RE: GPS

["Tom Brown" <tbrown@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob:

I'm sure you are correct about all this.  Punching a way-point and telling
the thing to take you there sounds a lot easier than locating a town and
typing in the name, which can be a bit of a pain.   I'll try this next time
I'm out.    

I don't use any sound with my Zumo, even in the car.  Drives me batty.  

One trick I found that's pretty good is to press the top border of the map
on the screen where your location is.  You hit that and it lists the route
instructions in order with the miles to each one.  This is great for
reviewing what you've told it to do to see if it makes sense.  It's also
sometimes easier to follow these instructions rather than the arrows on the
map.  

I amaze my friends with my ability to find really good roads on trips, but
they ask me, "Where are you going next?"  I say "I think I'll follow the
pink line."   They hate that!  They want the same exact route as I have in
their GPS.   I tell them to lead and they back off.   The day is saved.  

-TB

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Silas [mailto:robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:42 PM
To: Tom Brown; BMW Oilhead List
Subject: Re: GPS

John,
Tom summarized all.
I'd like to mention that, in my opinion, you should install the GPS as high 
as it is possible, may be a bit even higher..... since you have the same RS 
as I do I know the possibilities. I bought Touratech's lockable unit for the

RS and installed it as per instruction. I rode 20 km and almost had two 
accident. After that I used the top-half of the support only and installed 
the unit almost eye level on the left hand side of the bar. Photo is 
available if wanted.

I found that waypoints are very useful for places you go sometimes but do 
not keep direction in mind. Also, I travel by waypoints if I have no 
particular address to go to. Here comes the touch screen most usefull. I got

into an 8 lane traffic jamb going North in Chicago. Finaly I managed to get 
out of that and I found myself at a corner, not knowing where I was. I knew 
that I have to be on the West bound side of I-80 so I just touched I-80 on 
the screen, made it to a waypoint and pressed the button "gothere" It took 
me there.

In case you take the wrong turn (voice instruction sometimes not too 
acurate) it will say: "out route, recalculating" and will give you a new 
direction. As Tom said, use "fastest Route" always. Once, when I used the 
shortest way, it took me through farm lands, gravel roads which were used 
for harvesting and there were markings: travel at your own risk.

If it's for nothing else, you can always see where you are, which town is 
coming up, if there is a river somewhere beside you etc.
The "off route" option is also very useful. You put in an address and choose

the third option of way travel. This will stretch a "rubber line" between 
you and the address at all times. You just have to shorten this line to get 
to its end. This is similar like flying by a radio line, like an "OMNI" 
instrument.

By changing "page" of the GPS you can see a list with milage to go, 
estimated time of arrival, just thee same way you would outline a trip on a 
paper. Change page ones ore and you will see how many settlelite are keeping

your track, you present and the max. speed you reached, travelled milage and

time etc.

I love the thing, and in spite having all buttons on its right hand side I 
can easily handle it with my left hand, winter gloves on. For placing 
waypoint on the map on route, I have a retractable thinn-string key-holder 
with a pointer at its end, this is hanging on my left shoulder, which I can 
grab with my right hand  with gloves on and put an acurate point onto the 
touch-screen.
In case you are travelling with friends, to bike-to-bike communication the 
GPS is the next best thing happened to biking (touring).
Bob Silas
 





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