nightmail:
I use a Tomtom 6200 Pro and really struggle to change the vehicle dimensions. No idea what Im doing wrong, trouble is one day Ive got a 7.5 tonne and the next a double decker. (any ideas?)Always got a proper map though.
every time you put a route in,it allows you to set truck dimensions.
Pat Hasler:
…obviously there is a fault with the way it’s set up.
Out of interest, what’s the difference between someone inputting the wrong address into the system and someone putting the “invoice to” address as the “deliver to” address when they are different?
If they gave you the same details on a manifest, you’d still have gotten to the wrong address but we wouldn’t have heard about it. 
The only problems that I have had in the last ten years have all been down to duff information from various offices.
It only needs someone to spell something wrong or give the digits of a postcode wrong and the poor ole driver is stuffed .
A google check is usually the answer but warehouse or factory addresses are often not published on a company web site .
The problems are often compounded by dealing through third or fourth parties and often across borders .
We regularly dealt with one transport company that for over 10 yrs never got an address or load details correct , not helpful at 3am in a foreign country.
Sat navs are only as good as the information entered and the person interpretating it .
They are a guide only .
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Pat Hasler:
biggriffin:
It’s American, nuff said.Yep, ‘American’ without which you wouldn’t have sat nav systems in the first place… There’s a good old saying ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ How about ‘America’ switching off all access to satelites from other nations ? then you would be well and truly in the crap.
Not Really, just be careful of all that American bull… because GPS, or Global Positioning System, is only one of the four Global Navigation Satellite Systems.
The four global GNSS systems are – GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China).
Galileo was mostly built in Guildford no less by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited.
Don’t want to sound like I’m harassing you Pat but some fake news has to be called out for what it is even if this comes as a major surprise to your colleagues in the U.S.
robroy:
I know you hate sat navs Pat, but tbf they are spot on if used properly,…and this is from somebody who went without one for 25 years or so.
I would not be without it today, it has kinda revolutionised the job tbh.
I’m just going to pop outside and check the night sky for flying pigs 
Hurryup&wait:
Pat Hasler:
biggriffin:
It’s American, nuff said.Yep, ‘American’ without which you wouldn’t have sat nav systems in the first place… There’s a good old saying ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ How about ‘America’ switching off all access to satelites from other nations ? then you would be well and truly in the crap.
Not Really, just be careful of all that American bull… because GPS, or Global Positioning System, is only one of the four Global Navigation Satellite Systems.
The four global GNSS systems are – GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China).
Galileo was mostly built in Guildford no less by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited.
Don’t want to sound like I’m harassing you Pat but some fake news has to be called out for what it is even if this comes as a major surprise to your colleagues in the U.S.
Yes’n’No.
GPS had been around, since the seventies, and available for public use since the eighties hasn’t it?
Galileo has been operational only a few years. Galileo will be more accurate than GPS for civilian use, but that is due to choices of the US military who get much more acurate results from their own system.
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Franglais:
Yes’n’No.
GPS had been around, since the seventies, and available for public use since the eighties hasn’t it?
Galileo has been operational only a few years. Galileo will be more accurate than GPS for civilian use, but that is due to choices of the US military who get much more acurate results from their own system.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Hi Franglais, I’m sure your description is good but I’m just saying the Yanks can flick the Off switch anytime but most of us won’t notice as we have alternatives nowadays.
Hurryup&wait:
Franglais:
Yes’n’No.
GPS had been around, since the seventies, and available for public use since the eighties hasn’t it?
Galileo has been operational only a few years. Galileo will be more accurate than GPS for civilian use, but that is due to choices of the US military who get much more acurate results from their own system.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Hi Franglais, I’m sure your description is good but I’m just saying the Yanks can flick the Off switch anytime but most of us won’t notice as we have alternatives nowadays.
That is true, and is a good reason to have Galileo.
Edit to add:
And getting off satnav specifically,
from Pat’s other posts he doesn’t normally wear rosy tinted specs when he talks of the US. His company do seem to be exceptional one by US standards in many ways. But his posts on working there, and society health and welfare show how fortunate we are here in the UK.
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Hurryup&wait:
robroy:
I know you hate sat navs Pat, but tbf they are spot on if used properly,…and this is from somebody who went without one for 25 years or so.
