Do You Use You GPS Routinely In The Car Or Only When Needed?

For RLC alerts and re-routes

Seeing that our area does not have stable speed cameras (our's move to different spots every day), nor do we have red light cameras I usually do not have the GPS in our car unless we are traveling into unknown territories. So it can usually be found on a shelf in my study. It is safer there than in the glove compartment which would be subject to thieves and temperature fluctuations.

Garmin always reminds me the vehicle in front of me may stop or slow down suddenly.

My 295w stays in truck

I go out of town to a place I have never gone to before or want to know my arrival time when I need to be someplace by a given time. Otherwise it sits in the boot storage bin.

I use both of GPSs every chance I get, even if I know how to get to my destination. It allows me to get used to the way the directions are given and on the plus side I get to see parts of my city that I would not normally see.

Most of the time it's at home unless going some place unfamiliar. Sometimes we take it just to "check it out". My wife and I both do like it on any drive over an hour. We both really enjoy using it. The main reason we don't use it all the time is we don't leave it in the vehicle due to theft and are too lazy to get put it in and take it out every time we leave the house.

Reminders regarding red light and speed cameras are always helpful

it's always on for traffic; red light cameras and speed traps.

I use it only when needed. I should use it more often to remind me about redlight cameras. Luckily, I have caught myself, but it would definitely help.

I only live 6 miles from work, so I don't always put it out.

Only when needed, and always compared in advance to Google maps.

I keep my 760 mount on the dash and remove the GPS every time I get out of the car. When I get in, the GPS goes right onto the mount. Even if I'm only going a short distance. A few weeks ago I brought a table to the neighbor's house (300 yards and around the corner). I used the car as a wagon to avoid carrying the table. I put the GPS on.
To take it one more useless step further, I also backup the trip log to my computer every week & then clear it on the GPS. I have no good reason for this. I guess maybe I'm building a route collection.

Only when needed for directions, and sometimes when traveling in seldom traveled areas for red-light cameras.

If I'm driving the car, my Nuvi is in use!

My Nuvi is conveniently mounted (a Kuda mount) so I can tap the screen with my right hand, without having to take my hand off the steering wheel. Convenient to look at as well.

One of the signatures of the modern Mini Cooper is the large (some would say oversized) centrally mounted speedo.

Not only is that sucker large, it's also inaccurate if you have anything other than one particular factory sized wheel and tire on the car.

Simply stated, the Nuvi is my speedometer! Easier to read and far more accurate!

No I do not switch it on unless needed
My experience tells me that if you know the way only slightly do not use this device because your gps will not take the best route

dont use the map for local driving,but put the screen to indicate actual speed .... good for when approaching alerts

I usually don't use mine unless I'm going out of town. On occasion, I'll go for a drive on the weekend and take it with me in case I get out in the country and get misplaced.

I keep it on for RLC alerts.

The only time I don't use it is when I'm on short "intown" trips.

It's a hassle to keep taking it out of the mount and squirreling it away someplace out of site everytime I stop somewhere to shop. Besides, almost everything is within 2 to 5 miles. The "Traffic" is not much help "intown", since I'm about 7 miles from the edge of the coverage area (the radio station signal, that is).

I generally just leave it in my primary vehicle, but I will take it with if I'm traveling in a friend's car who does not have a GPS of if I'm traveling via air and renting a car.

When I'm unsure how to get somewhere I will take the unit or at least turn on the GPS and review the route that it suggests and if simple not use the GPS.

I have been using it to / from work because I have so many different options to travel, so if travel is an issue one way (light out, wreck, etc), I can quickly take a non-conventional turn.

I second that. Having my gps for travel is a must for me. Airport to work to hotel to restaurants is too much to deal with if I don't have my gps.

Landed in Houston today and realized that I had my mount and power cord but not the gps itself. Well I am now the proud owner of a brand new 50LM.

Most trips are back and forth to work, so don't have a need. Around town, when going somewhere new, it's on.

