Is there anyone left in the UK who can drive from A to B without the need for SatNav?

Question

I can't believe the number of cars I pass on Motorways with the things on them. Can't people read direction signs, or use a road atlas anymore?

Answer 1

Nope. Trouble is, the people who rely on them don't drive from A to B - even if B is where they want to go - their satnavs normally send them on a detour past B, around D, through C and straight into the canal (or through a port-a-loo on a building site).

Answer 2

There's one in my car but it would have been better if they'd have put in an extra cup holder instead. Never use it.

Prefer to look at a map and mentally know the route ahead. A good map provides 1000 times more info than a sat nav, I like to know where I'm going - not where I am (which is basically all sat nav does). If I get lost I have a GPS and put the co-ordinates into a laptop and it tells me exactly where I am on a map which I can zoom in and out and pan around the whole country.

My sense of direction is pretty good anyway and I can usually look at a map before setting off and just go there.

Prefer to talk or listen to music whilst driving, not listen to some voice telling me to turn left into a dead end street or drive straight on into a brick wall.

I might succomb one day when I'm old and senile and can no longer think more than 30 seconds ahead.

Answer 3

I use SatNav when travelling to places i've never been to or am familiar with but only if I really need it. Last year I drove from Stamford to Hull and the TomTom sent me back to Stamford. Also, the voice is realllyyyyy annoying. I know you can switch it off but having to keep looking at the SatNav defeats the object of safe driving in a way.

I must say though, they are very useful when they actually work.

Answer 4

I don't have sat nav, road signs work pretty well for me- the occasional map works quite well too.
Only advantage of sat nav is it tells you where all the speed cameras are and what the speed limit is (or is it just the road angel one that does that?)

Anyway I'm a guy, and I don't want to hear a guys voice in my ear every 2 minutes, and I'm not having a woman tell me where to go, because women can't navigate too well anyway and she'd probably get me lost!

Plus if the sat nav thing keeps talking to you, how can you listen to music????

Answer 5

We dont have one and usually use a web routeplanner - a manual version of the satnav! With two young kids who distract us or take us off our route while we try to find the elusive bottle or dummy they threw or the nappy that suddenly has to be changed to shut them up! Also us tending to visit place we have never been to as we are looking for a new house or with my husbands job he often had to travel to strange locations its my next purchase once I persuade the husband! Epecially as I am not much use at reading a map stuck in the back between two babies trying to grab it off me, and I am sure I am not the only one who gets car sick if trying to read in a car?!

Answer 6

I cant stand the things !!

I normally know where I'm going, and if not, I read a map, remember the directions, and drive there. Maybe these people are related to goldfish or something ? ( 10 second memory span )

further to that, I see cars with seat-back DVD players ( try TALKING to your kids idiots !!), sat nav, electronicaly controlled everything... Motorists, not drivers !

When the day comes, and it all packs up... I'll drive past, and laugh.

Answer 7

the only time i ever used satnav was when i borrowed a mates to see if they were any good as i do loads of city driving
i ended up going round in a complete circle and then getting lost. when i finally "arrived" i didnt even know i was there, stupid machine. I like my little A to Z and will happily saty in the stone age!

Answer 8

*hands up*

I still use maps. but if I'm going somewhere I really have no idea about I use the AA routemaster things and print it out. I had to buy a new map a couple of months ago.

me and my b/f are always saying as we pass a car at night that would be so annoying having such a bright light in your eyeline. I would probably argue with it anyway.

Answer 9

My hubbie and I have a satnav we share. Mainly because both of us tend to visit places we have never been to and we need to get there for a specific time.

In my case I find it safer than trying to use directions written down step by step on a bit of paper which is how I used to do it before we had the satnav.

It also reassures my hubby that I have more chance of getting where I want to safely ;)

Answer 10

Yes me, I think they have their uses in towns but on a long journey I really can't see the point. The ones friends have got are so inaccurate I'm better following my nose and a map. I used to rep for a living and covered the south east of England with only maps.