I would not be without it today, it has kinda revolutionised the job tbh.I’m just going to pop outside and check the night sky for flying pigs
Want to elaborate.?
Have a dredge through my posts bud if you can be arsed,…I’ve never said anything bad about using sat navs in the correct way, (in fact if I recalll right, one of my first posts on here was a sat nav enquiry) but I have always took the ■■■■ out of, and had contempt for the clowns who fully depend on them. 
anyone know what system the police etc use? im thinking that one will be a good choice,for finding addresses anyhow . a while back i was looking inside a cop car it had a big screen a 12 incher ,dash mount angled towards the driver
corij:
anyone know what system the police etc use? im thinking that one will be a good choice,for finding addresses anyhow . a while back i was looking inside a cop car it had a big screen a 12 incher ,dash mount angled towards the driver
They use either a Tom Tom, stuck in the window, or a Google maps app that is built into the anpr screen, that’s what the touch screen is you saw, also connects to dvla and other agencies.
robroy:
Hurryup&wait:
robroy:
I know you hate sat navs Pat, but tbf they are spot on if used properly,…and this is from somebody who went without one for 25 years or so.
I would not be without it today, it has kinda revolutionised the job tbh.I’m just going to pop outside and check the night sky for flying pigs
Have a dredge through my posts bud if you can be arsed,…I’ve never said anything bad about using sat navs in the correct way, (in fact if I recalll right, one of my first posts on here was a sat nav enquiry) but I have always took the ■■■■ out of, and had contempt for the clowns who fully depend on them.
No need to be so harsh but if I recall properly once upon a time for a very long time almost every post asking about what sat nav to buy you were quickly and very strongly in saying not to bother but learn to use a map instead.
More recently your posts have been more accepting of satnav but your post above did bring a smile to my face.
I’m with you on the map vs sat nav thing. I prefer maps and signposts too just to keep the brain engaged and understand what is where in the country and cautiously let the sat nav do the last few miles as I can’t be buying a local map for everywhere.
My nephew is driving for 3 years now and he used to go all over Europe without any map whatsoever!
In fact if I had to do more than a couple of miles without a map I would feel naked.
But the amount of mistakes, early turns or missed turns I have made when trying to follow the sat nav blindly is a bit embarrassing so will always look at a hard map or google maps first just to get a feel for what’s ahead on the final run in.
I wonder if many others struggle sometimes to follow the thing or am I on my own?
Hurryup&wait:
robroy:
Hurryup&wait:
robroy:
I know you hate sat navs Pat, but tbf they are spot on if used properly,…and this is from somebody who went without one for 25 years or so.
I would not be without it today, it has kinda revolutionised the job tbh.I’m just going to pop outside and check the night sky for flying pigs
Have a dredge through my posts bud if you can be arsed,…I’ve never said anything bad about using sat navs in the correct way, (in fact if I recalll right, one of my first posts on here was a sat nav enquiry) but I have always took the ■■■■ out of, and had contempt for the clowns who fully depend on them.No need to be so harsh but if I recall properly once upon a time for a very long time almost every post asking about what sat nav to buy you were quickly and very strongly in saying not to bother but learn to use a map instead.
More recently your posts have been more accepting of satnav but your post above did bring a smile to my face.
I’m with you on the map vs sat nav thing. I prefer maps and signposts too just to keep the brain engaged and understand what is where in the country and cautiously let the sat nav do the last few miles as I can’t be buying a local map for everywhere.
My nephew is driving for 3 years now and he used to go all over Europe without any map whatsoever!
In fact if I had to do more than a couple of miles without a map I would feel naked.
But the amount of mistakes, early turns or missed turns I have made when trying to follow the sat nav blindly is a bit embarrassing so will always look at a hard map or google maps first just to get a feel for what’s ahead on the final run in.
I wonder if many others struggle sometimes to follow the thing or am I on my own?
Hmmm… not sure I would say totally ‘‘Not to bother’’ , like I said I’ve used a standard sat nav since 07.
I admit to saying about overpriced truck ones, I’d say if anybody NEEDS (literally) that level of guidance to use a truck, then in my personal opinion they are in the wrong job and are a danger to themselves as well as everybody else.
