steviespain:
Eeeek, it´s the last ten miles that I would not want to be looking at a book for directions. You can´t just glance at a book and know which way to go. You can with a 7" screen, or bigger with a tablet.
I´ve done my time using A-Z books, ■■■■■■■■ to that, I´m getting teched up
I didn’t say I looked at a book, I said write the route down and go…basic notes is all that is needed, as long as they’re legible…as for the satnav thing, take one into London or other major cities… most of the time they can’t keep up with vehicle speed/movements and before you know it, that roundabout you needed to take the 2nd exit then immediately turn left is suddenly a distant memory and while you curse the ‘tech’, you’re driving away blindly whilst your tech tries plays catch-up! There’s pros & cons to maps or tech but if someone is like our newest driver and wanted directions to Cannock (on his first ever run out) and didn’t know where Chieveley was from Reading and said the first thing he’d have to get is a sat nav, I like to think most of us over a certain age are pretty safe in our jobs if an employer asked us the same question as the thread title!
I reckon most of us of a certain age (if they have age related work ethic) have never been more employable, nor more secure in their employment.
On the contrary with some of the muppetry that we see every day multiple times, i’m only glad i don’t have to employ the sods
Imagine being transported back in time to when sat nav etc hasn’t been invented yet.That’s also how I still drive everywhere. While if I did ever update my approach in that regard it would be along the lines of mobile access to the brilliant google maps and not over complicated sat nav.
About five years ago I had a delivery to do in Grosvenor Square Mayfair to an art gallery and as its a one way street I didn’t want to go past it so I pulled over into a gateway while the satnav sorted it’s self out. I looked around me and saw three heavily armed men dressed totally in black staring at me. I indicated and slowly drove off only to be followed by a red mini bus, I saw where I needed to be and pulled up outside and made the delivery while under the scrutiny of the men in the bus … it seems like I had pulled into the gateway of the American embassy and they were a bit nervous about white vans in thier vicinity … will admit to be shaking like a leaf though !!
Yes no problem. my first driving job was delivering camping eqipment around europe and based near nantes
i had the requisit michelin yellow map and added others as and when
now i do have a sat nav but have a collins uk map in my breifcase (and a great many a2z in abox at home) which is great for a wide overveiw and also the batteries dont wear out as mentioned its always the last 5 or ten miles that will catch you out a pre departure planning session pays dividends, GOOGLE is your friend
thunder367:
was at a job today tipping with another driver.guy who tipped on site u can go out other gate if u want turn left up to roundabout and turn left and up to a174 which would take uto a19.i already know this as id been wilton site many times and delivered in teeside many times over year.we was going to pollington to reload block.lad said ill ise satnav to guide me after loader had told us how to get out.
i asked him what he do if that packed in ohh ill use google on my phone and if that pack in u get ur map out.no i do not have one at all id parked up.i said what u dont a own a map at all what if gps was down and need to get somewhere or do a delivery ill park and wait why.said id got a map i do not really on sat nav at all to tell me how to get anywhere.will spend 10 mins looking where place is and how to get there.if i can see a better way in ill use that not why google tells me as thats what i use but only for lasy 10 mile or so if its a place ive never been.and if not fully sure ill stop before and check again to be double sure.how many can find places with out a sat nav at all and just a normal road map
I have a sat nav which does have its uses as i think most of us know could I drive with out it yep remember before we had them & not long ago mine burnt out ( new lorry one paid for due to fault ) managed the whole week with out it not always easy as just had my map ok a mate who did have his sat nav helped out at times
I think everyone could get to a drop without a satnav. It’s not that hard to read a map. I have plenty and use them occasionally if I want to take the scenic route back.
However I’m not sure why anyone would want to work without one… I’m not saying you need one. It’s a bit like cruise control. It makes your life easier. It means you have to do less work. And in the case of my tomtom it means I can get around traffic (if I want).
A satnav is just a map remember… It’s a computerised version of a map. But it’s just a map. It might tell you to turn left (but another driver might as well) it’s up to you if you take the advice or not. I really can’t understand why people get so het up about this.
mac12:
Think the worse ones are those who have to use the sat nav to get home
Or those that have it stuck on the screen when they only EVER do the same run, day after day or night after night
I didn’t put it very well but I meant the drivers who need it in there car to get home
You’d include me in that as well then. My satnav tells me about traffic. It tells me when I’m going to get home and it routes me around traffic it there is a quicker way.
Madness is having the ability to do that and potentially sit in traffic.
While if I did ever update my approach in that regard it would be along the lines of mobile access to the brilliant google maps and not over complicated sat nav.