"Safety" Feature Backfires

"Sir Lex" > wrote in message
...
> Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> IMHO, anyone who "needs" a GPS Nav system on the road does not have the
> brains to operate a vehicle.
>
> I never have had a nav system in my car, and never will, it's just
> something else that can break and/or get stolen. I don't want a
> computer chatting to me in my car.

I have a Garmin Street pilot nav system and love it. Why buy a map when I
can plug in the street address and the GPS will send me where I want to go?
Mine Nav system is small and easily removable, so I only need one for
multiple vehicles and theft is not a problem. The autorouting is not perfect
and I often follow different routes just because I have looked at the map,
but when you get near the end, and you are on unfamiliar streets, having the
GPS direct you is really nice. With the GPS if I miss a turn because there
was some sort of unforeseen problem (road construction, in the wrong lane at
the wrong time, est.), my GPS just refigures the route and tells me where to
go. I can always choose to ignore it (and I often do). Admittedly I did not
need a Nav system for the first 30+ years of driving to find my destination,
but I still find it to be useful. It is also nice to be able to get a
running estimate of my arrival time, and have the ability to locate upcoming
fuel / rest stops. And although mine can talk, that is optional.

Ed

"Laura Bush murdered her boy friend" > wrote in message
oups.com...

It's all just another scam to fleece the public. If we left out all the
useless frills, cars would cost $5K and nothing would ever go wrong and
General Murders doesn't want that.

The problem with low cost cars in the US is the availability of very good
quality used cars at very low prices. Which had you rather spend $7000 on, a
new plastic coated tin box with no AC, no power anything, or a 4 year old
Camry with all the goodies? Or for that matter a 4 year old Crown Victoria?
Either of these used car is probably good for another 7 years and over
100,000 miles. So why suffer in some second rate boom box on wheels, when a
good used car with all the goodies will cost less (and be safer too)?

Ed

C. E. White wrote:
> "Laura Bush murdered her boy friend" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>> It's all just another scam to fleece the public. If we left out all the
>> useless frills, cars would cost $5K and nothing would ever go wrong and
>> General Murders doesn't want that.
>>
> The problem with low cost cars in the US is the availability of very good
> quality used cars at very low prices. Which had you rather spend $7000 on, a
> new plastic coated tin box with no AC, no power anything, or a 4 year old
> Camry with all the goodies? Or for that matter a 4 year old Crown Victoria?
> Either of these used car is probably good for another 7 years and over
> 100,000 miles. So why suffer in some second rate boom box on wheels, when a
> good used car with all the goodies will cost less (and be safer too)?
>
> Ed

I agree with both of you, kinda. Personally I would like a high
quality but "no frills" car. It doesn't seem to exist. Even the lower
end of the market seems to be saturated with vehicles that push
gimmicky "features" at the expense of engineering substance. I would
rather have, say, a bare-bones car with a bulletproof drivetrain and
decent seats and little else than a gimmicky car with cheapass
everything that will be worn out in 150K miles.

Heck, I'd pay a PREMIUM for such a car, just because it would likely be
much more reliable than average.

nate

> I agree with both of you, kinda. Personally I would like a high
> quality but "no frills" car. It doesn't seem to exist. Even the lower
> end of the market seems to be saturated with vehicles that push
> gimmicky "features" at the expense of engineering substance. I would
> rather have, say, a bare-bones car with a bulletproof drivetrain and
> decent seats and little else than a gimmicky car with cheapass
> everything that will be worn out in 150K miles.
>
> Heck, I'd pay a PREMIUM for such a car, just because it would likely be
> much more reliable than average.
>
> nate
>

I'm with you there, all the way. A car is, after all, just transportation.
It's nice to have goodies like A/C, power windows, decent stereo, etc. But
even WITH all those goodies, it's still tough to enjoy your time behind the
wheel. Just give me a car that goes from point A to point B reliably and
efficiently, EVERY TIME. Like you said, bulletproof drivetrain, "no
frills". Sign me up. Now where do I buy one? Less than $50K, preferably,
though I suspect this beast isn't available at any price. -Dave

In article >, says...

>IMHO, anyone who "needs" a GPS Nav system on the road does not have the
>brains to operate a vehicle.
>
>I never have had a nav system in my car, and never will, it's just
>something else that can break and/or get stolen. I don't want a
>computer chatting to me in my car.
>
>Why spend a few grand on an in car navigation system, when $10 at a
>local news agent will get you a perfectly good, up to date map?

NAV's have their uses. Ever been stuck in a traffic jam and wondered if there
was a way around it? Ever wonder where the nearest gas station is? Ever
wonder where you can get a bite to eat? A NAV will give you directions
quicker than you can look them up on a map. You also don't have to stop and
check the map every so often. I just recently got one of these systems and I
have been happy with it. If I were to do it again, I would probably buy an
aftermarket unit instead of the built in one just because there is a huge price
difference.
------------
Alex

In article .com>,
says...

>It's all just another scam to fleece the public. If we left out all the
>useless frills, cars would cost $5K and nothing would ever go wrong and
>General Murders doesn't want that.

You should run out and buy yourself a Chinese made car.
-------------
Alex

Alex Rodriguez wrote:
> In article .com>,
> says...
>
> >It's all just another scam to fleece the public. If we left out all the
> >useless frills, cars would cost $5K and nothing would ever go wrong and
> >General Murders doesn't want that.
>
> You should run out and buy yourself a Chinese made car.
> -------------
> Alex

Or a Yugo...oh, sorry, he did say reliably.

Harry K

On Mon, 08 Aug 2005 09:23:00 +1000, Sir Lex > wrote:

>IMHO, anyone who "needs" a GPS Nav system on the road does not have the
>brains to operate a vehicle.
>
>I never have had a nav system in my car, and never will, it's just
>something else that can break and/or get stolen. I don't want a
>computer chatting to me in my car.
>
>Why spend a few grand on an in car navigation system, when $10 at a
>local news agent will get you a perfectly good, up to date map?

Meanwhile, luddites like you will be sitting there mired in the
accident-induced traffic jam while I duck off at the nearest exit and
punch the "re-route" button.

Sir Lex wrote:
> IMHO, anyone who "needs" a GPS Nav system on the road does not have the
> brains to operate a vehicle.

One could say the same about a map. The problem isn't the tech, it's
not having the brains to use it while parked rather than while moving.

Sir Lex wrote:

> IMHO, anyone who "needs" a GPS Nav system on the road does not have the
> brains to operate a vehicle.
>
> I never have had a nav system in my car, and never will, it's just
> something else that can break and/or get stolen. I don't want a
> computer chatting to me in my car.
>
> Why spend a few grand on an in car navigation system, when $10 at a
> local news agent will get you a perfectly good, up to date map?

That's stupid. Last December I flew to Vancouver, BC and rented a Volvo
with navigation system from Hertz. Without that, in an unfamiliar big
city, I would have had a very hard time getting around.