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#1563978
Maps.me is also a good free app, and can be used offline all over the world, it also does traffic, though I've never done any rerouting with it.
Using a decent smartphone with a largish screen means you can use it for SkyDemon as well..
By PaulB
#1563993
Waze - requires a data connection but is consistently better at predicting arrival times than the Garmin unit we have.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1563994
I have an old TomTom which I haven't felt the need to replace. It doubles as the hands free for my phone. The hands free works well in the Jaguar, not quite so well in the noisier MR2! :D

It has a separate receiver for RDS traffic. While RDS traffic is certainly better than nothing, I find Google internet traffic is better, if used on an internet connected smartphone.

I have had Waze installed for a long time, since it first came out, but there was talk some while back about charging or something which I didn't really follow, but I gave up on using it. The stand alone TomTom is more convenient, if only for the mini USB power lead which is sturdier than the micro USB connection to the phone!

Some stand alone sat navs have the power fed in via the mount like my Garmin Aera 500 (which also does road!), so there's no plugging and unplugging of cables.
Last edited by Paul_Sengupta on Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1564007
Bill Haddow wrote:Don't the tablet/phone systems need a mobile phone connection? If they do, then in remote areas you won't have it when you really need it.


Depends, some do, some don't. For the maps, there are some which download the maps to use locally, such as the TomTom app. For traffic, then yes, you'll need an internet connection, whereas you won't with RDS traffic, you'll just need to be able to receive Classic FM.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1564011
Thanks for the replies folks:
I guess I was just looking for support for Tom Tom and I seem to have a fair bit of that
Coincidentally (or maybe not?) I got a mailshot direct from TomTom today undercutting Halfords price for the Go5200 by £60.
Hmmmm.....

Peter
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By davey
#1564365
Did I dream it, or was there an article recently implying that using a smartphone as a satnav was "using your phone while driving" and therefore punishable ?
By JoeC
#1564372
davey wrote:Did I dream it, or was there an article recently implying that using a smartphone as a satnav was "using your phone while driving" and therefore punishable ?


Don't know of an article but the answer is yes. You can't touch your phone whilst driving or even stationary with the engine on no matter what software it is running.

In fact you could get nicked for doing anything in your car that Mr Plod deems distracting (although this is a different offence to the mandatory 6 points and £200 fine for 'phone abuse).
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1564396
JoeC wrote:
davey wrote:Did I dream it, or was there an article recently implying that using a smartphone as a satnav was "using your phone while driving" and therefore punishable ?


Don't know of an article but the answer is yes. You can't touch your phone whilst driving or even stationary with the engine on no matter what software it is running.

Not sure about that.
The law says "hand held device". If you aren't holding it (ie - it is in a dashboard stand) it is no longer a hand held device. You can still be prosecuted for distraction - but not because it was a mobile phone.
ref: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road ... le-phones/

The change in March was to increase fines / penalty points.
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1564401
JoeC wrote:
davey wrote:Did I dream it, or was there an article recently implying that using a smartphone as a satnav was "using your phone while driving" and therefore punishable ?


Don't know of an article but the answer is yes. You can't touch your phone whilst driving or even stationary with the engine on no matter what software it is running.

In fact you could get nicked for doing anything in your car that Mr Plod deems distracting (although this is a different offence to the mandatory 6 points and £200 fine for 'phone abuse).


How's this for marginal, apparently a recent event and yet to go to court. Driver in his car at a McD's drive through, offers a card for payment but declined for some reason. Front seat passenger in car offers a smartphone with payment app, drivers takes hold and uses to make payment. Police were in a car watching and stopped the driver as he left, issued with ticket for using mobile phone.

The driver has since taken legal advice and was told that Police were correct in applying mobile phone offence. However in a face to face meeting with Police the lawyer also indicated that the actions of the Police were consistent with entrapment. The driver accepted a warning and no further action was taken. Police reinforced the message, 'engine off and handbrake on' before touching the phone.