Laptop GPS World

I recall when I started to use GPS navigation in 2003, I didn't at first trust it: "How can some GPS navigation software know my city streets better than me?".

At that time I used Microsoft MapPoint 2002 software running on a laptop. I would let the program calculate a route, and then in many cases I would ignore the suggested route. I drove my way. I knew better - or so I though.

Even though I didn't trust GPS navigation at first, I was open minded, and I kept comparing my arrival times to those calculated by the mapping program. On many occasions I clearly saw (after the fact) that the software was right, and I was wrong. GPS navigation is not perfect, but I admit GPS navigation in many (or most?) cases suggests better and/or faster way to a destination, even in and around my own city, where I've lived now for for over 20 years.

Over the years I have come to trust GPS - perhaps even I've come to trust it a bit too much. I recall an incident a couple of years ago, while travelling with my wife and our daughter in northern Ontario. We were using a laptop for navigation - I don't remember which GPS program, it was either iGuidance or Streets & Trips. We were at one point told to turn left on a road that was not paved. I almost made the turn. But it just didn't seem right. We pulled over on the side of the road to take a better look at the map on the laptop. As strange as it was, the computer indeed wanted us to turn on what appeared to be just a dirt road, and there was no other road on the map for the next several kilometers. We decided not to make the turn, and we just continued driving the next few minutes till we reached the next road going south - from then on everything was fine. But I don't know what would have happened to us, had we taken the left turn the GPS suggested.

I suspect we all come to trust our GPS after a while. Occasionally we may let it think for us a bit too much. That's how accidents may indeed happen.

News.com.au in Australia published an article yesterday, titled Police urge motorists to steer clear of GPS. It's a good reminder that GPS navigation is not perfect (but I wouldn't leave home without it ).

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Marvin Hlavac

PC GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

You would have gotten to your destination, I'm sure. What you probably ran into was a data error showing a break somewhere between that corner and your destination that the GPS had to route around. So it took the only path available that would let it create a single continuous path to your destination.

...ken...

You probably would have had a really hairy ride. Those northern Ontario dirt roads are used by lumber trucks going quite fast. They don't worry about staying on the right side of the road because they are in contact with other drivers via CB and know when they are going to meet another one. It is a real shock on to both sides when you encounter one on a curve or hill.

Glenn

I guess the maps made for GPS use for Australia are not very good.

Perhaps, Alan_, perhaps. But my theory is the opposite: the GPS maps are too good, we trust them too much, we stp paying attentin...

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Marvin Hlavac

PC GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics