Expensive sat navs

[constantine]

Hey Rob,

Can hear what you are saying in way, if it works for you those cheap ones, that’s cool.

Personally, can’t speak for others. I’ve never found the cheap ones as good for what I personally do. Past company gave us cheap ones, I compared it directly to my own Snooper on a couple of journeys together. Just didn’t work for me and had dubious inaccurracies in my opinion.

On a separate note got just got under £300 worth of A-Z maps in 2 years. Always carry them with me in the lorry. No-one tends to give a postcode for farms…or the right name Hence finding the closest named one in the village, similar to the incorrect details you’ve been given on a map is a life saver.
Especially when you are deliverying or collecting plant, if it is for say like an EA river clearance. As even the farm doesn’t even know what you are on about or are doing there, so you can’t even call them from Google information for example.

Or another example, when you’re doing sugarbeet, what field you are collecting it from, is between such and such unnamed lanes near such and such farms

I also spent good money on a big expensive AA Trucker’s Atlas for the UK with bridge heights and weight restrictions on, for general route planning. So I’d say Beetee07 didn’t really overspend.

Got an old S2000 truck sat nav - 2nd one baby - 1st one was brand new and cost me £200, broke down 6 years later after heavy use and 1 repair. 2nd Snooper was a used one and is still going strong only cost £80 off Ebay.

I use it a lot for general routing on the low loader, espeically doing long or wide loads that fall under the C+U regs and it’s very good and very handy…seriously. It has kept me out of trouble in locations I rarely visit, like in the deepest darkest South West or even worse Wales

It’s really useful for setting out your STGO loads movement order routes in, so you can follow the route to a T. Also helps you get the route clear in your head as you’re entering it in, whilst cross checking it directly against maps. It has also found STGO routes set by the office, where they have just used Google, that would have got me in some serious ■■■■ especially with weight limits and weak bridges. In turn it has given us time to work out an ammendment and re-submit before we moved the load in question.

This has given me confidence while I’m going along that I’m not going to make a wrong turn and ■■■■ it up for myself and everyone else…I don’t rely on my escorts navigational ability, usually more hassle than they are worth 90% of the time and they have proven it to me the hard way.

With the sat nav following the designated route, it gives me more time to concentrate on keeping the pace up, position of the outfit right, watching out for the determined kamikazees on the road and keeping out of the way of the rest of you as quick as I can. However with no sound on, I find checking the screen and the surroundings outside the windscreen keeps me alert to where I am and particular hazards are coming up in a mile for example steep hills etc. Information you’re likely to only find on a decent truck sat nav…again only my limited opinon.

So to me it’s an awesome tool and worth every penny.

PS I also use a free phone app called WAZE which is awesome for very recent hazards up ahead, minor roadworks, traffic congestion and even real time upto date road closures which can happen while you are en-route. All handy in this day and age, keeps me fighting the clock to get home within time and on time as much as possible.

C

[robroy]

Constantine:
Hey Rob,

Can hear what you are saying in way, if it works for you those cheap ones, that’s cool.

Personally, can’t speak for others. I’ve never found the cheap ones as good for what I personally do. Past company gave us cheap ones, I compared it directly to my own Snooper on a couple of journeys together. Just didn’t work for me and had dubious inaccurracies in my opinion.

On a separate note got just got under £300 worth of A-Z maps in 2 years. Always carry them with me in the lorry. No-one tends to give a postcode for farms…or the right name Hence finding the closest named one in the village, similar to the incorrect details you’ve been given on a map is a life saver.
Especially when you are deliverying or collecting plant, if it is for say like an EA river clearance. As even the farm doesn’t even know what you are on about or are doing there, so you can’t even call them from Google information for example.

Or another example, when you’re doing sugarbeet, what field you are collecting it from, is between such and such unnamed lanes near such and such farms

I also spent good money on a big expensive AA Trucker’s Atlas for the UK with bridge heights and weight restrictions on, for general route planning. So I’d say Beetee07 didn’t really overspend.

Got an old S2000 truck sat nav - 2nd one baby - 1st one was brand new and cost me £200, broke down 6 years later after heavy use and 1 repair. 2nd Snooper was a used one and is still going strong only cost £80 off Ebay.

