RE: The only way is (north) up! PH Blog
Discussion
Having done quite a bit of motoring in knackered, borrowed vehicles in what we're not supposed to call "The Third World" , I have yet to fully trust any sat-nav. They usually don't work there as the communications infrastructure we all take for granted is absent. [Unless you've got a "secure" full-on military device, but lets not go there for now].
And so, having a built-in sat-nav system in both cars I always set the screen to north up and then cross-check that the sat-nav is actually taking me in the right direction by looking at where the sun is positioned relative to my car. If I'm deliberately going North - then it should be shining on the LHS passenger window.
Navigation by sundial - it'll be all the rage as an when some cyber warfare event knocks out those satellites......
And so, having a built-in sat-nav system in both cars I always set the screen to north up and then cross-check that the sat-nav is actually taking me in the right direction by looking at where the sun is positioned relative to my car. If I'm deliberately going North - then it should be shining on the LHS passenger window.
Navigation by sundial - it'll be all the rage as an when some cyber warfare event knocks out those satellites......
"...there it is - nav set to direction of travel or, worse, 3D direction of travel. He claims this is because he's 'modern gentleman' in touch with technology."
If you don't mind an opinion from somebody who's located considerably to the west, I would say that both of you are correct.
I prefer the North orientation when making a plan of action. Or when reassessing a situation. I might even zoom out, the better to consider options.
Conversely, if I'm actually in the act of driving, I tend to rely on the "direction of travel" orientation -- the better to make sense of exits and side roads as they appear alongside my car. This is especially true when I'm in unfamiliar territory or struggling in inclement weather.
Either way, I have recently abandoned the satnav built into my car in favour of my smart phone. It mounts in landscape view with a simple "clip" as in the photo below (not my car, that photo).
Google Maps has transformed my life. "Okay, Google, take me to XYZ address," I say. And instantly, Google Maps transforms my spoken words into a route. And we're off.
If there is an accident or heavy traffic ahead, the Google Maps lady kindly invites me to consider an alternative route. "This will save you approximately seven minutes," she says. "Please choose Accept or Decline." If you would like, you can also store trips so as to view them again in future.
If you need to keep track of your driving for reasons of work -- say you need to bill a client per miles traveled -- consider also the "Mile IQ" tracking app from Microsoft (it comes in iOS and Android flavours). It's essentially automatic. You simply tap and drag some bits on your screen. Easy peasy.
And when I leave the car, all of my travel stuff comes with me. Fabulous!
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andybu said:
Correction - sun should be should be shining in the LHS passenger window if I'm going North in the northern hemisphere and the local time is nicely into the afternoon....
Glad you corrected that, it is somewhat dependent on time of day. Or you are very restricted in driving hours 
LankyLegoHead said:
I did once see a guy at a track day, in his 235i. He'd stuck his Tom-Tom sucker onto his BMW Nav screen! LOL Obviously not a great system?
Personally i find the pro bmnav in the BMW fantastic, its also got split screen so you can have direction of travel and fixed north at tge same time, solving the OPs problem Good timing for this topic!
I was in the pool car at work today (A3 S-Line, not too bad!) and whoever last drove it had it set to auto zoom and direction of travel. It is so infuriating and unhelpful! Unfortunately the unintuitive Audi system made it impossible for me to adjust this while driving
I was in the pool car at work today (A3 S-Line, not too bad!) and whoever last drove it had it set to auto zoom and direction of travel. It is so infuriating and unhelpful! Unfortunately the unintuitive Audi system made it impossible for me to adjust this while driving
Both!
The satnav in my mk6 Golf allows you to view two maps simultaneously. I have the main map set to a zoomed-in, bird's eye, direction-of-travel view, and the secondary map set to 2D, north-up, zoomed out view. This allows you to see the detail of junctions as you approach them on the main map and your direction of travel and position relative to nearby towns on the secondary map.
The satnav in my mk6 Golf allows you to view two maps simultaneously. I have the main map set to a zoomed-in, bird's eye, direction-of-travel view, and the secondary map set to 2D, north-up, zoomed out view. This allows you to see the detail of junctions as you approach them on the main map and your direction of travel and position relative to nearby towns on the secondary map.
Edited by HardtopManual on Friday 12th February 20:26
Up is always north, especially if you want to understand where you're going. Direction of travel is only ok when following directions. Think about it, you're a moving vehicle on a stationary grid (up is north), the world doesn't move under a stationary vehicle (direction of travel). I have this convo with my wife every time I drive her car! Didn't anyone do orienteering as a kid?
unsprung said:
If you don't mind an opinion from somebody who's located considerably to the west, I would say that both of you are correct.
