Satnav - TomTom vs Garmin

[T i m]

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Dad was stopped by a roadside patrol suggesting he was exceeding the speed limit. He questioned the speed, they said it was 'Clearly marked on a sign back up the road' and again, Dad questioned it.

They both walked back up the road to where the sign was and it was completely obscured with dirt and grime.

The Policeman told Dad he could go about his business and he did so, leaving the Policemen trying to clean the sign with his hanky. ;-)

But I agree with you, when driving unfamiliar roads, it's quite good to have the GPS remind you that you are over the speed limit, even if only by 1mph.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

My Nuvi 215W does that. If you interrupt it on an existing route and select another location it asks if you want to make it the new destination or a Via.

On my early Gamins there was a 'Man overboard' feature that was very handy for marking the car when parking it in an unknown town or pinpointing a store on the way into a campsite etc (or if we happen to be boating and lost a man / woman / hat overboard). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

1st Mate: Captain, is something lost if you know where it is?

Captain: No.

1st Mate: That's good then as your sextant is at the bottom of the sea. ;-)

[Jethro_uk]

Or let the car do it for you ...

Bearnig in mind that you can still f*ck up - there were some quite widely publicised instances where young drivers who had opted for a "black box" solution to lower their premiums found they were being penalised for doing 70 in a 30 where the dual carriageway or motorway they were on crossed a lower speed limit road and the rather brain-dead software just went "yup - x > y".

Apparently such problems aren't suitable for "AI" ... who'd have thought it ?

[Scott]

How would a motorway cross a lower speed limit road? I am having difficulty conceptualising this.

[T i m]

<snip>

Doh!

<weg>

Weren't some of the onboard car 'visual' speed limit systems slowing cars from 70 to 50 when they read the speed limit sticker on the back of trucks? ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Jethro_uk]

Because we move in 3 dimensions over a map that's stored in 2 ....

[charles]

It would use a bridge.

[Scott]

Lack of imagination on my part on this occasion :-)

[Scott]

Thanks. Now I'm up to speed (excuse the pun!)

[Dave W]

Yes indeed I did pay about £10 for the battery but I had to hunt a bit to find that lowest price.

I haven't come across any toll roads, but I was puzzled when I was trying to get to Swanage from the A31, and the satnav kept trying to direct me along the coast. I did not realise at the time there was a ferry from Sandbanks to Studland, or that the satnav would try to use it. I am a cheapskate!

[T i m]

<snip>

Ok thanks. I've now got one on order.

I think mine took us to the King George ?? ferry when we were going from St Austel (Eden Project) to Lands End for a daytrip (S/W England / Wales motorcycling trip).

Well, we were on a reasonable budget ... and on holiday, so we used it, rather than detouring inland because it added to the trip (and wasn't that expensive for motorcycles). ;-)

As when on the IOW ferry it was interesting to watch the GPS plotting the course and show the speed etc ... in the same way as having the little GPS V (window seat) on the plane to Nice. Not seen the altitude that high before, even in Scotland! ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[AnthonyL]

Except for when the speed limit on the device doesn't match the speed limit on the road.

[T i m]

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Of course, as long as you keep your device updated, that should be the 'exception to the rule'.

And note I only said it 'reminded' you, you should be aware of the speed limit yourself but it might be handy if it was able to remind you you have just crept over it or inform you of it if you were otherwise unaware?

I've been bundling along with the traffic and felt we have entered a lower speed zone, others weren't slowing and glancing at the GPS has confirmed that we have (if we have). They may all know there are no speed cameras along there and so know they can (typically) exceed the limit unchallenged.

These are all the things I've seen myself from using a GPS for many years.

Cheers, T i m

[charles]

but there might be a person in a yellow jacket just round the next bend. I spotted one such last week and also noted, in my rear view mirror, that he stopped the car following me rather too qiuickly.

[T i m]

<snip>

Yes, that was covered in the 'typically' bit. ;-)

There are known 'hot spots' round here were you are likely to see a mobile van or handheld gun, loads of other places where I have never seen anyone/thing. I know that doesn't preclude their being something, or being followed by an unmarked traffic car etc.

Yup.

However, having a reminder that you might be creeping over the marked limit can't be a 'bad thing'.

And lets face it, I'm sure we all know stretches of road that have low speed limits for no real world reason and where people regularly speed (as in break the marked speed but in no way are driving recklessly) and where the Police 'typically' obviously turn a blind eye (often unless there are other reasons to stop people, like a defective light or ANPR pings up something, like a drugs marker).

Cheers, T i m

[The Natural Philosopher]

There great thing about tomtom go, is that you hit the (virtual) button called 'report speed camera' and all other tom tom users then know about the man in the yellow jacket

[T i m]

<snip>

Isn't that an offence, like warning other vehicles they are driving into a speed trap by flashing your lights?

I get that's only a technical step away from having the camera in a static database, but we are talking of *mobile* cameras here?

(You wouldn't breach of Rule 110 and 111 of the Code (improper use of headlights) and section 89 of the Police Act 1996, which dictates that it is an offence to "wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty")?

Do the mobile camera get removed from the TomTom after a time or from other users updating their absence?

Cheers, T i m

[Vir Campestris]

I had to go on a course a few years back. I was a bit distracted by the prospect of a late running project which was going to be a bit later when I took the next day off. For my father's funeral. This guy flashed his lights at me, which made me forget to slow down for the 30.

Andy

[T i m]

Doh!

I must admit, the first time I saw it I wasn't sure what was going on but as I went though the trap (below the limit anyway) I realised.

And I've since seen similar used to warn others of other obstructions, or even horses using the road ahead on a twisty country lane.

A mate got in his car and backed out of his drive, only to hear some horrible crunching noises as he did so. He stopped and got out just as a couple of Policemen came up to him asking why he had backed over their black box. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[Scott]

What did he say? I think the classic police line would be: 'Well, sir, if there had been a child or a pram there would you just have reversed into it?'.