Another "What GPS?" thread

[CopperBrompton]

Assuming your employment is to last more than one day and your place of employment is relatively stationary it sounds like what you need is a map – OS or street if available

Which is exactly what a GPS with mapping is, of course: a waterproof map in a very convenient form that automatically changes page as you travel.

 

[b0redom]

Assuming your employment is to last more than one day and your place of employment is relatively stationary it sounds like what you need is a map – OS or street if available – sense of direction notwithstanding on the first outing memorise the route (in extremis you could even do a dry run before the first day)

As an employer I would be mildly impressed that you cycle to work – however if you are to survive the probation period the knowledge that you need a GPS to find the place of employment might not be a plus point

I don't have probation periods as I'm a contractor. I move about a bit. Last contract was 4 months, based at two sites, the previous one was 2 years based at 3 sites.

I have no interest in stopping every mile or so to check which is the quickest route. I'm cycling around London.

 

[psmiffy]

Mr Lovejoy I would totally agree - however in this instance it is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut

 

[b0redom]

Mr Lovejoy I would totally agree - however in this instance it is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut

I guess you'd also consider spending a few hundred on a bike when a £50 Halfords special will do the same job too

 

[psmiffy]

Mr Boredom I stand corrected - In which case I would advise against the Vista - I have one and its not good enough for handsfree navigation in London - memory Map 280 with both A-Z and OS?

 

[b0redom]

Right. I guess you never go anywhere you've never been before without an in depth plan. Each to their own.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Mr Lovejoy I would totally agree - however in this instance it is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut

When that same sledgehammer will get you to a new place of work and from Lands End to John O'Groats with a single purchase, it seems pretty good value to me.

In which case I would advise against the Vista - I have one and its not good enough for handsfree navigation in London

What difficulty do you experience with it? Mine gets used in London all the time.

 

[psmiffy]

When that same sledgehammer will get you to a new place of work and from Lands End to John O'Groats with a single purchase, it seems pretty good value to me.

Being already able to navigate from lands end to John or Groats without a map or gps its no value to me

What difficulty do you experience with it? Mine gets used in London all the time.

Screen is much too small, most of the time I know where I am in London and without a lot of messing about zooming in and out its just easier to navigate in my head

 

[b0redom]

Being already able to navigate from lands end to John or Groats without a map or gps its no value to me

Screen is much too small, most of the time I know where I am in London and without a lot of messing about zooming in and out its just easier to navigate in my head

Sounds like you have no use of a GPS at all then. So apart from being argumentative, why do you keep posting in this thread?

On the other hand, I do not have an encyclopedic knowledge of every single road in London and the rest of the UK, and on the way to work I want to get my head down and get there as quickly as possible, so I am interested in a GPS system.

If people do have experience of Vista, or any other similar setup, please post and let me know.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Being already able to navigate from lands end to John or Groats without a map or gps its no value to me

Screen is much too small, most of the time I know where I am in London and without a lot of messing about zooming in and out its just easier to navigate in my head

Sounds like you wasted your money on a GPS, then.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Boredom, it sounds like PSmiffy doesn't actually need a GPS and has therefore never learned to use his Vista. A single setting will tell it to zoom in automatically as you approach a junction.

 

[psmiffy]

No - the point i am trying to make is that GPS is not the be all and end all to navigation - brilliant when in some foreign city Ive never been to for finding the exit - great for recording where ive been - however for day to day navigation - no

Mr Lovejoy - you are probably right I do not need a GPS - however have owned one ever since they became small and affordable - for me they are a brilliant toy and I would not discourage anyone from purchasing one - Its just that I think people have become too reliant on them - a bit like using a calculator for simple sums

 

[CopperBrompton]

No - the point i am trying to make is that GPS is not the be all and end all to navigation

I don't believe anyone has ever claimed it is, it's simply a convenient method for 90% of navigation tasks.

however for day to day navigation - no

It's perfectly capable of day-to-day navigation.

Obviously if you know your way around already, you don't need any form of navigation[1]. For planning a very fiddly backroads route, either an OS map or Google Earth can be a useful supplement. For everything else, GPS does the job well.

[1] Though I always use my Zumo 550 in the car, even on routes I know well, as it will automatically divert me around traffic holdups.

 

[benborp]

The OSM maps, certainly in the London area, have a much better coverage of routes through parks and open spaces than my current City Navigator maps (older City Navigator maps were better than the newer ones in that respect).

I've found that the 705 is a very versatile tool that works well with a wide range of other web applications. The trick is finding which map, which utility and which settings are best for the task at hand. And using it intelligently.

 

[benborp]

and +1 for what Ben says about using Google Earth. It's often best to check a route that has been generated elsewhere with what you can see on Google. People have different ideas of where you can ride a bike!