I use it a lot for general routing on the low loader, espeically doing long or wide loads that fall under the C+U regs and it’s very good and very handy…seriously. It has kept me out of trouble in locations I rarely visit, like in the deepest darkest South West or even worse Wales

It’s really useful for setting out your STGO loads movement order routes in, so you can follow the route to a T. Also helps you get the route clear in your head as you’re entering it in, whilst cross checking it directly against maps. It has also found STGO routes set by the office, where they have just used Google, that would have got me in some serious [zb] especially with weight limits and weak bridges. In turn it has given us time to work out an ammendment and re-submit before we moved the load in question.

This has given me confidence while I’m going along that I’m not going to make a wrong turn and [zb] it up for myself and everyone else…I don’t rely on my escorts navigational ability, usually more hassle than they are worth 90% of the time and they have proven it to me the hard way.

With the sat nav following the designated route, it gives me more time to concentrate on keeping the pace up, position of the outfit right, watching out for the determined kamikazees on the road and keeping out of the way of the rest of you as quick as I can. However with no sound on, I find checking the screen and the surroundings outside the windscreen keeps me alert to where I am and particular hazards are coming up in a mile for example steep hills etc. Information you’re likely to only find on a decent truck sat nav…again only my limited opinon.

So to me it’s an awesome tool and worth every penny.

PS I also use a free phone app called WAZE which is awesome for very hazards up ahead, minor roadworks, traffic congestion and even real time upto date road closures which can happen while you are en-route. All handy in this day and age, keeps me fighting the clock to get home within time and on time as much as possible.

C

Hiya mate. Yeh that was the type of answer to my point I was looking for, (not the usual smart arse pompous type by our opinionated agency speciaist Mr Conor) you have explained and justified the use of what I termed over specced kit.
On your job I reckon you need every ounce of guidance and help, it’s average driver Joe with his load of bog rolls for Tesco who says he NEEDS all this ■■■■ to complete his journey down the M1, that I find hard to get my head round.

I see your point if you are on speciaist type heavy haulage, you don’t want to end up down Mr and Mrs Ponsonby- Smythes driveway in a leafy suburb in a Convoi Exceptionell type combination.

I have not embraced technology as much as you, not because I’m too thick (arguably to some, I know ) but not really that interested. I’m old school and was brought up on maps initiative and common sense,. Athough I did renege and buy a Tom Tom Europe about 6 yrs ago when I was going over the water, despite managing for 30 yrs previous without one . I admit now that I would not be without it.

In my present job I am down Cornwall and Devon every week delivering steel sheds which means going to a lot of remote farms.
Some of the roads I am sent down are ■■■■■■ unbelievable, …dykes hitting both mirrors, tight narrow bends with millimetres to manouvere and with my arse chewing the seat a lot of times, so I reckon even if I did have a proper truck s/nav it would forbid me to go down most of them anyway, as deemed unsuitable, so what would be the point.

How I deal with it is to get assurance from the despatching co that there is artic access. They call the farmer and check google Earth and all the rest of it.
If I am told by locals in the vicinity that it is particularly tight, I ring my own boss for clearance, so that it is HIS decision, that is all arse clearing excercises complete to start with on my part.

I then ring the farmer before leaving last A/B road for proper directions,…if in doubt en route I will ring him again and again.

So far it has worked for me but you do get the odd one who is only interested in getting his kit at all costs, and when you arrive in some tight arsed impossible turning ■■■■ hole he will say something like "Well the bin lorry manages every week’’ …pricks.
So I do get into some really errr interesting sites. but I.m never one to get too stressed just take it as it comes…hope never to appear on you tube hanging from a crane ( which you would maybe deliver ) but safe in the knowledge I have completed all arse clearing excecises if one day it does go ■■■■ up.

[beetee07]

robroy:

beetee07:
I have had both the cheap eBay nav and the big money navs. I found with the cheap ones they are a total pain in the but to update the maps.

So I bought a snooper which I have no complaints with except it packed. Up when I was out and about so I bought a garmin both are truck navs both have different features which I like.
Snooper fixed the unit free of charge so that’s why I have two plus both are easy to update maps and software,
When I got rid of all my maps I had a little count up on how much they had cost me probably over a 5 year period and in was nigh on £5 to 600 pounds I’ve he’d both sat navs at least 4 years .

