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Old December 16th 07, 09:11 PM posted to uk.transport.london
Colin Rosenstiel Colin Rosenstiel is offline
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First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,146
Default Sat Nav v the taxi knowledge

In article ,
(Lew 1) wrote:

My TomTom says that the *fastest* route from Euston Road to Essex
Road is Pentonville Rd - City Rd - Wakley St - Goswell Rd - Islington


High St - Upper St - Islington Gn. Crazy! If you ask for the shortest


route, it sends you through Baron St and White Lion St, which is
the correct shortest and fastest route.


In my view, SatNav doesn't exist to help me get to my destination
via the fastest route and I don't expect it.

However, most routes it comes up with would always be quicker then me
driving by myself, getting lost, missing turns, stopping and consulting
a map (or, saint's preserve us - asking a local) even if it is not the
fastest route that someone who knows the area would use.

If you know what the fastest and best route it, why would you need
to follow a Sat Nav anyway?


I've never used a SatNav myself but observed an AA Relay driver following
one to my home in Cambridge from London. It nearly missed him a vital
turn in Cambridge by not understanding the layout of a long established
double mini-roundabout junction in Cambridge. If I'd not been there with
local knowledge he'd have gone straight ahead instead of turning right
and got very lost.

--
Colin Rosenstiel