Do you need a gps to get to work?

[Jeff K]

It blows my mind. Nearly every car I see going down the road has their GPS on. Do these people not know how to get to work and back home with out a GPS?

[Jess Tolbirt]

you better have one here in nashville... too many times i have to hit detour to get home because of all the people that think they know how to handle a car...once i had to detour 4 times,,,without the gps it could have taken me hours to get home,,,

[Brad]

No....No....No.  They are using the sound on the GPS to tell them when to turn and such, that way they can pay more attention to their texting and cell phone chatting.   

[Garfield]

No....No....No.  They are using the sound on the GPS to tell them when to turn and such, that way they can pay more attention to their texting and cell phone chatting.   

Ya, I can believe that. 

[ricoman]

I think it's a status thing. looks good on the windshield or dash. I wonder if they are used.
If I could not get home without one, detour or not, I'd move.
They are best for finding an address you aren't familiar with or some long trips to unknown addresses.
If you've been there before you should remember how to get there again.

[fudgie]

Dont understand them either. We have some in our ambulances. Its nice to see what street is coming up but thats it. Getting our map book out is faster then typing in a addy. Unless we have to go to cleveland or Chicago then its handy.

This is all I need. 

[Jeff K]

Mine stays in the glove box until I need it.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I own three of them one was givin' to me by my employer I haul heavy over-size loads into 8 states ...It's rare I ever turn it on and most of the time it's just to see how long it claims for me to get home.It is handy when looking for a business or for finding a motel or fuel.

[grizs50]

I need one sometimes to find my work, I view properties across 5 counties for 100's of differant finance companies, I often look at 7 homes in 7 differant towns in a days time!

[RiderNJ]

The only reason that I can see that would be worthwhile is that some provide traffic updates.  I imagine if you have a choice of highways or bridges to take,  that could be handy.
Just a thought.
RiderNJ

[alph]

When I’m on my way to work with the cycle I need it!!!  Sometimes I’ll leave early and try and get lost while riding to work.  With it I can find the quickest way in so I’m not late…… also, I use mine to track my speed.  There have been times my speedometer just doesn’t seem to be right.  My wife bought one for when she goes to visit her sister in Kalamazoo.  But she leaves it in the glove box until then.  

[highcountry]

Maybe they are using it for hands free blue-tooth, or not.

[R J]

It is just a status symbol.........

Used to use 1 when I drove shuttle so as to find people I was to pick up that I had no idea where the other driver(s) had dropped them off, that driver was off the clock, and someone who asked for a ride thought they would be smart and juggle the phone #, 'contact them' on ya.   Address was in a new part of town and not on your maps yet.

They'd call and raise hell when no one showed up for them.        That one was a long story, and almost cost one of our drivers his job.......       The saver, was I had happened to drop him off and 1 of the other drivers called once, got a FAX # and never tried again.       I verified the # on the request for a ride sheet, I called it, got the FAX# also.      We called the boss since we had no access to the dealership request for work orders, he told us he didn't have time for himself or us to jack around, scratch em off the list and move on.      We did, the customer was a good friend of the dealership owner, once the owner got involved, it made no difference what happened it was our fault.

[Willow]

Mine is usually not in or on the vehicle during my commute, but sometimes it's there if I plan to go to an address to which I haven't previously been.

periodically I use it to calibrate the variance at different speeds of my primitive speedometers.  I've used it on occasion to verify that the route I'm taking is the quickest (my commute is sixty miles with several choices).

Now and then, I mount it on the windshield just to tickle the ridiculous self righteous attitudes of people who are unreasonably proud of not using a GPS.    

[Jess Tolbirt]

Ill bet you guys would want me to use mine if you called me out for a service call.. we charge portal to portal at almost 100 dollars per hour,,, do you want me to use it or take my best guess? LOL

[Serk]

I have mine out in the car or on the bike all the time...

I even set the destination, even if I know it by heart...

I like the estimated arrival time, and seeing how it changes when I get stuck behind a light, etc. I can tell if I'm doing okay, or if I need to punch it a little more to not be late with a quick glance.

I also leave it out because the speedometer on it is far far FAR more accurate than any other (ESPECIALLY more accurate than a Honda motorcycle speedometer!), and easier to see. I can take a quick sideways glance and see my speed without having to look down, through the steering wheel to see it.

Also, even on routes I know well, if there's a wreck or other traffic impediment, I can take off on unknown side streets and not have to guess, she figures out where I need to go to get around the blockage.

Not to mention, on the bike, the GPS is also my MP3 player...

So yeah, I've always got mine out and turned on...

[Cliff]

No....No....No.  They are using the sound on the GPS to tell them when to turn and such, that way they can pay more attention to their texting and cell phone chatting.   

