Just can't get a good basic truck, like the old days!

[3930dave]

Wonder how many new generations of drivers can plan a route using paper maps if they still even make them?

Good to see (IMO) it's Still a Thing

2026 Road Atlas

Neighbour used to drive long-haul, always had one ^ in the truck.

Back when paper manuals came with GPS's, standard disclaimer @ front.... have paper-map backup. A sailor buddy of mine recounted an Atlantic crossing where ALL gps units on-board failed.

GPS is convenient, but not faultless (meaning when the hardware is working, but data is wrong). If people are conditioned Not To Question What is On the Screen.... where does that lead ?

I wish I was only referencing Driving Somewhere....

Rgds, D.

 

[Jstpssng]

Wonder how many new generations of drivers can plan a route using paper maps if they still even make them?

I tried Google Earth for the first time this spring, to get me to Lowville NY. I then managed leave my vintage Delornes atlas on the kitchen table. A couple of times Google had me going in circles. Finally after headkng back up the road I'd just come down I pulled over and said "screw the app, I'm going west." I looked at the sun setting, pointed the truck in that direction and in a couple of miles Google decided that maybe I knew what I was doing.

On the way home I took a different route- that's when it got scary. I lost cell service and had nothing but the pointer to follow.
What I really didn't like was not being able to scope out the route... road signs dom't mean squat if you don't know what towns you are headed for.
Next time I'll remember to bring my atlas.

 

[not2old]

Newer vehicles the Auto setting for heating/cooling. Set the temperature and you don't need to make adjustments on the road.

My experience is that I change something by accident and then I have to pull over and stop somewhere in order to figure out how to fix it safely.

Unfortunately I can't listen to the radionif it's blacked out. Nor do I have the patience or skill set to black it out minus problaby pulling a fuse or something perfectly content with a small screen even with cheaters to operate radio and occasionally display a map of where I'm going. Btw it took me five years using my current truck before I consistently figured out how to display maps thru android Auto on screen .

Don't feel bad. I've had my 2014 CTS-V since 2015 and needed the navigation last week for the first time in at least five years. I turned it on and was disappointed that the maps of the area didn't have enough detail. I got thoroughly frustrated that I couldn't figure out how to enter a new destination and phoned for directions. I later learned that I needed to push a button on the dash and then the touch screen changed to where I could enter a new destination. Who would have known?

 

[WinterDeere]

Yeah maybe by yourself but add wife with hot/cold flashes you fiddle all day.

Dealing with that here. But to be honest, she's had cars with auto temp control for decades, and still always wildly cranked the knob from blasting hot to blasting cold, and back.

 

[RB5]

Yeah maybe by yourself but add wife with hot/cold flashes you fiddle all day.

yeah My side is on cool and hers is on 5 degrees warmer than mine with the seat heater on.

 

[3930dave]

I tried Google Earth for the first time this spring, to get me to Lowville NY. I then managed leave my vintage Delornes atlas on the kitchen table. A couple of times Google had me going in circles. Finally after headkng back up the road I'd just come down I pulled over and said "screw the app, I'm going west." I looked at the sun setting, pointed the truck in that direction and in a couple of miles Google decided that maybe I knew what I was doing.

On the way home I took a different route- that's when it got scary. I lost cell service and had nothing but the pointer to follow.
What I really didn't like was not being able to scope out the route... road signs dom't mean squat if you don't know what towns you are headed for.
Next time I'll remember to bring my atlas.

The Sun Sets in the West...... is that on an App or something ?

Haven't had the time, but I'd like to dig up some peer-reviewed (real) studies on what tech-systems have done to cognition.... many people today don't know their own phone #; forget about someone else's !

Relying on cell-service can be sketchy, even when systems are in "normal" mode..... any kind of wide-area outage is going to strand many people.

Seeing the big-picture.... not easy on GPS, until you put a large flat-screen in the motorhome !

Rgds, D.

 

[deserteagle71]

GPS is convenient, but not faultless (meaning when the hardware is working, but data is wrong). If people are conditioned Not To Question What is On the Screen.... where does that lead ?

It leads to trouble. A simple case of Garbage In, Garbage Out. Maps not properly updated.

Case in point. There's a reservoir that was built here in northern Nevada back in 1973. There used to be roads going through the area the reservoir flooded - but now, 50 years later, on some GPS maps the roads still appear even though now they are under a lot of water. So if you are blindly following the route your GPS sets for you, guess where you'll end up. Here's a photo I took of the GPS screen.

 

[Jstpssng]

It leads to trouble. A simple case of Garbage In, Garbage Out. Maps not properly updated.

Case in point. There's a reservoir that was built here in northern Nevada back in 1973. There used to be roads going through the area the reservoir flooded - but now, 50 years later, on some GPS maps the roads still appear even though now they are under a lot of water. So if you are blindly following the route your GPS sets for you, guess where you'll end up. Here's a photo I took of the GPS screen.

View attachment 4251722

We were on our way to a meeting a few years ago. The front passenger was navigating using Google Earth. I didn't know the area well, but had spent some time there.
Google took us down a side road. OK, that isn't uncommon. Then we took a right turn, headed easterly- wait a minute, the only road to where we are going is to the west.
I dug out a Delorme's atlas (mapping bible) and saw that it was taking us to an abandoned railroad bed. The last time I was there was in 1967 or so when my grandfather took us to visit a waterfall... even then we were on foot.
I had a heck of a time convincing them that I knew more than Google did.

 

[bigtiller]

It leads to trouble. A simple case of Garbage In, Garbage Out. Maps not properly updated.

Case in point. There's a reservoir that was built here in northern Nevada back in 1973. There used to be roads going through the area the reservoir flooded - but now, 50 years later, on some GPS maps the roads still appear even though now they are under a lot of water. So if you are blindly following the route your GPS sets for you, guess where you'll end up. Here's a photo I took of the GPS screen.

View attachment 4251722

That road map is now a fishing guide.
Walleye like to sit on old roadbeds and parking lots.

 

[paulsharvey]

Some of this is a hard aversion to technology... OK, being able to read a map is good, but GPS phone maps show construction, back ups, faster routes, speed traps, DUI check points, school zones, ect, and are updated often.