You know you’re getting older when……

[75A]

I use maps, but have the Sat Nav on my phone on because it shows you where the delays etc are.

 

[Jamesrob637]

When I got my last new car just over 2 years ago, the car salesman was amazed to see a road atlas on the back seat of the car I was selling. He asked me if I actually still used it. I never use a Satnav except occasionally for if I am trying to find a specific location in a large complicated urban area. Even if I’m doing a long journey of a few hundred miles, I study the map before I set off, and then can usually memorise the route without getting lost.

I will often use the atlas from when I stop, because if things go wrong on the first half/third/quarter of a long journey, my mind will have forgotten what it was trying to remember in the midst of all the unexpected events.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I use maps, but have the Sat Nav on my phone on because it shows you where the delays etc are.

Ah yes, disruption. I decided to ignore my Sat Nav over one disruption - nothing there when I got to it even though the road was apparently closed.

My favourite with the Sat Nav is to set it up and then ignore it. I am often turning off the M25 but the SatNav is really useful for keeping me going in roughly the right direction.

The SatNav is really useful for motorway diversions as they are often poorly signed - then again I sometimes go a different way because I can guess the diversionary route is going to be overloaded.

 

[75A]

If I'm bored when driving in England I use both the cars SAT NAV & the one in my phone just to hear the differences.
Need to concentrate where I live because most of the roads are only wide enough for one car and there are lots of blind bends and side roads + of course Tractors.

 

[dangie]

I do tend to use the satnav if I’m travelling through an unfamiliar town. Many direction signs and road lane markings are so poor or indistinct nowadays, coupled with impatience from other motorists, I like to have a good idea of where on the road I’m supposed to be before I get there.

Having said this, it’s quite confusing when I input my destination and the satnav then proceeds to give me three choices of route. Fastest, shortest, eco friendly.

 

[Killingworth]

I know I'm getting old when my once new car's factory installed SatNav frequently objects to me motoring across fields that now have roads built across them, A14 by Huntingdon, more minor roads by Northstowe, A1(M) south of Scotch Corner, Great Yorkshire Way to Robin Hood (no longer) Airport and linked roads, etc.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I do tend to use the satnav if I’m travelling through an unfamiliar town. Many direction signs and road lane markings are so poor or indistinct nowadays, coupled with impatience from other motorists, I like to have a good idea of where on the road I’m supposed to be before I get there.

Having said this, it’s quite confusing when I input my destination and the satnav then proceeds to give me three choices of route. Fastest, shortest, eco friendly.

Yes road markings are appalling these days. On a wet road I cannot distinguish between what is left of the road marking and other surface blemishes (like joins or old lines covered with a thin layer of tar). So it does help to have some tasks taken away. I would like my SatNav to warn me when I am about to enter a school road - the council don't seem to want to use road markings for them.

I know I'm getting old when my once new car's factory installed SatNav frequently objects to me motoring across fields that now have roads built across them, A14 by Huntingdon, more minor roads by Northstowe, A1(M) south of Scotch Corner, Great Yorkshire Way to Robin Hood (no longer) Airport and linked roads, etc.

Ah, yes, my friends Honda - he had to pay quite a lot to get it updated.

Which reminds me - my Garmin I need to update more often then once every two years otherwise it is deemed as obsolete and support stops. So be warned.

 

[dangie]

My old(ish) Garmin Nuvi satnav has ‘lifetime‘ map updates which updates regularly through the Garmin Express website. Usually takes 10-20 minutes.

Conversely my built in Ford satnav has an approximately yearly update which has to be done by downloading the update from the Ford website onto a USB stick. This can be over 20gb in size. The USB is then inserted into the car’s USB socket to update the software. Unfortunately this can take up to 90 minutes for which the engine must be running. Therefore I do it when I’m doing a long journey. In theory it can be updated using WiFi but reading Ford forums it appears it doesn’t work in the UK.

 

[gg1]

When I got my last new car just over 2 years ago, the car salesman was amazed to see a road atlas on the back seat of the car I was selling. He asked me if I actually still used it. I never use a Satnav except occasionally for if I am trying to find a specific location in a large complicated urban area. Even if I’m doing a long journey of a few hundred miles, I study the map before I set off, and then can usually memorise the route without getting lost.

I get similarly bemused reactions from people who spot the atlas in my car if I give them a lift.

I do use the satnav for most long journeys, though primarily for the live traffic alerts rather than directions, I prefer to use the atlas for planning the route itself. I'll also often screenshot and print a Google maps image if I'm travelling to an unfamiliar location, especially if it's somewhere I think I may have trouble finding somewhere to park.

 

[Killingworth]

Vorsprung durch Technik doesn't stretch to my 2014 Audi's Satnav! To update it the entire dashboard needs removing costing a substantial sum. I shall continue driving through fields until I replace the car.