Ya, I can believe that. 

+1

[R J]

Another thing mine does is tell me the legal speed limit on the road I'm riding or driving.     Has a little speed limit sign, and beside it is my actual speed.    Great for a quick comparison.

Here lately it is just stuck on the windshield and not even plugged in.

[scoot]

In most states it is actually Illegal to have it stuck to your windsheild,b ut just like so many other things that has gone wayside. I like when I go past the car with one stuck to the windsheild, and it looks like the car could barely make it out of the drive let along a long trip. And the GPS is worth more then the entire value of the car. (except maybe the 24" wheels and tires)
 I keep mine in the center console (or in the saddle bag). when I do use it in the truck it sits in the cup holder instead of being stuck to the windsheild. I do't need to advertise what I have for someone that wants one for free.

[musclehead]

mine is usually fired up, like Smokin' Joe I'm on the road on 18 wheels. it lets me know when my 600 mile day is done so I can crash. it comes in real handy to figure out how far I am to a customer and such, but as for actually finding an adress or navigating the shortest route it hit or miss. its a garmin i cut it some slack cause it a foreigner (irish)

[f6gal]

Now and then, I mount it on the windshield just to tickle the ridiculous self righteous attitudes of people who are unreasonably proud of not using a GPS.    

Hey!  I resemble that remark!

[sandy]

My GPS has a 10 gig MP3 player built into it. I use it all the time to listen to tunes. I've been ribbed by coworkers when they see it but they feel foolish when I explain it.

[Smitty W.S.]

I love my GPS and it's always on when I'm driving whether to work or the beer store or wherever.

-- It tells me my estimated arrival time so I can pull over and make a courtesy call to work or someone I'm meeting to let them know I'll be late if that's the case.

-- It can give me updated traffic conditions to allow me to avoid being late by not getting stuck in a traffic jam.

-- It announces all street names if I wish so I can learn and be more familiar with my city and surrounding areas.

--  I don't need 15 maps in my car for every little town I drive through.  I don't have to stop at a pay phone to look up the nearest gas station, police station, hospital, restaurants, etc.

--  I don't have to count on my wife consistently giving me incorrect directions because she's holding the map upside down or saying "Turn here" as I fly through an intersection at the speed limit.

-- I use it's bluetooth technology with my phone for hands-free telephone calls

-- I can store music .mp3s to be played over my stereo

There are many more advantages but I'm too tired to go on.  Suffice it to say, it was the best $200 bucks I ever spent.
 

[Alaskamike]

I've got one on my bike.   A guy I was traveling with (really long trip over 5,000 miles)  really ragged on me about it.   His contention was that getting lost is just part of the adventure, and he was fond of saying "some of the best times I've ever had on the bike was when I got lost".   okay... maybe but....

I have to say, whimp or not, I love my GPS.  Some of the benefits (to me) are
-  I don't have to take my eyes off the road to try and read dirty or non existant road signs
-  It will tell me way ahead what lane I need to be in before I come up on the turn and find the signs obliterated by a pair of semis in front of me
-  If I'm in a new place and want BBQ, I can just enter it in and the darn thing will not only tell me a dozen places to get it, but will tell me how far away each one is and route me right to it with the touch of a button
- If I get distracted, and low on petro, it will tell me where the closest station is, and take me there
 -  I like being able to pull the image back and see a larger picture of where I am , lakes, rivers, and freeways, as well as possible scenic back roads pop out
-  Thu major cites, I can get off the freeway, explore and drive without worrying at all where I am, and when I am done, just tap back in my origional route and it will take me right back to the freeway, no fuss, no muss.

I find I am much more realxed and attentive to the road, traffic, and just the pure joy of riding when I am not worried about missing my turn.


Whimp I am..

[Raverez]

Hey Musclehead, you made a funny

"it lets me know when my 600 mile day is done so I can crash. "

[Dubsvalk]

I use mine on the bike; especially when I'm on a road I haven't ridden before.  It shows the curves ahead of time and gives me advanced warning of the sharper ones.
Bernie

[tybme]

Personally I don't have one - though my wife and 2 of my kids do (19 and 20 year olds) and I will borrow one when I need it. I still prefer looking at maps and having a mental picture of where I am and where I am going.
My wife keeps hers on all the time just so she doesn't have to reach up and turn the button on and off. The cig lighter is wired to shut off with the key so it doesn't drain the battery by leaving it on.

I am planning on upgrading my iPhone as I hear the GPS apps are getting pretty good with turn by turn directions so I guess I will be joining the GPS world soon.

[Jeff K]

This thread has slipped sideways. My point is not whether using a GPS was "wimpy", it was based more on the fact that on my morning drive to work it is a sea of GPS lit dash boards. I have a GPS but I only fire it up when I need it.