I’ve also maybe advised a newbie to consult a map (paper, google or otherwise) to gain a geographical knowledge of the country they intend to drive in, rather than just switch it on and follow it.
How many times do you hear ‘‘It sends me this way’’ , …it ‘‘sends’’ you no bloody where, YOU are the driver
How many of these guys could give directions to another driver, or in fact actually know which bloody direction they’re actually travelling themselves.
Way I see it is using a sat nav totally without consulting another back up/assurance method in the first year of doing the job is like trying to learn a toddler to run before taking his first walking steps… it’s all about actually LEARNING the job in the true sense of the word.
Then, and maybe then we wouldn’t have so many chimps let loose on artics, and hitting bridges and the like.
BUT… on the other hand, and for arguments sake…Would you say that the chimps are actually safer with the bridge heights put in their sat navs, a kind of ‘‘false safety’’ is that as good as a safe pro driver who knows what he’s doing…A subject for discussion eh?. 
If someone only ever follow a SatNav and never cross referenced with a map, how will they know if the SatNav is good or is running them around in circles?
Only by looking at decisions made can we hope to learn and do better in the future. If we don’t check up on what SatNav is telling us, we may well be happy with the performance, but it could well be awful.
For myself, I look at what routes the satnav suggests for long runs. I have looked at quickest/shortest/economy settings. Often my own route is the same. Occasionally it’s different. When it is I try to figure out why the SatNav is suggesting a route. Sometimes it does make sense and I’ll choose that way. Often times though it’ll suggest driving a longer distance and using peage to save a single minute.
They are very clever and useful tools, but so far don’t seem to balance time/fuel/cost. Good tools perform best with a good experienced operator. (Don’t mention gearboxes here!)
As a street map they are excellent. But again I don’t follow blindly. I’ll see on overview where I want to be and plan a route. I may choose to cut through a town centre or stick to a ring road. My choice, I know time of day, and can see awkward angled junctions. If it says “turn left” into a residential area with parked cars, it may be I’ll choose to ignore that.
Often in our work we go into single track lanes or weight limiled city roads, but going around the block is often better than just storming in. Maybe I do need to go ten kliks to turn around but that’s per for the course.
IMHO don’t trust them too much. Use them but keep an idea in your head about where you are too.
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Franglais:
If someone only ever follow a SatNav and never cross referenced with a map, how will they know if the SatNav is good or is running them around in circles?
Only by looking at decisions made can we hope to learn and do better in the future. If we don’t check up on what SatNav is telling us, we may well be happy with the performance, but it could well be awful.
For myself, I look at what routes the satnav suggests for long runs. I have looked at quickest/shortest/economy settings. Often my own route is the same. Occasionally it’s different. When it is I try to figure out why the SatNav is suggesting a route. Sometimes it does make sense and I’ll choose that way. Often times though it’ll suggest driving a longer distance and using peage to save a single minute.
They are very clever and useful tools, but so far don’t seem to balance time/fuel/cost. Good tools perform best with a good experienced operator. (Don’t mention gearboxes here!)
As a street map they are excellent. But again I don’t follow blindly. I’ll see on overview where I want to be and plan a route. I may choose to cut through a town centre or stick to a ring road. My choice, I know time of day, and can see awkward angled junctions. If it says “turn left” into a residential area with parked cars, it may be I’ll choose to ignore that.
Often in our work we go into single track lanes or weight limiled city roads, but going around the block is often better than just storming in. Maybe I do need to go ten kliks to turn around but that’s per for the course.
IMHO don’t trust them too much. Use them but keep an idea in your head about where you are too.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Exactly this.
As I’ve said numerous times I criss check everything and I’ll even route the satnav to avoid a certain place of I don’t like the look of it. Yes, even if it suggests that as a route.
Some people have seen how I plan it and have asked why I bother having a satnav at all when I mainly use Google maps for info and route planning, but by checking the route and altering it to how I want it I can almost switch off that part of planning and concentrate solely on what’s around - I don’t have to worry about planning because it’s already planned and the bonus is I can see all the traffic and avoid accordingly.
