is pronav the sat nav choice for motorhomers?

[Champstar]

Just had a look at the pronav sat nav currently only sold by maplins. It says you can input wieght, height axle weights and widlth and length and it will calculate the route for you. Sounds like this may be the answer for me after getting routed along country lanes and low bridges.

 

Anyone heard anything about it or is it any good at 199 maybe good value.

 

I dont think it covers Europe yet but is promised by end of Sept.

[Guest Tracker]

I use a Navman icn520 and it works very well and with good accuracy in the UK and all over Western Europe from the Nordkapp to Gibraltar.

 

I just ignore it if I don't like the look of a road - common sense applies - just check the paper map if unsure and the colour of the road on the map will give you a good idea of it's quality. No problem if you don't follow it blindly.

 

However you can't input POIs - not that I am bothered - but some folk are - and entering a route is not used friendly - but it is now an obsolete model anyway - bit like me I suppose..

 

If buying again I would probably get a TomTom.

[Mel E]

How well it works depends entirely on how well coded the maps are. There are only two major suppliers of digitised maps for SatNavs and I'm not sure either of them has yet got fully to grips with all the restrictions you mention.

 

Mel E

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[GJH]

I was tempted by the Pronav until I found (by contacting the manufacturer) that you can't store your own PoIs. I've since seen less than favourable reviews, unfortunately. See the Pocket GPS Forum

 

Graham

[cheetahdavie]

I may be out of my depth here..but is any sat nav of any use?

No one [Trades men,delivery drivers for just about all "carriers"and salesmen..EVEN double glazing salesmen..?]seem able to find my house..even after "punching it in" to their sat nav.They all end up 2/3 streets away and I usually direct them "in" by phone.Lorries get stuck under our low bridge.The nearest anyone has got is 300yds..but that is a 300yds that is not a 300 yards that can be negotiated by vehicle.

A q check on Google Maps..a run through on Google Earth ..if not sure..a map from OS..or just go as ..I tend to[Ok so I get lost but its fun]

I used sat nav in my Company car before retirement..always found it better to turn it off ..find my own way..enjoyed being late[especially "Bored" meetings]I believe sat nav is a bit like a mobile phone ..I dont want either until i am persuaded it is a "Necessity" is it are they?

[Way2Go]

I don't think you can write off a whole industry just because you happen to live up an impassable lane in some backwater.

A satnav device is an aid to navigation but some people take what it says literally.  You hear all sorts of stories about people turning into farm yards or trying to take their tugger up a bridle path etc.

The whole point is that it aids you in finding somewhere.  An aid which you don't apparently need.  That's fine and good luck but don't write off a fantasic aid just because you happen to be in a location where people kind it difficult to reach you.

I suspect that delevery drivers punch in your Post Code and I also suspect that your Post Code is quite a way from your actual front door.  The accuracy of your Post Code to your front door can vary enormously depending on the street layout and the way the area has increased over the years.

I use my satnav device for work on a daily basis but, unlike a delivery driver, I visit the same people on a regular basis so I spent some time looking at every location and making sure that when it says "You've arrived" I was outside their front gate.

I wouldn't expect a delivery driver to have the same commitment as he's making multiple drops to different places every day.  I guess his only choice is to use a Post Code and hope it gets him close enough to find you.

I think that for a relatively small outlay you can own a device which eases the strain of travelling and allows you to relax more and make driving less stressful.  But it is only an aid and people should use their common sense when given directions.

There have been numerous debates on this forum over the use of satnav and the negative comments usually come from died-in-the-wool map readers.  My answer is that no one is holding a gun to their heads making them buy one and carry on reading your maps but don't write off a product just because its not for you.

In the same way that you shouldn't write off the motor industry just because you've seen a dog run over.