Errr I think I understand that, but correct me if I’m wrong.
Are you saying you had maps before sat navs to the value of 600 quid? and only in 5 years. That is £120 a year on maps. Are you a driver or a [zb] explorer?

No explorer but I was one of the few drivers that updated my local area maps yearly as they changed so maps work out expensive compares to sat navs over the course of say 4 or 5 years compared to a sat nav that lasts anything up to 10 years and no cost for new maps.

[robroy]

beetee07:

robroy:

beetee07:
I have had both the cheap eBay nav and the big money navs. I found with the cheap ones they are a total pain in the but to update the maps.

So I bought a snooper which I have no complaints with except it packed. Up when I was out and about so I bought a garmin both are truck navs both have different features which I like.
Snooper fixed the unit free of charge so that’s why I have two plus both are easy to update maps and software,
When I got rid of all my maps I had a little count up on how much they had cost me probably over a 5 year period and in was nigh on £5 to 600 pounds I’ve he’d both sat navs at least 4 years .

Errr I think I understand that, but correct me if I’m wrong.
Are you saying you had maps before sat navs to the value of 600 quid? and only in 5 years. That is £120 a year on maps. Are you a driver or a [zb] explorer?

No explorer but I was one of the few drivers that updated my local area maps yearly as they changed so maps work out expensive compares to sat navs over the course of say 4 or 5 years compared to a sat nav that lasts anything up to 10 years and no cost for new maps.

Must just be me then mate, never felt the need to buy a map EVERY year
In fact some of mine date back to the 80s
I’m looking forward to that new orbital thingy M25 being built, I’m totally ■■■■■■ off with driving through bloody London for the last 30 odd years, maybe I will buy a new map when it’s complete.

[beetee07]

I wouldn’t bother you’ll never get round it. It’s ok for parking though.[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[constantine]

robroy:
I have not embraced technology as much as you, not because I’m too thick (arguably to some, I know ) but not really that interested. I’m old school and was brought up on maps initiative and common sense,. Athough I did renege and buy a Tom Tom Europe about 6 yrs ago when I was going over the water, despite managing for 30 yrs previous without one . I admit now that I would not be without it.

Hey Rob,

Don’t worry bud, i’m rebelling against technology at my age of 35. Despise my "un"smart phone most days bar the calendar and Waze applications. It will never rival a computer in my eyes, well not in the near future. Still love the maps and the sat nav, between them they fill in a lot of many unknowns when I’m going into a blind location/area I’ve never visited before. As I ain’t got the benefit of 30 years driving behind me yet…to fill some of the holes in my current knowledge.

Like your use of french - Still ain’t got a clue of what “Convoi Exceptionell” really means as it doesn’t really explain the hazard you are causing at all. I don’t think it explains the situation as well as a Wide or Long Load sign. But hey what do I know, why would you want to convey the information in a condensed form to the other road users you are about to inconvience…

robroy:
In my present job I am down Cornwall and Devon every week delivering steel sheds which means going to a lot of remote farms.
Some of the roads I am sent down are [zb] unbelievable, …dykes hitting both mirrors, tight narrow bends with millimetres to manouvere and with my arse chewing the seat a lot of times, so I reckon even if I did have a proper truck s/nav it would forbid me to go down most of them anyway, as deemed unsuitable, so what would be the point.

Wouldn’t say I sit in the specialist type heavy haulage like the Allelys, those boys would think we were “small” heavy haulage and yeah I’m kinda of the same opinion as them. They really know where they are going well in advance because of the specialist planning and additional permits they require and have proper police ■■■■■■. You’re really only heavy on STGO Cat 3 work…that’s when you become a “fat” lorry in my opinion until then you’re an amateur heavy lorry

As for stuff like you describe above, most of us in plant/general agricultural/construction/wide load have that experience like you on a daily occurrence. You just got to go with your eyes and gut feelings, which you do as well. I also apologise to the greater public who are road users. I have stopped at times in the middle of the road and walked the last part of the route especially if cars parked in layby’s outside their cottages etc to make sure I wouldn’t smash anything up. Sorry

I’ve stopped chewing the seat now as if it ■■■■■ up, usually I’ve done everything in my power to prevent it. And boy have I got involved in a few situations but all turned out good in the end. Still haven’t made You Tube yet!!!

