tomtom 930T a great help

[gerryc]

It was our first time to drive from Saskatchewan all the way to S.Diego.

For safety and assurances we were equipped with:

1. triptik from CAA. maps, guide books.. our route is
via i-15

2. Tomtom 930T.

The triptik was handy as my son enjoyed marking down our position.

The tomtom930T was very useful in getting us back into the freeway
after exploring towns and cities along the way. no longer did we have
to stop and look at the paper maps to find our bearing.
We just 'blindly' followed tomtom's instruction and sure enough there is I-15
again.

Evertime we stop over and check-in a hotel along the way, I set the 'Home' position to be that of the hotel. Then we go out and explore the city. When its time to go back to hotel, I simply do a 'Navigate' to 'Home'.

The only problem is it spoiled me into not remembering the streets.
I used to be very good at remembering landmarks... but with the tomtom,
it is telling you already where to turn.

The POI's helped especially in looking for accomodations.

Some issues came up on some higways from Saskatchewan to Alberta.
The gps shows our location but it's not positioned correctly on the
maps. usually 'beside the road'. My solution is to zoom out the display to be assured that we are still going in the right direction.

Anyway now the vacation is over. The tomtom is of no use because I do know my way around our small city.

I guess I'll keep it for next vacation. Or lend it to a friend who is going on their vacation soon.

 

[Smokiewolf]

It was our first time to drive from Saskatchewan all the way to S.Diego.

For safety and assurances we were equipped with:

1. triptik from CAA. maps, guide books.. our route is
via i-15

2. Tomtom 930T.

The triptik was handy as my son enjoyed marking down our position.

The tomtom930T was very useful in getting us back into the freeway
after exploring towns and cities along the way. no longer did we have
to stop and look at the paper maps to find our bearing.
We just 'blindly' followed tomtom's instruction and sure enough there is I-15
again.

Evertime we stop over and check-in a hotel along the way, I set the 'Home' position to be that of the hotel. Then we go out and explore the city. When its time to go back to hotel, I simply do a 'Navigate' to 'Home'.

The only problem is it spoiled me into not remembering the streets.
I used to be very good at remembering landmarks... but with the tomtom,
it is telling you already where to turn.

The POI's helped especially in looking for accomodations.

Some issues came up on some higways from Saskatchewan to Alberta.
The gps shows our location but it's not positioned correctly on the
maps. usually 'beside the road'. My solution is to zoom out the display to be assured that we are still going in the right direction.

Anyway now the vacation is over. The tomtom is of no use because I do know my way around our small city.

I guess I'll keep it for next vacation. Or lend it to a friend who is going on their vacation soon.

This is exactly what a GPS is for, keeping you from getting lost! I too enjoy the freedom that provides. Allowing me to explore, and always find my way. Thanks for sharing your story, what a trip!

 

[sab]

Nice story about hitting the open road with the family and Tomtom.
Brought back memories of our family vacation last summer.

Montreal to Disney world. 24 drive . If you make the road trip part of the vacation it actually is a fun time to bond with the family.

 

[Smokiewolf]

That is awesome. We want to visit Disney World one of these days!

 

[Arno]

Well, I just spent four weeks in the UK and Ireland and did not bring a map for either (mistake as the TT is lousy in scaling to get a general overview).

Before going I made a new POI and entered all addresses of places I knew to where we would be going.
That made it a piece of cake to enter locations, no matter where we were.
In Ireland SWMBO's wanted to trace some places and her cousin knew the name of the village or someone gave it to us. Just enter city center and fastest route and the local didn't believe that there was a faster route than he had known all his life.

I had a spare day and went to the National Railway Museum in York, the street name I already had in the POI, just in case I would find the time.
The night before our friend made a web search for last minute hotel room nearby and I entered the "city center" to get there. Got there too early for supper, hacked in Scarborough, Yorkshire (we live in Scarborough, ON) found it to be a 58 minute drive and went there for fish and chips (compulsory in Scarborough). The first ten miles were through paved farm lanes. Yes, I had to back up a couple of times to a wider spot to let an oncoming tractor pass.