I prefer the North orientation when making a plan of action. Or when reassessing a situation. I might even zoom out, the better to consider options.
Conversely, if I'm actually in the act of driving, I tend to rely on the "direction of travel" orientation -- the better to make sense of exits and side roads as they appear alongside my car. This is especially true when I'm in unfamiliar territory or struggling in inclement weather.
Exactly right. North up when in map view and looking at the overall course the SatNav has plotted, and then direction of travel when actually navigating. North up when navigating is just odd.I prefer the North orientation when making a plan of action. Or when reassessing a situation. I might even zoom out, the better to consider options.
Conversely, if I'm actually in the act of driving, I tend to rely on the "direction of travel" orientation -- the better to make sense of exits and side roads as they appear alongside my car. This is especially true when I'm in unfamiliar territory or struggling in inclement weather.
PaHansMD said:
Up is always north, especially if you want to understand where you're going. Direction of travel is only ok when following directions. Think about it, you're a moving vehicle on a stationary grid (up is north), the world doesn't move under a stationary vehicle (direction of travel). I have this convo with my wife every time I drive her car! Didn't anyone do orienteering as a kid?
I'm puzzled now, you say direction of travel is only OK when following directions - isn't that what a sat nav is for? I know with a built in unit (which I don't have) it can just be on to show position of the car, but the main purpose surely is to give you directions to follow from start point to desired destination, for which you say direction of travel is OK.Always have the map north up. Learned this from following rallies at a young age. I always remember a comment from quite an established figure in the rally scene. "As soon as I see someone in the passenger seat turning the map I know they haven't a clue!"
Sat Nav, I leave it in direction of travel unless I need to know where I am.
Sat Nav, I leave it in direction of travel unless I need to know where I am.
jamiem555 said:
Always have the map north up. Learned this from following rallies at a young age. I always remember a comment from quite an established figure in the rally scene. "As soon as I see someone in the passenger seat turning the map I know they haven't a clue!"
Many moons ago, I used to navigate on 12 car rallies. I was, humbly, really quite good at it - I have a small collection of old MC trophies somewhere to lend credence At one MC annual dinner, I was presented with a round map board, and some #ahem# adapted maps to fit it as I was the only navigator they knew who used travelling-up-the-map!
You've got to be quick, accurate and know how to read a map without thinking to make it work though...
These days, I stand quietly at the back of the hiking group while my Scouts try to work out where on Earth they are (literally
).If guidance isn't active I can see the merits of north always "up". You're using it as a guide rather than relying on it. That's the use case you described, Dan. You knew where you were going but you wanted the map on anyway which is fair enough.
But I think when guidance is active, you're generally supposed to be following it closely as it's assumed you don't know the way, so direction of travel makes a lot of sense.
I'm sure you can get that particular JLR system to do north = up when guidance is active too.
But I think when guidance is active, you're generally supposed to be following it closely as it's assumed you don't know the way, so direction of travel makes a lot of sense.
I'm sure you can get that particular JLR system to do north = up when guidance is active too.
I was 38 when I got my first car with nav, up until then I'd travelled the country using maps or mostly the end of my nose and asking people when you got near to the place, I was quite good at it. I fear though that the last 8-9 years I've lost that ability.
Oh and always direction of travel.
Oh and always direction of travel.
Both, but mainly north up.
Direction of travel is only good when you want to blindly follow the machine without really knowing where your are, or where you are heading. I use that in say central London for the last few miles. Dare I say it this is the view for the directionally challenged nav slaves amongst us?
North up is always the best to start and for 95% of thr journey so you can zoom out to the whole journey and make an educated judgement as to whether the sat nav has lost the plot.
Also north up is the only way to use the sat nav like a map and take detours, stop offs etc at strategic places.
If the sat nav tells me to get off at the next junction, I don't need an animated 3d picture to show me how to do that, I'll just do it.
Direction of travel is only good when you want to blindly follow the machine without really knowing where your are, or where you are heading. I use that in say central London for the last few miles. Dare I say it this is the view for the directionally challenged nav slaves amongst us?
North up is always the best to start and for 95% of thr journey so you can zoom out to the whole journey and make an educated judgement as to whether the sat nav has lost the plot.
Also north up is the only way to use the sat nav like a map and take detours, stop offs etc at strategic places.
If the sat nav tells me to get off at the next junction, I don't need an animated 3d picture to show me how to do that, I'll just do it.
Edited by mikeN54 on Sunday 14th February 09:01
Edited by mikeN54 on Sunday 14th February 09:03
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