You’d be suprised the sat nav will also try and take you down some god foresaken routes as it knows that’s the only choice, they are not completely rubbish on that front.
Good point on that front is sat nav will give you the overall plan of the entire route and if you zoom out enough before you leave you can look at road layouts, particulary bends and road number designations and see if there is a better route close to where you need to go and waypoint around using that new route. At the end of the day you have to weigh up whether you want to or have to follow it to get where you have too. Bar London on the 16.5t night time routes it has a lot of problems with them when its 1100 in the morning■■?

robroy:
So far it has worked for me but you do get the odd one who is only interested in getting his kit at all costs, and when you arrive in some tight arsed impossible turning [zb] hole he will say something like "Well the bin lorry manages every week’’ …pricks.
So I do get into some really errr interesting sites. but I.m never one to get too stressed just take it as it comes…hope never to appear on you tube hanging from a crane ( which you would maybe deliver ) but safe in the knowledge I have completed all arse clearing excecises if one day it does go ■■■■ up.

Yeah you get quite a few farmers who’ve done above. Always good to pass the buck back and say you’ve sent me in this way, against the use of all the other available information maps, sat nav, phone nav, google views or satellite images. You’re going to be pulling me out with your quad track tractor and damaging your gear…yep chains and strops do snap when being pulled out. Otherwise we’ll charge you for specialist recovery. That smartens up the attitude quite quickly as they know how much that’ll be.

Low and behold you’ll usually find on the way out empty, there was a better way in that you suggested yourself initially, but as you didn’t know the area well enough you trusted the locals.

C

[indigojo]

Yes, £350 for a sat-nav does seem expensive, but I guess they’re that way because the manufacturers see them as an investment for someone possibly building their career or business. I’m not convinced that the extra information on height and weight limits etc really justifies the cost, but they are still necessary. I used maps when I first started out, but when you’re doing agency work, you can’t always find out where you’ll be going the night before and so you won’t know which map book to bring.

[oddeh]

Conor:
Personally I’d rather do everything I can to take as much stress out of the job as possible.

Quite.

This topic seems to come up quite regularly, as if being able to read a map isn’t a skill or achievement that any idiot can manage.

[robroy]

Oddeh:

Conor:
Personally I’d rather do everything I can to take as much stress out of the job as possible.

Quite.

This topic seems to come up quite regularly, as if being able to read a map isn’t a skill or achievement that any idiot can manage.

That would be correct if it was a sat nav/ map debate, which it isn’t we’ve established we all use them including me.
As I keep saying, it’s about how much detail do you actually NEED in your job. and whether a top range sat nav is too overspecced.

■■■■ me it’s like pulling teeth.

Btw sorry to put you down on your first post.
Welcome to Trucknet

[d-ya_not]

Constantine:

robroy:
I have not embraced technology as much as you, not because I’m too thick (arguably to some, I know ) but not really that interested. I’m old school and was brought up on maps initiative and common sense,. Athough I did renege and buy a Tom Tom Europe about 6 yrs ago when I was going over the water, despite managing for 30 yrs previous without one . I admit now that I would not be without it.

Hey Rob,

Don’t worry bud, i’m rebelling against technology at my age of 35. Despise my "un"smart phone most days bar the calendar and Waze applications. It will never rival a computer in my eyes, well not in the near future. Still love the maps and the sat nav, between them they fill in a lot of many unknowns when I’m going into a blind location/area I’ve never visited before. As I ain’t got the benefit of 30 years driving behind me yet…to fill some of the holes in my current knowledge.

Like your use of french - Still ain’t got a clue of what “Convoi Exceptionell” really means as it doesn’t really explain the hazard you are causing at all. I don’t think it explains the situation as well as a Wide or Long Load sign. But hey what do I know, why would you want to convey the information in a condensed form to the other road users you are about to inconvience…

robroy:
In my present job I am down Cornwall and Devon every week delivering steel sheds which means going to a lot of remote farms.
Some of the roads I am sent down are [zb] unbelievable, …dykes hitting both mirrors, tight narrow bends with millimetres to manouvere and with my arse chewing the seat a lot of times, so I reckon even if I did have a proper truck s/nav it would forbid me to go down most of them anyway, as deemed unsuitable, so what would be the point.