W2G

[dogmad]

I agree with Way2Go, satnavs are very useful but you have to apply some common sense. If you don't like the look of a road just carry on and it will always find an alternative. We find ours invaluable while touring abroad and it's great for finding supermarkets. But, I'm a pretty good map reader and even though we mostly let TomTom guide us, I also like to know where I am on a map - just in case!

[Guest Tracker]

Oh heaven help us - has common sense entirely departed - who in their right mind would blindly follow any navigation device (including a map) when, with a bit of observation and thought, any clutz can see or sense that things are OBVIOUSLY wrong and at the very least stop and check.

 

It seems that quite a few folk leave their common sense at home when they install a satnav and I find it gobsmackingly incredible, although symptomatic of our once great but now sad country, that a human being with allegedly vast brain computing and observational powers should blame an inanimate object for his own failings.

 

It's a navigation AID - and a very useful one in my view - but the real clue is in the name - Navigation AID!

[libby]

With individual houses I've found that the navigation systems' using the post code are designed to only put you close by your intended destination.

 

This is possibly designed to prevent the criminals from "LOCATING YOUR HOME EXACTLY" after they've read a luggage lable at some departure place such as an airport.

 

Cruising up and down your road looking for an exact house number is likely to attract the notice of your neighbours. Not good for criminals.

 

Be thankfull that it's not too accurate.

[Way2Go]

Post Codes were never designed to fit a single building and are used for an area or group of buildings.  There was never any 'design' feature built in by satnav manufacturers to prevent criminals 'locating your home exactly'.

If you're after a specific address you can usually type in the town, road and house number although I've never navigated to a single house.  I navigate to premises where you know exactly when you've arrived.

[sailor girl]

I'd be LOST without my tom tom! They're brilliant inventions! Completely takes the stress out of driving, even if from time to time they take you somewhere a bit odd cos they don't quite understand what you're asking them. Yes, common sense works wonders in those situations!

 

Does anyone know if there's any way that a tom tom can detect routes with low bridges etc? I've seen a couple of new ones advertised which do this (as mentioned above) but i wouldn't want to change the one we have. Be fab if there's anything you can download that does this though.

 

Liz

[malc d]

It has recently been reported that up to 300,000 accidents a year are caused by people blindly following sat-navs, and there are murmurings among the insurance fraternity that premiums will need to be increased.

 

 

 

:-( :-(

[malc d]

Way2Go - 2008-08-22 7:25 AM

Post Codes were never designed to fit a single building and are used for an area or group of buildings.  There was never any 'design' feature built in by satnav manufacturers to prevent criminals 'locating your home exactly'.

If you're after a specific address you can usually type in the town, road and house number although I've never navigated to a single house.  I navigate to premises where you know exactly when you've arrived.

Also of course, post codes were not invented for sat-nav use. They were primarily introduced purely for post office use for deliveries and have simply been 'borrowed' for other uses, such as sat-navs.

[Way2Go]

Currently the TomTom isn't able to 'detect' low bridges but you can install a 'Low Bridge' POI which will warn you when you are approaching a low bridge on your route.

I have a 10' 6" one set up to sound an alarm at 5 miles (to allow me to take an alternative route) and at 1/2 mile to allow me time to stop should I suddenly approach one without notice.

If you'd like a 'Low Bridge' POI complete with installation instructions I'd be happy to post them for you.

All I need is the minimum height you'd feel happy going under in feet and inches.

W2G

[Champstar]

This topic seems to have deviated a bit from my original question as to whether the pronav machine would be any better for us motorhomers as you can input height ,weight, width and length..so the routing "should" take you the best way.

There doesnt seem to be much discussion anywhere and I dont want to part with my hard earned and needed cash for a device that will not be any good.

As we have only toured the UK I want something that will do the job here first (cheaply) but also correctly.

I currently use a garmin and whilst in Speyside it constantly tried to divert me down a low bridge road to get to a main route as a shortcut when infact just following the road I was on took me there anyway.