It works for me, might be hassle for some, but I’ve not come unstuck doing it my way. Yet 
So let’s get this straight…the satnav took you to an address, the correct address in terms of what was inputted and you think it should have magically known the right address? And yet you think people who rely on satnav to do the job shouldn’t be drivers when you make such a very very basic mistake! Top tip- what I do is put the address in my truck TomTom and while it’s planning a route I check its the correct destination using satellite images on Google maps. Generally a foolproof method
switchlogic:
So let’s get this straight…the satnav took you to an address, the correct address in terms of what was inputted and you think it should have magically known the right address? And yet you think people who rely on satnav to do the job shouldn’t be drivers when you make such a very very basic mistake! Top tip- what I do is put the address in my truck TomTom and while it’s planning a route I check its the correct destination using satellite images on Google maps. Generally a foolproof method
Exactly what I do and surprisingly it seems to work every time, who’d of thought that technology can actually work and let you do away with books.
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wrighty1:
switchlogic:
So let’s get this straight…the satnav took you to an address, the correct address in terms of what was inputted and you think it should have magically known the right address? And yet you think people who rely on satnav to do the job shouldn’t be drivers when you make such a very very basic mistake! Top tip- what I do is put the address in my truck TomTom and while it’s planning a route I check its the correct destination using satellite images on Google maps. Generally a foolproof methodExactly what I do and surprisingly it seems to work every time, who’d of thought that technology can actually work and let you do away with books.
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What us this technology you speak of?
You’re not a real trucker unless you navigate using the stars.
robroy:
Hmmm… not sure I would say totally ‘‘Not to bother’’I admit to saying about overpriced truck ones, I’d say if anybody NEEDS (literally) that level of guidance to use a truck, then in my personal opinion they are in the wrong job and are a danger to themselves as well as everybody else.
I’ve also maybe advised a newbie to consult a map (paper, google or otherwise) to gain a geographical knowledge of the country they intend to drive in, rather than just switch it on and follow it.
How many times do you hear ‘‘It sends me this way’’
How many of these guys could give directions to another driver, or in fact actually know which bloody direction they’re actually travelling themselves.Way I see it is using a sat nav totally without consulting another back up/assurance method in the first year of doing the job is like trying to learn a toddler to run before taking his first walking steps… it’s all about actually LEARNING the job in the true sense of the word.
Then, and maybe then we wouldn’t have so many chimps let loose on artics, and hitting bridges and the like.BUT… on the other hand, and for arguments sake…Would you say that the chimps are actually safer with the bridge heights put in their sat navs, a kind of ‘‘false safety’’ is that as good as a safe pro driver who knows what he’s doing…A subject for discussion eh?.
No argument from me on any of that Rob especially as I was told last year by a young lad I was giving directions to get with the programme of “paperless navigation”.
I had never heard the term before but he, like most of his generation, was completely satisfied it was the best way just like recycling and online banking and I wondered briefly if I was just slow to adapt.
Amazingly he couldn’t use my map very well at all so I don’t think we will ever change their minds about maps but as you mentioned the whole bridge smacking thing has become a complete joke.
Modern trucks and Satnav have dumbed down the job quiet a bit except for bridge heights and load security which are catching out the weakest links more frequently I reckon.
I agree with you that the Satnav needs to smarten up on bridge heights as it’s loyal and devoted followers are becoming unstuck far too often. Actually make that stuck!
If they were my bridges I would erect a sturdy Shear Bar (we can call it a Chimp Bar 
) from one side to the other about a yard in front of the bridge and an inch lower.
The carnage would continue of course but no more bridge strikes, cancelled trains or huge insurance claims.
The alternative of charging proper rates and being able to pay proper wages to proper drivers seems to be last thing on the industry’s mind unfortunately 
And God forbid if I do hit one some day I think I will die of the humiliation 
There is such a lot of negative ■■■■■ posted here about satnavs and the need to keep checking on them with maps and stuff.
Get a good satnav, expect to pay about 350 for it, don’t buy a cheap one as they are ■■■■■ and will see you under a bridge with us laughing at you within 3 weeks.
Set your truck parameters up correctly, then follow the routes they give.
If you end up looking at a random bridge thinking “No, it ain’t happening” turn around and ■■■■ off on another route.
It is not rocket science.