On 12/04/2019 10:31, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 12 Apr 2019 08:37:45 -0000 (UTC), Jethro_uk
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Apr 2019 21:36:58 +0100, T i m wrote:

My GPS is stuck using the std vacuum cup to a plastic disk stuck to the
dash. The top of it is just about level with the bottom of the
windscreen (and on the Meriva and even at 6'2" I cant see the bonnet).

My ideal GPS (and these days phone) placement is in line with the dash,
or maybe slightly higher, but on the quarterlite side - to the right. So
a quick flick of the eyes picks up the key detail keeping peripheral
vision on the road.

When I've put mine there it feels 'wrong', possibly because I am so
used to having pretty well *all* my stuff in the middle (interior
mirror, radio, gear stick, clock / temp etc). So my GPS sits between
the binnacle and the info hump in the middle of that dash and so in
the same line as them and I'm still looking roughly ahead when using
them.

On the Meriva (A) it has a nasty post at the front and you often have
to look though the quaterlight to see if stuff is coming around mini
roundabouts etc. ;-(

Bottom right corner for me. I've always found it easy to glance at,
while not distracting me the rest of the time and the only view it
blocks is downwards over the wing there, so not really needed.

I suspect my - and maybe older drivers in general (?) use of sat navs
differs slightly from people who have grown up with them ... I try to
have a broad idea of where it might take me before I set off, so it's
just the last few turns that are really needed.

Same here, although I often put it on if going on more than a local
journey in case of any holdups or calls to go elsewhere when on route.

I usually have a good idea, except the detailed location in town at the
end of the journey and I often deviate from where it wants me to go -
sometimes even at the end if I can see another way onscreen.

On the other hand I sometimes have it on for journeys that I know well,
because it can warn me of traffic hold-ups and it acts as the hands-free
set for my phone.

But it seems from driving
with younger colleagues they rely on it from the off.

;-)

Meaning they can
quite happily arrive at the wrong destination if they make a fist of the
original address

Quite. I've done that but worked out that the ETA was way out before
going very far (luckily in the right direction and why I didn't
question it instantly).

Apart from navigation, having the ETA instantly to hand (after heavy
traffic etc) is really good, along with speed limit reminders and the
actual speed. The Meriva speedo is pretty well spot on but daughters
Transit Connect is out (over reading) by quite a bit. So, I have to do
an indicated 33 mph to be actually doing 30 (something that annoys me
when following others doing a constant 27mph in a 30).

It also gives me a log of my course and speed, should I get accused of
doing some very high speed when I know I wasn't (FWIW etc).

Again, maybe Garmin sucker mounts are better than others but I can't
remember it ever falling off on a journey, other than when I've put it
on one handed when leaving a car park or campsite against the clock
etc. After a proper two handed push and lever, releasing the lever
alone isn't enough to get it off again, you also have to pull the tab
on the sucker itself.

I love stuff that 'just works' and my Garmin GPS's have always ticked
that box (inc suckers, mounts [1] plugs, leads and updates etc) since
the GPS II+ ;-)

My Garmin does fall off from time to time, but with the deep dash of a
Zafira and the suckers holding the microphone wire still attached, it
only drops an inch and just sits there. However, I really need to clean
the corner of the screen better and the sucker is getting rather old (it
is a 10 year old Nuvi 610).

I'm actually going to have to change it soon, last year the map updates
became too large for even just the UK and Ireland to fit - although it
may be possible to use the SD card to expand the memory.

SteveW