 

Has anyone heard anything of the pronav box as there now seems to be some software downloads to cure some bugs

 

cheers

[breakaleg]

Hi Champstar, I think the problem is, that no one has heared of pronav, and i don't knopw of anyone wh own's one. so can't really comment on it, although it sounds like a good idea.

You will have to be the pioneer and let us all know if it;s any good.

Pete

[sailor girl]

W2G that's extremely kind of you - thank you! The maximum height of the van is 10 foot. I think we'd be happy with any bridge higher than that. Do you need my email address or real address for it?

 

Thank you again

liz

 

 

[Way2Go]

sailor girl - 2008-08-22 3:07 PM W2G that's extremely kind of you - thank you! The maximum height of the van is 10 foot. I think we'd be happy with any bridge higher than that. Do you need my email address or real address for it? Thank you again liz

If you PM me an email address I'll get something to you over the weekend.

W2G

[drales]

bought one just before going to lincolnshire from lancashire,

it works, however, not fully mastered it yet, sometimes it goes from 3d map to 2d on it`s own don`t know why, instruction manual might be better formulated, other than that, it does the job.

drales

[sailor girl]

W2G, I've tried to PM you but the message seems to be sitting in my outbox and not sending. not done this before. Am I doing something wrong or does it just take a while?

 

thanks again

liz

[cheetahdavie]

Sorry Champstar for "diverting "your question.I dont know which system is best/better.As way2go says I dont need it,never will,I go early spend quality time and ask the locals.

I do not write off technology..I spend much of my spare time building /maintaining computers for family and friends,but i find the "flight" to technology amusing.I have a mobile but I refuse to spend more than £10 per annum on it.I dont give anyone my number,nobody calls me,I dont call back,excellent.

Again apologies for the hi-jack,I am now looking for Dog that has been run over [way2go] never seen one.

Good luck in your quest

David

[Way2Go]

sailor girl - 2008-08-22 11:05 PM W2G, I've tried to PM you but the message seems to be sitting in my outbox and not sending. thanks again liz

Hi Liz, it will sit in the outbox until the next time the recipient signs in to collect it.  We had to go out to a family dinner last night so I wasn't around.  But I've signed in, got your PM and it should have gone from your Outbox :-)

I'll get it to you over the weekend.

W2G 

[Guest Tracker]

Champstar - 2008-08-22 11:56 AM

This topic seems to have deviated a bit from my original question as to whether the pronav machine would be any better for us motorhomers as you can input height ,weight, width and length..so the routing "should" take you the best way.

cheers

 

Part of the process of any discussion involves general chat and differing points of view and, it follows, a general broadenening of the subject.

 

You could consider yourself fortunate that enough people are interested enough to keep the thread 'live' rather than grumble about not getting the precise answer that you seek by return?

 

There is no such thing as useless information - ask the government as they specialise in the dissemination of useless info - and surely any opinions on or around the topic that might help to point you in the right (for you) direction are worth reading?

[Champstar]

Hi Tracker

 

I wasnt grumbling...honest *-) *-)

 

I am glad that so many people did keep the thread going but sometimes threads do deviate away from the original post and sometimes it all gets a bit muddled..just trying to reclarify the issue.

 

 

cheers

[Tomo3090]

I've just updated my TomTom 1 Europe. We bought it last year and as we were supposed to be going away next month I decided toupdate it. However because I didn't plug it in to my computer and update the downloads every month, it would'nt play! (A lesson for us all there I think.)

 

Anyway I contacted TomTom by phone and their very helpful customer care people talked me through the process to format my machine and then download all the required software. They were very patient with me and I have nothing but good to say about them. Now my TomTom is up and running with new maps and they even showed me downloads for low bridges, aires de camping cars, "Stellenplatz", (I think that's how you spell it!), aires de sotta, (Italian aires, but again spelling might be wrong) and parking places in the UK for high vans.

 

So as you might guess by now my vote goes exclusively to TomTom!