 

[Lucan]

Maps are not just for navigating.

 

[dangie]

Maps are not just for navigating.

I’ve spent as many hours if not more pouring over Landranger & Explorer OS Maps as I have reading books. Love them.

 

[3141]

I’ve spent as many hours if not more pouring over Landranger & Explorer OS Maps as I have reading books. Love them.

Yes! I find features that interest me, and I can work out out what I might do (or possibly not), while a satnav just gets you from A to B. A map also gives you a much broader view of the part of the world you'll be travelling though.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Yes! I find features that interest me, and I can work out out what I might do (or possibly not), while a satnav just gets you from A to B. A map also gives you a much broader view of the part of the world you'll be travelling though.

This is my feeling. Using a SatNav is like going down a tube and re-appearing at the other end. Personally I want to know more about what is on the way. But perhaps there lies the point. Lots of younger people are not interested in the journey - do they just focus on the destination ?. Seems possible as many people travelling have their head stuck in a phone or iPad.

 

[Jamesrob637]

This is my feeling. Using a SatNav is like going down a tube and re-appearing at the other end. Personally I want to know more about what is on the way. But perhaps there lies the point. Lots of younger people are not interested in the journey - do they just focus on the destination ?. Seems possible as many people travelling have their head stuck in a phone or iPad.

If there's no variety in your journey, especially on public transport, why do you want to see the same thing over and over unless it's really spectacular? But if you're on the road or rails to different places or you only commute on an ad-hoc basis, I would want to see the scenery too.

 

[3141]

If there's no variety in your journey, especially on public transport, why do you want to see the same thing over and over unless it's really spectacular? But if you're on the road or rails to different places or you only commute on an ad-hoc basis, I would want to see the scenery too.

But quite often some things will have changed, and even something which doesn't change remains interesting to see. I never listen to music when I'm on a train, and if I take a book or magazine to read I find I've stopped reading it and am looking at what's outside instead. Even sections of a cutting where the owners of adjacent houses tip all their rubbish over the fence can be interesting!

This is my feeling. Using a SatNav is like going down a tube and re-appearing at the other end. Personally I want to know more about what is on the way. But perhaps there lies the point. Lots of younger people are not interested in the journey - do they just focus on the destination ?. Seems possible as many people travelling have their head stuck in a phone or iPad.

A similar thing is a journey planner. It's convenient if what you want is a train at a particular time and a fare. But with a timetable you can look at alternative routes, where you might break the journey, how long you've got if you change at place A or place B, and so on.

 

[Peter Sarf]

If there's no variety in your journey, especially on public transport, why do you want to see the same thing over and over unless it's really spectacular? But if you're on the road or rails to different places or you only commute on an ad-hoc basis, I would want to see the scenery too.

That is a good point. Someone commuting daily might be less inclined to spend their time watching the world go by. Perhaps being old means having that time of course.

........................

A similar thing is a journey planner. It's convenient if what you want is a train at a particular time and a fare. But with a timetable you can look at alternative routes, where you might break the journey, how long you've got if you change at place A or place B, and so on.

Oh yes. I find journey planners frustrating. I suppose it is because I can plan a journey. I will go for a route that has the best frequency and least connections. The risk is a journey planner will send you on an itinerary where a failed connection leaves you high and dry for an hour !. This is particularly noticeable in London of course - TfL where I cannot learn a route when so many non-standard routes are thrown up.

Yes I find it extremely frustrating when I cannot get my hands on a timetable.

 

[dangie]

On a similar vein, if you presented a map of the UK and asked people to roughly pinpoint the position of their home location on the map, many wouldn’t have a clue. I find this quite sad actually.

Or even where is London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester etc…..

 

[ChrisC]

On a similar vein, if you presented a map of the UK and asked people to roughly pinpoint the position of their home location on the map, many wouldn’t have a clue. I find this quite sad actually.

Or even where is London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester etc…..

It always amazes me when watching University Challenge how poor the knowledge of British Geography often is. They can answer such complex questions on so many subjects, and even geographical knowledge of many obscure foreign countries, yet don‘t know locations of well known British towns and cities. Being able to locate ports, rivers, cathedrals, National Parks etc just seems completely beyond some of them. The British geographical questions are sometimes the only ones I can answer!

 

[75A]

, yet don‘t know locations of well known British towns and cities. Being able to locate ports, rivers, cathedrals, National Parks etc just seems completely beyond some of them. The British geographical questions are sometimes the only ones I can answer!

You and me both.
It's not just University Challenge either, I'm a fan of The Chase and often cringe at peoples answers.

 

[Gloster]

You and me both.
It's not just University Challenge either, I'm a fan of The Chase and often cringe at peoples answers.

