| Going My Way? |
This Saturday I thought I would test out my GPS. What better way to test it than a road trip.
I started out very early in the morning on Saturday (about 5 am) so naturally I needed to get me some coffee. First task, have the GPS find me a Tim Hortons.
Now to be fair, the GPS maps and Points of Interest only gets update about every 12 to 24 months. So it has no idea there our new Tim Hortons in my area. It does, however, know the address. I entered in the address and off I went.
I arrived safe and sound at the Tim Hortons and carried on the nicest conversation with a voice on the other end of the intercom system. It turns out the person was a manager from one of the Tim Hortons out in G-Mans neck of the woods. I wonder if he knows G-Man? I should have asked. Anyway that was wonderful. I found out a few things including the facts that the store opened on Thursday, not Friday and also that Friday the store did $5,000 worth of business. Something they have never seen before for an opening. I guess there was a pent up demand.
Well I walked (drove) away from Hortons with a Hot Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, a breakfast sandwich and a donut. I had not planned on the donut. I had thought about the sandwich but had decided against it. Silly me. Talk to the friendly voice on an intercom and look what I did.
Well I punched in the destination, Find me Crabby (aka Crabcake), and off I went. A little less than 4 hours and I was there.
We had a wonderful day (well I did at least, I hope they enjoyed the day) and I must say I was disappointed to have to leave. I would have loved to watch the football game (OSU vs Pen) but at least I got to listen to most of it on the way home. There was, however a problem.
During the day we went out for a nice little walk. I just happened to have my GPS in my pocket so I popped it out just being curios. I made a slight adjustment and told it I was walking. Dog gone if I did not forget I made that change. When I went to head home I pressed the nice little green band at the top of my unit that said “GO HOME.”
Calculating...calculating 10%...20%...40%...80%...
Calculating...calculating 10%...12%...32%...86%...
Calculating...calculating 15%...29%...68%...88%...
Calculating...
NO, I DID NOT BRING A MAP WITH ME. How can it be failing me so bad. I started moving in the general direction I needed to go and hoped it would work for me. Well finally it found a route and off I went in earnest.
But wait, something seemed strange. It had me on an unusual street. And then it had me make a right and a left and took me on another unusual street. I say unusual in that it was more like a neighborhood street. You know houses on both sides. I thought by now it should have me on a much more major road, but no.
So I pulled over and had a thought. Sure enough, it was set wrong. I should have know as earlier I saw the GPS saw walking on a street. WALKING? I thought I found a bug. Yep, I WAS THE BUG. Once I made another change it was able to easily plot me out a route. This time it was not taking me on side roads, 25 to 35 miles and hour. Now it had me on REAL ROADS. I wonder what was going through the GPS when it thought I was walking 40 miles an hour. I have walked 6 miles and hour but 40, never.
Oh I had one other fun thing on the way back. At one point it told me to turn left. I had no idea where it wanted me to turn so I turned to soon. I hear CALCULATING... and it is directing me through a neighborhood. Right, right, right... you moron. It did not say that last part but I think it really wanted to. You see that was about my third wrong turn all in the same area. Anyway this time I finally figured out what it wanted me to do and the rest of the trip was uneventful.
Well I guess the GPS works. Time to put it in the drawer and take it out when needed. Maybe next time I will know a little better what I am doing.
Anyway have an address for me to try my GPS on? LOL
Oh by the way, I actually was very impressed with the unit. Other than it seeming to want me to break the speed limit to get there when it predicted, it actually did very well. I shall have to remember to thank her next time I get her out (it speaks in a female British voice).
I started out very early in the morning on Saturday (about 5 am) so naturally I needed to get me some coffee. First task, have the GPS find me a Tim Hortons.
Now to be fair, the GPS maps and Points of Interest only gets update about every 12 to 24 months. So it has no idea there our new Tim Hortons in my area. It does, however, know the address. I entered in the address and off I went.
I arrived safe and sound at the Tim Hortons and carried on the nicest conversation with a voice on the other end of the intercom system. It turns out the person was a manager from one of the Tim Hortons out in G-Mans neck of the woods. I wonder if he knows G-Man? I should have asked. Anyway that was wonderful. I found out a few things including the facts that the store opened on Thursday, not Friday and also that Friday the store did $5,000 worth of business. Something they have never seen before for an opening. I guess there was a pent up demand.
Well I walked (drove) away from Hortons with a Hot Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, a breakfast sandwich and a donut. I had not planned on the donut. I had thought about the sandwich but had decided against it. Silly me. Talk to the friendly voice on an intercom and look what I did.
Well I punched in the destination, Find me Crabby (aka Crabcake), and off I went. A little less than 4 hours and I was there.
We had a wonderful day (well I did at least, I hope they enjoyed the day) and I must say I was disappointed to have to leave. I would have loved to watch the football game (OSU vs Pen) but at least I got to listen to most of it on the way home. There was, however a problem.
During the day we went out for a nice little walk. I just happened to have my GPS in my pocket so I popped it out just being curios. I made a slight adjustment and told it I was walking. Dog gone if I did not forget I made that change. When I went to head home I pressed the nice little green band at the top of my unit that said “GO HOME.”
