What GPS Is The Best For The UK? Europe?

[Pauline]

The problem for me is that I don't use my smartphone enough. When at home I am on my iPad or computer, but I use my mobile for phone calls and texts and hardly do anything else. So old fashioned!! We don't get the best cell coverage in the Cotswolds and I think that has something to do with why I don't use it. Plus I have the Garmin set up for all the places where I need it, so I just use that.

@jonathan do you use your smartphone as a GPS here?

 

[Chris]

That makes sense. I had the phone, so when I thought about getting a GPS, it made sense to try the iPhone first instead of getting yet another piece of equipment to haul along with me. So far it's worked very well.

 

[artnbarb]

That makes sense. I had the phone, so when I thought about getting a GPS, it made sense to try the iPhone first instead of getting yet another piece of equipment to haul along with me. So far it's worked very well.

This is part of my dilemma - I really don't see any reason to take our GPS unit to Italy - we'll be in Umbria, have a paper map if we need it, and otherwise just do what we did when we lived there - if we get lost we'll figure it out.

England, OTOH, presents different problems. Altho the area we'll be driving in - the Cotswolds - is small, there are lots and lots of small roads, AND we'll be driving on the left, which can be terrifying! I'm not sure a GPS unit is the answer, esp if I can use my smartphone for the same purpose, but I'm just trying to make sure I'm as prepared as possible - because no matter what, we WILL get lost/make wrong turns/miss our exit/etc.

 

[Chris]

And the GPS won't keep you on the "correct" side of the road!

When we were in the Cotswolds, in 2006 with neither a GPS nor a smartphone, I don't remember having any trouble at all finding our way around. We always used to look at the map together in the morning so we both had the same general mental image of where we planned to go, then whoever was driving drove, and the navigator navigated.

 

[artnbarb]

OK Chris - you've inspired me to forgo the expense and hassle of GPS! Somehow we've managed all theses years with just a map, so I think we'll be fine! (Altho the GPS makes a great scapegoat!)

 

[Pauline]

The GPS can cause problems in the Cotswolds because it takes you down narrow lanes when there is a perfectly good regular road nearby. The roads are well signed here. I don't think you will have problems.

If you plan on using Google Maps on your Smartphone as a backup, make sure you are comfortable using it before you get here.

 

[artnbarb]

If you plan on using Google Maps on your Smartphone as a backup, make sure you are comfortable using it before you get here.

that's probably a good idea!

 

[Chris]

I agree. The worst time to try to figure something out is when the driver is saying "Which way do I turn?"

 

[Chloe Collens]

Europe often advertise a promotion of free GFS with the rental.

 

[artnbarb]

I'm assuming you meant Auto Europe, right? We used one of those offers from Auto Europe last year, and the unit was ours to keep, but unfortunately it didn't included England. The reason I asked the question was because our vacation will begin in Italy, then move to the UK, and those offers are usually timed for your rental only (which I may have been able to work around by explaining the situation to AE), but since I have a new smartphone and a good map I'm thinking I won't even bother with a GPS unit - less stuff to carry!

I do still need to use the Google map function on my smartphone while we're driving around town, tho, just to familiarize myself with how it works.