Any trip out of town I have it with me and on until I get home

I get used to seeing it It's always sitting on my dash, although I typically don't use routing when just around town going to places I know...

But used only on out of town trips. Otherwise it stays in the car's storage compartment. Especially find the "ETA" useful. And It's always good to know where the cameras are!

Usually in the console of the car, but seldom used. Only use when I don't know where I'm going or if I think I may need it for traffic. Don't trust the traffic feature much though.

I use mine nearly all the time. Traffic enforcement camera warnings are important, and traffic can be sometimes avoided thanks to a GPS navigator.

Since my Nuvi 1450 IS my hobby, I look for excuses to use it. For example, my wife and I hit the wineries in Northeast Ohio fairly often and we always take "Roxy" with us even though we obviously don't need her. On the other hand, the rest of the time she rests on our dining room table awaiting her next call to duty.

Phil

I plug in my GPS every time I get in the car, even if I don't use it to navigate. I use it for traffic warnings, fuel prices, and occasionally weather.

Always with me, use mostly out of town or for new locations'

Only when I leave town.

...when it is needed.

Locally, I use it to remind me of the RLCs. Traveling, even to a know location, I use for ETA, traffic (not always useful) and of course directions.

Unless needed, of course!

ML

In one of the vehicles all the time use as a blue-tooth phone link and have a 16 gig card in it for great sounds through the radio Then when needed it finds my way. Nuvi 760

Its the traffic feature that has me glued to the gps on button.

Only when I head out of town, especially towards L.A. where certain cities are notorious for red light cameras. For local travel, a printout from Google maps works just fine if I don't know the exact addy.

Keep them in the car ... and in the truck ... and carry of spare "back-up" GPS down the road.

We don't need no stinking paper maps! Gas stations don't give them out anymore anyway!

I have 3, one in each vehicle plus a spare. I leave the two primary nuvis, a 765 and a 885, in their vehicles on a mount attached to the vehicle (not a Garmin mount). The wiring is through the dash so not as visible. I don't need them for navigation most trips but they also provide me bluetooth phone and MP3 playback. In my BMW convertible, I refer to the GPS to know how fast I am really going (BMW speedometers are deliberately inaccurate) and what the speed limit is. The speed limit is handy in my Suzuki SUV. When I travel, I bring the 765 plus sometimes my 760. I used the latter on the last trip but I am used to the 765/885 display and found the 760 a little more difficult to use at this point.

Jim

I carry my 3790 together with my cell phone all the time i.e. whenever I go out in my car. Mainly for traffic information as I live near downtown in a very congested city with lots of road constructions lately. I turn on the GPS every time I drive to let it learns my driving habits. I will be doing the same with the new 3490 that I just got.

In contrast, my wife uses hers only when she absolutely needs to. Sometimes hers sit in the glove box for weeks.

I just keep it going all the time. It is rare I need it around home, but there have been sometimes when traffic snarls forces me into areas I am not sure of...and then it is a big help.

I put it in my car and have it on even when I know where I am going. I always have it on in my motor home when we are traveling.
Roxanne

I use my Nuvi all the time; it powers up automagically when I start the car.

I find I'm also using Waze more and more, for current local conditions.

At lunch today, local road construction turned part of the Palo Alto area into effective gridlock. The Nuvi was clueless, but Waze showed the problem clearly -- in red, with plenty of remarks from other Waze users that San Antonio Road and Charleston were at a standstill.

From there it was patience combined with the tight turning radius of the Mini Cooper, using Waze and the Nuvi to find some lesser traveled routes through the morass.

Being raised a Catholic, that time caught in traffic is time I won't have to spend in Purgatory...

Still, I'd rather avoid it, and Waze helps me do that.

I use my 2460 all the time - it powers up automatically when I start the car. Among other things, I use it as my speedometer ...

Always on, use it as a moving map.

using 3590LMT more since I have activated Bluetooth.

I use mine mostly for road trips

We use the GPS on all out of town trips

to locate gas, food things to see etc..

I only use the gps when looking for new locations or out of town trips.