything the phone app told me to leave I95 and routed me on an alternative route to avoid a slowdown.

I doubt that GPSs will become outdated just because there MAY be an alternative for traffic congestion. A GPS does a million other things.

Will Waze know I am pulling a 35 ft 5th wheel when it tells me to jump off the interstate and head down city streets, or even a county road ? What about the fact that I need 13'6" clearance ?? What about the fact that right hand turns on city streets can be a very big problem ? And what about the fact that a phone screen is way smaller then my 7" GPS, which sits on the dash in plain view.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all in favor of progress. But I learned a long time ago that just because something is new, that does not make it better. And I'm just not sure this sounds better for me.

Tim

I'm not a early adopter either. That's why I don't have a GPS. :p

(I never drive far from home. I understand why GPS would be helpful for those of you that travel a lot and a long way)

I have a 30 year old friend. I live in the country 25 miles from him. He has been at my house 4 times. The last time he came out here he had to call me up (on my cell phone of course) and ask me for my address. He had lost it and could not find his way to my house without it because he has to put the address in his GPS Every Single Time he drives out here or else he gets lost. :S

I live in the rural Midwest. All the roads are straight and there is a road every mile. It's all just a big grid, he's 30, and he still can't find his way around. I'm still amazed over this.

beemerphile1 wrote:
Since this thread has veered of course I will throw this out; I predict that GPS units will be outdated soon. On a recent trip I used "Waze" on my phone.

The Waze app is a community-based traffic and navigation app. You and other drivers enter info as you travel plus it monitors your speed. The app uses this info to warn other drivers of slow downs, accidents, vehicles on the side of the road and even active police radar units.

Traffic was heavy and without me doing anything the phone app told me to leave I95 and routed me on an alternative route to avoid a slowdown.

I doubt that GPSs will become outdated just because there MAY be an alternative for traffic congestion. A GPS does a million other things.

Will Waze know I am pulling a 35 ft 5th wheel when it tells me to jump off the interstate and head down city streets, or even a county road ? What about the fact that I need 13'6" clearance ?? What about the fact that right hand turns on city streets can be a very big problem ? And what about the fact that a phone screen is way smaller then my 7" GPS, which sits on the dash in plain view.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all in favor of progress. But I learned a long time ago that just because something is new, that does not make it better. And I'm just not sure this sounds better for me.

Tim

fj12ryder wrote:


Somehow the idea of people inputting traffic info into their phone while they're driving does nothing for my peace of mind. :) I'll take traffic jams and slowdowns over more distracted driving.

x2, but when you spend $500 for a toy, you have to use it.
my GPS warned me of two problems on I-95 in Richmond. showed a traffic issue which wasn't there when I got to it. and showed a construction problem and when I got there all the problem was was some Jersey walls on one stretch.
bumpy

Well, the traffic avoidance on the GPS is far from perfect. It tried to route us around what it said was a traffic tie up ahead, but I ignored it because I didn't want to travel city streets instead of interstate. And it was wrong, the traffic was just fine.

Somehow the idea of people inputting traffic info into their phone while they're driving does nothing for my peace of mind. :) I'll take traffic jams and slowdowns over more distracted driving.

Since this thread has veered of course I will throw this out; I predict that GPS units will be outdated soon. On a recent trip I used "Waze" on my phone.

The Waze app is a community-based traffic and navigation app. You and other drivers enter info as you travel plus it monitors your speed. The app uses this info to warn other drivers of slow downs, accidents, vehicles on the side of the road and even active police radar units.

Traffic was heavy and without me doing anything the phone app told me to leave I95 and routed me on an alternative route to avoid a slowdown.

Wow ! sounds like they do a lot of things these days.

I can't imagine how they would know how heavy the traffic is though?

Are there any times that they are wrong? I know things like Google maps, in my rural area, always take me out of the way and down the most heavily trafficked roads.

'GoPackGo' is exactly right, on all accounts. The lane guidance many GPS units gives you, is very useful. Its really nice when traveling in unknown areas, to know exactly what lane you need to be in to take any exits, turns, etc. that you need to. So is the fact that if you miss a turn, it will automatically re-calculate, and guide you on a different route.

You want it close to you and directly in front, for the reasons I and others already alluded to - You want to be able to look at it, get information from it, without taking your eye off the road. That is also why IMO the larger a screen you have, the better (I prefer at least 7"). You also need it in easy reaching distance, 'cause occasionally you may want to touch a button or two on it, to zoom in the screen, bring up traffic updates, etc.

One other thing thats absolutely priceless, that our Garmin 760LMT (and I'm sure many others) have: Traffic alert/updates. It shows you traffic conditions, color-coded on the roads, to warn you of heavy traffic ahead. If traffic is bad enough, it will recommend an alternate route to avoid it, and will tell you how much time it thinks the re-rout will save. I use this everyday driving to work and back, and this alone makes the GPS worth every penny, IMO. More than once, it has alerted me to traffic conditions that made me take an alternate route and avoid a ton of traffic.

I also, used to strictly use maps.google, mapquest, etc. and print out, maps from such and use that. I still do that, actually, and as a general rule decide the route, roads I'm going to take on a trip beforehand based on research with maps.google and maps I print out from such. However, the GPS still is a great tool for what it provides when on the road, that you can't get very easily from maps.google or mapquest.

I want to be able to see the GPS screen so I can see which lane I am supposed to be in and what the turn looks like. Pretty much what GoPackGo stated. The GPS gives me enough time to get into the correct lane which is a life saver in traffic.