When I changed my mind a few times, the longest it ever took the 930 to recalculate the route was about thirty seconds.

Everyone exposed to the SatNav snubbed their nose at it initially but the most appreciative one was a former London Cabbie.

But now, just as GerryC, there is very little use for it locally.
Cheers,

 

[flyer1024]

Don't put the tomtom away just yet.

I use mine all the time even though I know my way around my area as well. It's very handy for such things as arrival times, showing you the actual direction you're travelling is not what you've thought it is for years, finding shorter ways to a destination even though you've driven another way for years, how far your son's house actually is from yours........etc etc. a lot of interesting little uses.

my wife laughs when I take it to the car, but the only way anyone will ever get mine is to pry it from my cold dead hands.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Don't put the tomtom away just yet.

I use mine all the time even though I know my way around my area as well. It's very handy for such things as arrival times, showing you the actual direction you're travelling is not what you've thought it is for years, finding shorter ways to a destination even though you've driven another way for years, how far your son's house actually is from yours........etc etc. a lot of interesting little uses.

my wife laughs when I take it to the car, but the only way anyone will ever get mine is to pry it from my cold dead hands.

Same here, bro!!!

 

[ladysun1969]

I use my TomTom here at home in the SF Bay Area *all the time*.

The main reason: TomTom Traffic.

Seriously, the TT saves me *loads* of time by routing me around traffic congestion and construction.

I have also recently purchased a subscription to Fuel Prices & can now quickly & easily find low gas prices.

I love my TomTom & don't leave home without it!

 

[pianoCM]

The only problem is it spoiled me into not remembering the streets.
I used to be very good at remembering landmarks... but with the tomtom,
it is telling you already where to turn.

Yeap, welcome to the club, m8
Before ..... before the GPS time, I always planned the route in my mind ..... turn right at bla bla bla ...... then next right immediately on Main St, .... then left on next 2 traffice light, ...... there is a gas station right b4 that, ...... and so on and so on, but then the GPS comes along, my brain seems not working anymore, or at least it not got squeezed anymore.
Yeap, and I love your term "blindly"

 

[gerryc]

Then 930 is again back in the Car. Not for Navigation. This time, I have moved forward. Installed Event Logger, Tripmaster, and back at home I connect to the computer and enjoying watching my routes in the google earth... I expect to be reading more on the the topic of GPS.. This is another interesting area worth exploring. Almost like having my first personal computer.

 

[Ramsin]

It was our first time to drive from Saskatchewan all the way to S.Diego.

For safety and assurances we were equipped with:

1. triptik from CAA. maps, guide books.. our route is
via i-15

2. Tomtom 930T.

The triptik was handy as my son enjoyed marking down our position.

The tomtom930T was very useful in getting us back into the freeway
after exploring towns and cities along the way. no longer did we have
to stop and look at the paper maps to find our bearing.
We just 'blindly' followed tomtom's instruction and sure enough there is I-15
again.

Evertime we stop over and check-in a hotel along the way, I set the 'Home' position to be that of the hotel. Then we go out and explore the city. When its time to go back to hotel, I simply do a 'Navigate' to 'Home'.

The only problem is it spoiled me into not remembering the streets.
I used to be very good at remembering landmarks... but with the tomtom,
it is telling you already where to turn.

The POI's helped especially in looking for accomodations.

Some issues came up on some higways from Saskatchewan to Alberta.
The gps shows our location but it's not positioned correctly on the
maps. usually 'beside the road'. My solution is to zoom out the display to be assured that we are still going in the right direction.

Anyway now the vacation is over. The tomtom is of no use because I do know my way around our small city.

I guess I'll keep it for next vacation. Or lend it to a friend who is going on their vacation soon.

You should keep it because it's a great MP3 player with the FM transmitter.