GPS - Essential or Just Convenient: I tend to use the GPS for anything but trips into town. I'm not afraid of getting lost, but if I have to detour on a longer trip, I won't have to...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I tend to use the GPS for anything but trips into town. I'm not afraid of getting lost, but if I have to detour on a longer trip, I won't have to guess which roads to take. Also, when going from one local place to another, the GPS has shown me quicker routes than what I've been taking for years.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I use mine for monitoring speed and traffic.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

kpmac wrote:

I use mine for monitoring speed and traffic.

Yes, and I'm always surprised at how quickly the GPS reacts when the speed limit changes. On one road, the limit is 35 in one direction and 45 in the other. That continues for maybe a quarter of a mile. The GPS knows which side of the road I am on, so it knows the speed limit. It also knows about animal crossing areas.

tramsey Loc: Texas

I bought a personal GPS a couple of years ago after they had been out a while. I have no idea why I bought it, haven't been fifty miles away from home for three years. My son, runs a delivery service of medical supplies between cities has one identical to mine and uses it all the time.
Maybe I'll sell it on EBay.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

jerryc41 wrote:

I tend to use the GPS for anything but trips into town. I'm not afraid of getting lost, but if I have to detour on a longer trip, I won't have to guess which roads to take. Also, when going from one local place to another, the GPS has shown me quicker routes than what I've been taking for years.

Essential sometimes, Convenient/helpful sometimes, aggravatingly WRONG sometimes.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

jerryc41 wrote:

I tend to use the GPS for anything but trips into town. I'm not afraid of getting lost, but if I have to detour on a longer trip, I won't have to guess which roads to take. Also, when going from one local place to another, the GPS has shown me quicker routes than what I've been taking for years.

I have had some boring trips turn very interesting following My GPS😁
But it usually gets me to my destination!!

JimmyTB

That reminds me of the early days of GPS for civilian use. We were visiting some friends in Florida on Marathon Key. He was one of those guys that always had to have the latest tech. We were driving from Marathon to Key West, obviously no need for the GPS but he had it on anyway. After several miles the GPS voice must have gotten bored and came on and said "Prepare to drive straight". My wife and I still laugh about that one. There wasn't much choice other than driving straight.

DougS Loc: Central Arkansas

My GPS has taken me on a couple of 'wild goose chases', twice (many years ago). I can identify with it showing me a shorter way, even something local!

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Convenience for sure. How many years did we do just fine with the Rand McNally maps. 8 trips cross county and back, here I am, not lost, direction wise that is. )

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

KillroyII wrote:

Essential sometimes, Convenient/helpful sometimes, aggravatingly WRONG sometimes.

Funny, I have NEVER Won an argument with my GPS, grin. . .

Edit: My GPS once in a remote location: "Can Not Navigate from this location."

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

When I’m traveling on 95, the GPS will alert me to speed cameras and police radar.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

KillroyII wrote:

Essential sometimes, Convenient/helpful sometimes, aggravatingly WRONG sometimes.

It has gotten so much better, though. In the beginning, it wouldn't say the name of the road I was supposed to turn onto. It kept "recalculating" because it lost track of where it was. Now, it knows when there is a curve coming, where animal crossings are, and also school zones. Of course, it also knows the speed limit, and it can warn me when I'm going too fast. Prices have come down, and updated maps are free.

I kept my old one, and I have that paired with a unit that plugs into the OBD2 and sends all sorts of engine information to the GPS. Something like below.

https://www.amazon.com/Forscan-Scanner-ELMconfig-FoCCCus-Diagnostic/dp/B07MQ8GHG3/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=37JJRBWXJFOHV&keywords=adapter+for+car+obd+ii&qid=1678887542&sprefix=adapter+for+car+obd+%2Caps%2C470&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&smid=AF6HTQUMQVN7U&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNkE4TVhRWFpZRTdYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDM0NDE0UktQV1VaQUNRTUVRJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzMDM4NjczOUZNVzJIOEhETUU0JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Depends on what GPS you're using.

My car came with a GPS built in. It runs off a map on a disk under the seat. The disk was produced in 2017. Many times I have encountered changes in the roads that result in the GPS showing me driving through fields or rivers.

My phone GPS uses up to date maps for the most part. Sometimes the map is a month out of date and a road is not in the database, but it's MUCH better than the car's GPS. The phone GPS is also better at noting slowdowns and alternative routes. Also you can enter the name of a business in the phone. The car GPS requires an address. Knows nothing about the business names.

My next car will have internet connectivity.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

DirtFarmer wrote:

Depends on what GPS you're using. br br My car ca... (show quote)

On a previous car, I installed a radio that accepted a GPS module. On one long trip I had taken many times, I used both the built-in and the Garmin. The Garmin was better - shorter route.

Sendai5355 Loc: On the banks of the Pedernales River, Texas

I still use my Garmin when I'm going to an unfamiliar location. My son makes fun of me because I don't use Waze on my cell phone.