Wouldn’t say I sit in the specialist type heavy haulage like the Allelys, those boys would think we were “small” heavy haulage and yeah I’m kinda of the same opinion as them. They really know where they are going well in advance because of the specialist planning and additional permits they require and have proper police ■■■■■■. You’re really only heavy on STGO Cat 3 work…that’s when you become a “fat” lorry in my opinion until then you’re an amateur heavy lorry

As for stuff like you describe above, most of us in plant/general agricultural/construction/wide load have that experience like you on a daily occurrence. You just got to go with your eyes and gut feelings, which you do as well. I also apologise to the greater public who are road users. I have stopped at times in the middle of the road and walked the last part of the route especially if cars parked in layby’s outside their cottages etc to make sure I wouldn’t smash anything up. Sorry

I’ve stopped chewing the seat now as if it [zb] up, usually I’ve done everything in my power to prevent it. And boy have I got involved in a few situations but all turned out good in the end. Still haven’t made You Tube yet!!!

You’d be suprised the sat nav will also try and take you down some god foresaken routes as it knows that’s the only choice, they are not completely rubbish on that front.
Good point on that front is sat nav will give you the overall plan of the entire route and if you zoom out enough before you leave you can look at road layouts, particulary bends and road number designations and see if there is a better route close to where you need to go and waypoint around using that new route. At the end of the day you have to weigh up whether you want to or have to follow it to get where you have too. Bar London on the 16.5t night time routes it has a lot of problems with them when its 1100 in the morning■■?

robroy:
So far it has worked for me but you do get the odd one who is only interested in getting his kit at all costs, and when you arrive in some tight arsed impossible turning [zb] hole he will say something like "Well the bin lorry manages every week’’ …pricks.
So I do get into some really errr interesting sites. but I.m never one to get too stressed just take it as it comes…hope never to appear on you tube hanging from a crane ( which you would maybe deliver ) but safe in the knowledge I have completed all arse clearing excecises if one day it does go ■■■■ up.

Yeah you get quite a few farmers who’ve done above. Always good to pass the buck back and say you’ve sent me in this way, against the use of all the other available information maps, sat nav, phone nav, google views or satellite images. You’re going to be pulling me out with your quad track tractor and damaging your gear…yep chains and strops do snap when being pulled out. Otherwise we’ll charge you for specialist recovery. That smartens up the attitude quite quickly as they know how much that’ll be.

Low and behold you’ll usually find on the way out empty, there was a better way in that you suggested yourself initially, but as you didn’t know the area well enough you trusted the locals.

C

Great post chum
Everything you post is so entertaining.

[oddeh]

robroy:
Btw sorry to put you down on your first post.
Welcome to Trucknet

Don’t worry, I don’t take robust responses to heart.

As Conor quite rightly points out, any advancement (whether that means you think they’re over specced or not) which makes a job less stressful and means less for the driver to concentrate on is fine by me. Of course the usual disclaimers of still being alert in the event you’re lead down an unsuitable route apply.

[robroy]

Oddeh:

robroy:
Btw sorry to put you down on your first post.
Welcome to Trucknet

Don’t worry, I don’t take robust responses to heart.

As Conor quite rightly points out, any advancement (whether that means you think they’re over specced or not) which makes a job less stressful and means less for the driver to concentrate on is fine by me. Of course the usual disclaimers of still being alert in the event you’re lead down an unsuitable route apply.

Do you not think that less to concentrate on has an adverse effect on driving quality and general alertness. We have evolved over the years with the advent of Auto boxes etc where little or no skill or concentration is required to actually ‘handle’ a truck, so is the removal of looking out for potential hazards such as low bridges etc, not the final nail in the coffin of a true and proper driver.
As for if a driver is ‘stressed’ surely depends on the character and make up of the individual driver does it not. Some would find a situation stressful where another would take it in their stride.

[liberty_guy]

robroy:
We have evolved over the years with the advent of Auto boxes etc where little or no skill or concentration is required to actually ‘handle’ a truck, so is the removal of looking out for potential hazards such as low bridges etc, not the final nail in the coffin of a true and proper driver.

A ‘clever’ truck should be able to duck as it approaches a low bridge.

[constantine]

D-ya not?:
Great post chum
Everything you post is so entertaining.

