Dacia Duster.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Gary and Big Al; yes I too always drive to within a few miles of my destination then pull over and set the SatNav; As you rightly say Alan anyone can find the cities etc easily enough but it's always the final bit which is the problem. I found our previous TomTom to prefer motorways although an alternative route could be selected; out of curiosity I once set it for a trip to Boundary Mills in Colne a journey Bron and I have done many times; we ended up down the M62 doing 50 miles when our normal but slower route is only 38 miles.

Try Leeds for a one way system? I know people who simply will not drive into Leeds but in fairness to our SatNav I found it most useful on the whole and now wouldn't be without one. I don't think I'll ever like mobile phones but I do like the SatNav.

The new Garmin SatNav I'm interested in buying looks to be an improvement over the previous TomTom in that it gives clear lane instructions which I'm sure will prove very useful to me; reading road signs I find hopeless; a few months ago Bron and I were returning home from Hull on unfamiliar roads heading a line of vehicles and came across a roundabout with numerous exits; we wanted the Leeds exit and the road signs had lists of names; we went round the roundabout three times until we found Leeds direction was virtually on the ground on a separate small sign which I missed each time around; even the TomTom wasn't of any use because all the exits were so close together. Hopefully the new Garmin will be much better?

I used to use the printed Google maps before obtaining SatNav but even these could be highly frustrating; heading down the M62 towards the then newly opened Trafford Centre and not wanting to miss the junction I remained in the nearside lane and of course by doing so got behind a huge vehicle blocking all road signs until the signs whizzed by. I wasn't aware the M62 diverted the nearside lane to Bury until I was already committed; it took miles to regain our journey.

One thing I found highly useful with the TomTom was the distance indicator backed up by voice commands; with traffic lights and junctions close together I could watch the distance read off in yards knowing I had taken the correct junction and this was also backed up by the voice saying turn either left or right etc so I do like SatNav.

We pay our money and take our choice Lawrence; I prefer SatNav over paper maps and paper maps don't give radar trap warnings which is so important around Huddersfield; 17 speed cameras in one three mile road length as an example; speed cameras are not meant to make money so why locate them just a few yards where the speed is reduced? Thanks for the link Lawrence; in this instance the council acknowledge the problem to be unusual but which is the quicker to update; Google maps or SatNav. Yesterday afternoon we had a low helicopter overhead which we believed to be taking pictures; I should have combed my hair?

At the moment I need a car to attach a SatNav to because Bron and I are awaiting the phone call to say our new Fabia is ready for collection?

Thanks Colin; yes I would soon adjust to driving the Roomster and get used to its various controls. Returning home in the Roomster yesterday was rather strange because wanting to slow down I eased off on the accelerator pedal but the engine kept on pulling; I had to drop a gear in order to slow down; it felt rather weird with the engine pulling against the brakes? As you say though Colin it might be just a case of getting used to driving it. I've test driven a Monte Carlo so already know what a delight our new Monte is going to be. We too have chosen the petrol engine Colin and gone for the 105 which is incredible for a 1.2? Skoda's are wonderful these days and anyone joking about them obviously hasn't driven one?

Heavy rain; hail and thunder is our forecast for today so I feel like getting the brush and paint out to do a bit of exterior painting after all everything is normal?

Nice one Lawrence; tell em to get a SatNav?

Kind regards, Col.