Tow vehicle- do you use GPS or just a compas and a map ?

Driving around places like Seattle, a GPS is a must. NYC not so much with their grid map. We use a Garmin Nuvi 1300 for the truck and rentals. New Prius has voice command. Say "Destination. address..." and she'll calculate your route. And she doesn't get mad if you go a different way. I'm gonna tear the dash apart one day to see what she looks like!

GPS and paper maps have the same flaw- outdated or incorrect information. The newer gps systems offer free quarterly map updates but you can still run into bad data. That is why I have a least 2 or more sources available when planning a route. I've also found reading signs and using brain helpful.

This is similair to asking if one preferrs a mobile phone or a wood box hanging on the wall with a crank to call the operator. Surprising, the number of responses suggesting a preference toward using only a map.

GPS?!?!?!?!

map and compass?!?!?!?!?!

I thought one use the shadows and where the sun is in the sky, then starts at night to get around.......hmmmmmmmmm.......

I must still be in them dark ages......hmmmmmm......

Marty

Less is not always more ;)


I use both

Ive been using gps for many years. The latest ones seem to have very accurate maps and points of interest. For long trips i will plan with google maps and earth and streetview (great for seeing access to fuel stops and rv park proximity to rail lines, exits )then enter the stops in garmin nuvi 3790 lmt and co pilot in my iphone. The more familiar I am with an area before going the more relaxed I am when I arrive. Can't imagine going back to maps.

rfryer wrote:
The gps is handy for finding specific locations and I like the projected arrival times, but not much value otherwise. I prefer a map if I have to make a choice.I’m older generation, too, and learned to make my way sans all the gadgets. I imagine the younger generation is much more reliant on them, I just wonder what they fall back on if they fail.

The smartphone of course. In fact I doubt my son has a GPS.

And if his smartphone fails? His DWs smartphone of course. :B

Needless to say the smartphone has GPS. :W

In the boonies on foot its map and compass. I have a gps and use it, but consider it a fun techie toy that will fail at the worst possible moment. On the road I use a gps, but again have a map as backup. Odd as it probably sounds I use the position of the sun to keep my directional bearings. That didn’t work well on my recent month long trip to FL, though, we didn’t see much sun.

The gps is handy for finding specific locations and I like the projected arrival times, but not much value otherwise. I prefer a map if I have to make a choice.I’m older generation, too, and learned to make my way sans all the gadgets. I imagine the younger generation is much more reliant on them, I just wonder what they fall back on if they fail.

I will use a paper map. And north is always up. When driving, I attemp to keep my bearings. I do not feel comfortable not knowing where north is at all times.

I use garmen but verify each route on a paper map. For example I put Stockton, ca, to Death valley in December and the garmen wanted me to take Hwy 99 to hwy 120 over Tioga pass, which is closed by snow every winter, to 395. So much for that route in the winter, so I put Bakersfield as a way point and it got it right. So Verify.