Sat Nav's, a dangerous distraction

[totallyfixed]

How is looking at a sat nav whilst driving less dangerous than talking on a mobile? Or, how many accidents have been caused by a driver concentrating on a sat nav instead of the road? No answer to the latter cos there are so many vehicles equipped with them now. I know they are audible as well but when I had one as part of my job I still found myself looking at the screen when perhaps I should have been looking at the road, particularly in urban areas.

 

[gaz]

i put mine out of site so i can't see it, and just listen to the voices talking to me.

 

[marinyork]

Don't really understand this behaviour. The safety of others and myself is more important than a little LCD screen or getting lost. Sat Navs are additional extra, not an essential aspect of driving. I listen to the voices, if I ever thought even that was going to compromise safety I'd ignore it. Everyone needs a pinch occasionally to say hey you're doing something wrong but if people are distracted beyond a certain extent they need to look at their options and seriously ask themselves whether they are fit to be on the road or just stop using it. And I don't mean that in a I'm better than everyone else kind of way I mean it in a you do it long enough and you will kill or injure someone eventually kind of way.

 

[wafflycat]

Don't really understand this behaviour. The safety of others and myself is more important than a little LCD screen or getting lost. Sat Navs are additional extra, not an essential aspect of driving. I listen to the voices, if I ever thought even that was going to compromise safety I'd ignore it. Everyone needs a pinch occasionally to say hey you're doing something wrong but if people are distracted beyond a certain extent they need to look at their options and seriously ask themselves whether they are fit to be on the road or just stop using it. And I don't mean that in a I'm better than everyone else kind of way I mean it in a you do it long enough and you will kill or injure someone eventually kind of way.

+1

 

[sheddy]

Why is the car in front driving erratically ? check, Prat Nav Screen in use

 

[Crackle]

I don't think they are, trying to program one is, listening to one with an occasional glance is far better than scanning the road looking for the place you are trying to find and far less distracting. Of course there are some people who shouldn't be allowed to use a fork but let's not judge everyone by their standards.

 

[John Ponting]

The only difference to ME is a (my) SatNav is completely hands free while a mobile needs hands. Even most hands free mobiles need some interaction to start/finish calls. If a satnav speaks it needs only a glance to confirm - about the same glance time that a rear view mirror check would require.

My pet hate is the satnavs mounted just below the rear view mirror or up against the windscreen pillar. Both create quite large blind spots that can easily 'hide' a bike or pedestrian. Current trend seems to have multi devices mounted on screen suckers - satnav + radar? satnav + mobile? Most TomToms act as a handsfree phone so maybe that's why private hire cars need both in full view.

Once again - it's not the technology, it's the tosser behind the wheel.

For my own interest: As I'm considering buying one soon - is a bar mounted bike satnav more or less safe or distracting than a car dash mounted?

 

[ufkacbln]

i put mine out of site so i can't see it, and just listen to the voices talking to me.

I don't need a SatNav for that. the Voices are there all the time!

 

[ufkacbln]

A while ago I had an "interesting discussion" with a certain late road safety expert.

He had "proved" that looking at your speedometer was extremely dangerous as it deflects attention from the road and requires refocussing.

He absolutely denied that the same occurred with a SatNav, Radio or any of the multiple array of devices essential to modern motoring.

 

[monkeypony]

To be honest with you, talking on the phone AND using a sat nav is less of a distraction than having a couple of kids rowing in the back seat and a stressed out parent trying to control them but that is perfectly legal!

 

[XmisterIS]

I have an old-fashioned "sat" nav ....

It has two components called "a paper map" and "my memory".

I can usually remember a route by looking at it on a map for five minutes before I set off.

 

[John Ponting]

^ so do I normally. My SatNav seldom has a route programmed and being followed but shows where I am. I mainly use it in track mode but stop and use 'get me to' mode for overnight hotels.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if i had one (and i probably should as my sense of direction is on the poor side) i would probably just use it to get myself 'unlost', rather than rely on it for navigation.

i prefer to use nothing lower than b roads, so trusting a sat nav to take me down a minor road is not for me. my dad trusted sat nav last week, and ended up changing a wheel after the thing sent him down some farm track littered with debris

 

[John Ponting]

me too Uncle Mort. My wife refuses to even try to map read - after 40 years of marriage to me she probably knows what is best. OR just takes the easy option.

 

[jeltz]

There is no problem with a Sat Nav, if its used properly. I use mine regularly as I'm often in unfamiliar locations. The voice tells you that there is something to do then its a quick glance no greater distraction than checking the mirrors, speed, fuel tank gauge etc. If you haven't the time to make such a quick check amongst your general observations then you are clearly driving too fast.