GPS Nav May Be Dangerous Distraction

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.betanews.com/article/GPS_Nav_May_Be_Dangerous_Distraction/1140554400' target='_blank'>http://www.betanews.com/article/GPS_Nav_May_Be_Dangerous_Distraction/1140554400</a><br /><br /></div><i>"A British auto insurance company said on Tuesday that in-car GPS navigation systems might be doing more harm than good by distracting drivers. Even more surprising, the company's findings suggest that navigation systems could be more disruptive than trying to read a map at the wheel. The findings, released by Privilege Insurance, showed that 19 percent of drivers who used their GPS lost concentration while driving, compared to 17 percent of map readers."</i><br /><br />Funny thing about studies, they are either obvious or wrong. In this case I think it is obvious. Messing with a GPS while driving is very distracting. With a map at least you can see everything at once. The tiny GPS screen requires much more attention to find what you want. What do you think?

[hotdram]

Guilty as charged. I have a Garmin GPSMAP 60CS and just recently started using Mapopolis on my SMT-5600. I find myself trying to do things (find a waypoint, auto-route somewhere etc.) on the units while I am driving. I admit it is not the best idea, because of the small screen size and the menu structure, your eyes and mind wander. Since I got Mapopolis on the SMT-5600, I have tried being better about setting my route/destination before I am moving and not playing with the menus once I am in motion.

~Rob

[Mike Temporale]

I played with this stuff on my SMT5600, but I found it too distracting and I haven't gone back to it. Plus the fact that I am rarely in an area that I don't already know. So the whole point of GPS is lost on me. (Well, at least 90% of the time anyway)

[edgar]

Having just moved to San Francisco from Washington DC I find my GPS indispensible. However, I use it on my HX4700. I go back to an earlier post where I stated "these old eyes need higher res and more detail"

Even with a VGA 4" screen of the HX4700 I find myself zooming often enough that I know trying on a SP would be impossible. You really do have to look at them every now and then, they aren't perfect direction finders. Heck they'll take you off a freeway ramp and right back on because its a striaght line vs the actual freeway. Also, on the PPC I can simply touch the screen quickly to zoom, select an address etc, no menu hell.

I find more people distracted by cell phones, doing makeup, reading the newspaper!??, and eating then I do using a GPS. But, with them becoming more prevalent as builtins and cheaper with the tomtom go's and software - the problem will just go up.

I don't need some taxpayer paid study to tell me if you aren't watching the road you raise the chance of an accident. People are stupid, thats why they put big fences in front of cliffs - morons walk off (not a loss - I believe in Darwin's theory of evolution!). Unfortunetely when driving a 3500lb chunk of steel at 30mph and being a moron, you put good healthy non-monkey brained people at risk.


Mike
Spoken like a real man! "insert Tim Allen grunt*. I'm not lost honey, I know RIGHT where I am.! :)



-Edgar

My two cents. Can I have change please?

[Mike Temporale]

Mike
Spoken like a real man! "insert Tim Allen grunt*. I'm not lost honey, I know RIGHT where I am.! :)


:lol: It's true. I grew up here in southern Ontario and most places that I find myself travelling to, I have been before. So the GPS just doesn't offer much for most of my travel.

On the off chance I'm heading someplace that I'm not too familiar with, I will print out a MapPoint map of the area prior to leaving. That tends to be everything I need. :D

[amg212]

I've found that doing anything with my Smartphone while driving can be a serious distraction, VERY dangerous. (At least I don't try to respond to emails while going 60+ MPH like other people I know...)

However, I think that cars that have built-in GPS systems with an in-dash display are designed quite well for reducing distraction. With a large enough display, particularly one that splits the screen to show movement along the road side-by-side with the next turn, it is possible to use the system with no more than a quick glance. Just don't program your route while driving!!!

[Jerry Raia]

I've found that doing anything with my Smartphone while driving can be a serious distraction, VERY dangerous. (At least I don't try to respond to emails while going 60+ MPH like other people I know...)

:worried:

[Adam]

I used a portable Garmin GPS in my car with a dash mount and on my motorcycle with a handlebar mount. There is no question that it has REDUCED my distractions when I'm traveling in an unfamiliar area, as I don't find myself trying to read directions or look at a paper map while in motion.

A big key for me in this is to setup the route before heading out. Once under way the only thing I ever really mess with on the GPS is the zoom in/out feature.