GPS units great, until you get lost
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I recently purchased a nifty in-dash GPS (global positioning system) for my truck.
So far, it’s been a love-hate relationship.
After hearing many people proclaim their virtues, I broke down and ordered a brand new unit on EBay for about $300, and installed it myself quite easily.
After learning how to use the somewhat complicated mapping system, I began programming my destination each time I left home, just to see how accurate the thing really was.
At first, I was alarmed to see my neighbourhood in Anders didn’t exist. The little yellow arrow representing the location of my truck cruised through empty black space, reminding me of the old Asteroids arcade game.
As far as the GPS was concerned, I was living in uncharted territory.
But as I made my way toward 32nd Street, the little pink and blue lines marking the streets of Red Deer began to show up, and a soothing feminine voice guided me turn-by-turn right to the Advocate parking lot.
I have since nicknamed her Gina.
A few weeks back, I sought Gina’s assistance to find my sister’s apartment building in Calgary. I programmed in my destination as I left Red Deer, and she kindly laid out my trip plan, complete with an estimated time and distance.
Gina and I were having a great trip together until I reached downtown Calgary, where she began advising me to make left turns into brick walls and one-way streets.
In some cases, Gina attempted to guide me down lanes that didn’t exist.
“Make a legal U-turn now,” she repeated urgently each time I ignored her ridiculous route suggestions.
Things got a little tense in the truck as I tried to navigate the busy city streets.
Eventually, I realized Gina was not going to get me anywhere but lost and I resorted to phoning for step-by-step directions.
I have since figured out that my GPS map is about five to eight years out of date, so any major traffic changes that have occurred in that time are not represented. I have looked into updating the map online, but it appears no updates are yet available. I’ve talked to others who’ve shared the same problem.
However, Gina is not totally without charm. About 70 per cent of the time she will actually give me accurate directions.
The trip calculator is a handy feature in figuring out travel time and distance. GPSs can also show your precise location in latitude and longitude, and they can act as a compass and even an altimeter. With most units, you can search out business locations, such as the nearest gas station or shopping mall.
All said and done, I don’t regret the purchase. If nothing else, it gives your vehicle a high-tech appearance that impresses most passengers.
But next time I take a road trip to an unfamiliar destination, I’ll be sure to pick up a good old fashioned paper map.
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Posted by: lost in thought
Date: May-15-2008
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