When I first went into a care home I did some binge TV watching as I don’t have one at home, but it gradually declined as I realised what drivel most of the output was. One of the last to go was Pointless, but some of the appalling ‘lacking in basic knowledge’ answers finally did for me. One of the final straws was the woman who wasn’t sure if there had been a band called the Beatles, or Be-atles as she hesitatingly said it.

I still don’t have a TV and have no intention of getting one as a result of what was on while I was in the home. In the end it was just the News, Have I Got News for You and the odd item on Talking Pictures.

 

[PeterY]

It always amazes me when watching University Challenge how poor the knowledge of British Geography often is. They can answer such complex questions on so many subjects, and even geographical knowledge of many obscure foreign countries, yet don‘t know locations of well known British towns and cities. Being able to locate ports, rivers, cathedrals, National Parks etc just seems completely beyond some of them. The British geographical questions are sometimes the only ones I can answer!

I'm the same on University Challenge. Give me a geography question any day of the week. I suppose with my interest in railways and lots of travelling around, I've an inkling of where most stations are and how towns relate to each other.

Oh yes. I find journey planners frustrating. I suppose it is because I can plan a journey. I will go for a route that has the best frequency and least connections. The risk is a journey planner will send you on an itinerary where a failed connection leaves you high and dry for an hour !. This is particularly noticeable in London of course - TfL where I cannot learn a route when so many non-standard routes are thrown up.

Yes I find it extremely frustrating when I cannot get my hands on a timetable.

I also miss paper timetables.

Last week I went from Hemel Hempstead to Whitchurch (Hants) . The easiest route is via London Waterloo (which I took) but no, the journey planner sent me via Paddington, Reading (Cross Country ) and Basingstoke and I only wanted to check the times.

 

[Purple Train]

I'm the same on University Challenge. Give me a geography question any day of the week. I suppose with my interest in railways and lots of travelling around, I've an inkling of where most stations are and how towns relate to each other.

Well, to be fair, I would hazard a guess that, on average, rail enthusiasts have a greatly-above-average knowledge of British geography from the rail network. I have to agree with you on University Challenge though; usually geography questions are the only ones when I have less of a struggle than the contestants!

 

[Peter Sarf]

When I first went into a care home I did some binge TV watching as I don’t have one at home, but it gradually declined as I realised what drivel most of the output was. One of the last to go was Pointless, but some of the appalling ‘lacking in basic knowledge’ answers finally did for me. One of the final straws was the woman who wasn’t sure if there had been a band called the Beatles, or Be-atles as she hesitatingly said it.

I still don’t have a TV and have no intention of getting one as a result of what was on while I was in the home. In the end it was just the News, Have I Got News for You and the odd item on Talking Pictures.

In 1986 I returned home from a one month inter-rail. Sat down and the TV was on. I suddenly realised what I had missed - nothing. Ever since then I am very choosy - I like news (but wow how Gazza coverage is curing me - nothing is actually changing) and documentaries. Sometimes the reporters have dire geographical knowledge or refer to things by the wrong name. Or just awful English "Quickly up hill fast" "bridge across the river from one bank to the other" not come across many bridges that don't.

Does getting older mean getting more critical ?.

 

[Busaholic]

Always refer to my atlas to plan long journeys usually for holidays. Easier than faffing about with a satnav where you might miss out on interesting stops.

I'm not even familiar with satnavs, though I still drive. Never had the slightest inclination to buy one.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I'm not even familiar with satnavs, though I still drive. Never had the slightest inclination to buy one.

Apart from possibly helping with diversions I got a SatNav when I realised I might not notice a speed limit was lower than expected. I did have to turn it off when I was under a variable speed camera in near stationery traffic (M25 of course).

 

[dangie]

Apart from possibly helping with diversions I got a SatNav when I realised I might not notice a speed limit was lower than expected. I did have to turn it off when I was under a variable speed camera in near stationery traffic (M25 of course).

Went to South Wales last week from my home in the Midlands. Travelled ‘cross country’ not motorway.

Not counting the 20mph speed limit through many Welsh towns & villages that my SatNav didn’t recognise, there were countless miles on open road of what I think were temporary speed restrictions for reasons I don’t know. No roadworks or hazards I could see. 30/40 mph when my SatNav said 60mph.

 

[ian1944]

When not only do you have to sit down to put your socks on, you have to lean against the wall to put your pants on. And yes, you do get more critical and intolerant, which is confused by the fact that there is more journalistic dross out there than there used to be (both the material and the personnel).

 

[75A]

When not only do you have to sit down to put your socks on, you have to lean against the wall to put your pants on. And yes, you do get more critical and intolerant, which is confused by the fact that there is more journalistic dross out there than there used to be (both the material and the personnel).

Sounds like me to a tee.

 

[D6130]

Sounds like me to a tee.

....and me too!