Thanks Bud

C

[conor]

nightline:
How the hell did we manage a lot of years ago, well maybe not that long ago, you got your papers and a envelope with your float and sometimes your fuel money as well, no cards or sat nav, all you needed was a map and a pen and paper when you stopped for directions

If you were lucky you found a petrol station where someone would have half a clue. A lot of time was wasted trying to find places and find people who could give you directions and invariably they’d forget to mention the bridges you couldn’t get over or the weight limits you couldn’t go through. And if you were lucky enough to have somewhere covered in an A to Z you spent your time crawling through the city trying to read a map, change gear and steer all at the same time.

It was crap in comparison to now.

[conor]

robroy:
Do you not think that less to concentrate on has an adverse effect on driving quality and general alertness.

Yes. The less you have to concentrate on that is not driving the more you can concentrate on driving so the less likely you are to run over a cyclist when making a left turn in London.

We have evolved over the years with the advent of Auto boxes etc where little or no skill or concentration is required to actually ‘handle’ a truck,

Disagree. The skill and concentration is still required to handle a truck, you just don’t need to change gear any more. If you brake too hard you can still jacknife or knacker the load. If you corner too fast you can still put a truck on its side.

so is the removal of looking out for potential hazards such as low bridges etc, not the final nail in the coffin of a true and proper driver.

But you’re not removing the looking out for potential hazards by using a Satnav that has low bridges and weight/width limits on. In fact if anything, because you’ve not got your head buried in your A to Z and trying to follow both your route on a map over several pages and drive down the road at the same time, you’ve got MORE time to look out for potential hazards.

[robroy]

Conor:

robroy:
Do you not think that less to concentrate on has an adverse effect on driving quality and general alertness.

Yes. The less you have to concentrate on that is not driving the more you can concentrate on driving so the less likely you are to run over a cyclist when making a left turn in London.

We have evolved over the years with the advent of Auto boxes etc where little or no skill or concentration is required to actually ‘handle’ a truck,

Disagree. The skill and concentration is still required to handle a truck, you just don’t need to change gear any more. If you brake too hard you can still jacknife or knacker the load. If you corner too fast you can still put a truck on its side.

so is the removal of looking out for potential hazards such as low bridges etc, not the final nail in the coffin of a true and proper driver.

But you’re not removing the looking out for potential hazards by using a Satnav that has low bridges and weight/width limits on. In fact if anything, because you’ve not got your head buried in your A to Z and trying to follow both your route on a map over several pages and drive down the road at the same time, you’ve got MORE time to look out for potential hazards.

How many more times’ I don’t use A to ■■■■ Zs anymore, we have established that most of us use sat navs, some of us need hi spec ones, some of us don’t.

Try telling those that blindly follow sat navs and end up in deep ■■■■ for whatever reason, because of …for instance cheap quality unreliable sat navs, (read some reviews of crap Chinese ones on here) general stupidity or both, that you are not removing the looking out for potential hazard, it apparently did for them, just look on the ‘following sat nav’ items on you tube.

[oddeh]

Conor:
If you were lucky you found a petrol station where someone would have half a clue. A lot of time was wasted trying to find places and find people who could give you directions and invariably they’d forget to mention the bridges you couldn’t get over or the weight limits you couldn’t go through. And if you were lucky enough to have somewhere covered in an A to Z you spent your time crawling through the city trying to read a map, change gear and steer all at the same time.

It was crap in comparison to now.

This sort of reminds me of the time my dad (a bus driver) finished late one night and on his way home was flagged down by a foreign lorry driver trying to find the Schmitz Cargobull factory in Harelaw. The language barrier meant he was going nowhere and in the end got in the cab and directed him there! Bless him.

Any sort of satnav would’ve been a blessing back then.

[terry_t]

trubster:
With that, I can be sent anywhere in Europe and be assured that I will not be sent towards a low bridge

Don’t put so much faith in TomTom, I have one and it doesn’t have every bridge. It has most I’ll give it that but it has let me down once or twice over the years.

[raymundo]

I have a £200 Garmin and if you come out of the map page it shows you how far to destination, next turn in X miles/ yards etc, click down and other info comes up saying 'cost £■■.■■. How the hell does it work that out because it’s used in different motors? I’ve never set the function up because I can not find where you do that, tried hard enough as well.

edit … sorted, it’s under the ‘eco-route’ app.