Calculating...calculating 10%...20%...40%...80%...
Calculating...calculating 10%...12%...32%...86%...
Calculating...calculating 15%...29%...68%...88%...
Calculating...
NO, I DID NOT BRING A MAP WITH ME. How can it be failing me so bad. I started moving in the general direction I needed to go and hoped it would work for me. Well finally it found a route and off I went in earnest.
But wait, something seemed strange. It had me on an unusual street. And then it had me make a right and a left and took me on another unusual street. I say unusual in that it was more like a neighborhood street. You know houses on both sides. I thought by now it should have me on a much more major road, but no.
So I pulled over and had a thought. Sure enough, it was set wrong. I should have know as earlier I saw the GPS saw walking on a street. WALKING? I thought I found a bug. Yep, I WAS THE BUG. Once I made another change it was able to easily plot me out a route. This time it was not taking me on side roads, 25 to 35 miles and hour. Now it had me on REAL ROADS. I wonder what was going through the GPS when it thought I was walking 40 miles an hour. I have walked 6 miles and hour but 40, never.
Oh I had one other fun thing on the way back. At one point it told me to turn left. I had no idea where it wanted me to turn so I turned to soon. I hear CALCULATING... and it is directing me through a neighborhood. Right, right, right... you moron. It did not say that last part but I think it really wanted to. You see that was about my third wrong turn all in the same area. Anyway this time I finally figured out what it wanted me to do and the rest of the trip was uneventful.
Well I guess the GPS works. Time to put it in the drawer and take it out when needed. Maybe next time I will know a little better what I am doing.
Anyway have an address for me to try my GPS on? LOL
Oh by the way, I actually was very impressed with the unit. Other than it seeming to want me to break the speed limit to get there when it predicted, it actually did very well. I shall have to remember to thank her next time I get her out (it speaks in a female British voice).
Posted by barman at 8:53 PM::
all i can say is if i ever get a GPS i want it to speak to me in hugh jackman or george clooney's voice.
You know Lime, it does have the ability to put on other voices... I wonder. It I get George Clooney loaded (the voice that is) I will send you my unit to try out.
A “female British voice,” you say? Well, Brian, there is the answer to your problems with the GPS in a nut shell:
First, no self-respecting dude ever accepts driving directions from a dudette. And, second, the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road!
Those two points alone are enough to get you damned well bloody lost, my good man!
[:-)
I don't know Nick, the dudette thing... but then again, for the most part women do have a harder time with maps, don't they? But I really think you are on to something with the Brits driving on the wrong side of the road. Gosh I was doomed from the very beginning. Perhaps I will need to explore my options. Maybe they allow custom personalities. Is Alex available to help me do a personality for the gadget?
I don’t know either, Brian. But I was had a female friend giving me directions as I drove in Washington, D.C. She didn’t know left from here.
SHE: “Turn at the next corner.”
ME: “Which way?”
SHE: “This way.” (pointing toward the left).
Funny you should mention that. One person I know is a very intelligent person but the one thing (I know of) that she struggles with is left and right.
This sounds like something out of a 70's TV show (KITT)lol
tc
Top Cat, I think KITT carried on a much better conversation if you ask me. Say, would that make me Michale Knight? I want to turbo bost my minivan over something!!!
You should have asked me. I would have told you where er...which way to go. LOL
Manny, I can imagine where you would tell me to go. hahahahaha
LOL...now that is a funny story. That kind of stuff only happens to me. Walking Street Well, at least you didn't get lost. I've used a GPS only once, I think and I do believe it got me to the destination I needed ;o)
Modern technology at it's finest.
I've been thinking about getting a GPS, but my maps never fail me. I'm a woman and I can still read a man...er...map. Hehe!
Well that sounds like fun. Mr Gab did that to me once...he kept yelling turn here(I was driving) and we kept turing into a firestation. The more I told him no thats not right the more he insisted to turn there! I guess I missunderstood my gps(Hubby) lol
I want a gps but thats in the future. Glad you and Crabby had a great time.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA! You're a goofball. LMAO! And you only spent one day and part of night with me and my family. Now look at ya. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA! First you start tripping all over the place...and now....well.
Now, this one wasn't my fault.
Jillie, that does not count. You said find me Wisconsin and it took you there. You already know where Wisconsin is! Hey, I have things like that heppen to me more than I would like to admit.
Sign sterotypes are most often true but not always. I have met more than one gal that can drink me under the table with one hand tied behind her back. If you ever want to check it out let me know. I wonder if it can to me how to go to hell. Hell, Michigan that is.
Gab, I think I like your GPS much better then mine. We did have a fun time. I worry however as Crabby got a few pictures and even a movie I think. Hard to say what she will do with it.
Crabby I may be a goofball but I am enjoying it. I think I like this crabomatic syndrome thingy you talk about.
Bryan, this story cracked me up.
I LOVE my gps system, both on my motorcycle and car.
I am incapable of not getting lost without it!
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