The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #103645   Message #2114938
Posted By: Greg B
30-Jul-07 - 02:55 PM
Thread Name: GPS systems for cars
Subject: RE: GPS systems for cars
Yep, and I stand by the 'no brainer' term.

It's really nice to have the 'brain cycles'
occupied by intense focus on navigation (coupled
with wondering if I really am where I think I am)
available for other purposes. Like safety, watching
for other traffic, enjoying the ride, etc.

Mapping GPS works like navigation instruments have
wished they could work for thousands of years,
rendering virtually everything else a time and head-space
consuming 'work-around.'

It's a fine academic exercise to use these older methods,
and a light amount of attention has to be paid to keeping
track of where I was ten minutes ago in case the technology
craps out.

But I'm very very happy to see an 'X' marks the spot with
where I am relative to geographic features (and in my case
airspace constructs) as well as to see my present direction,
speed, ETA at next waypoint and destination, updated up-to-the
second.

Then, because that's a 'no brainer' I can note things like "I'm
now just about half-ways through my allocated fuel, and my
ETA is still about two thirds of the projected time, so I guess
I have an unprojected headwind and need to use my brain to
think about a fuel stop about halfway between where I am now
and where I actually planned to end up."

A side benefit is when I or someone else says 'I gotta pee NOW!'
I can hit the 'Nearest button' and find the 20 or so nearest
stopping points, their facilities, communications frequencies,
etc., choose one, and hit 'Direct' and it tells me what to do.

Similar benefits are provided to ground transportation.