Re: Newbie Needs GPS Selection Advice

From: Gymmy Bob (nospamming_at_bite.me)
Date: 09/21/04 

Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 19:28:25 -0400

Let me make an analogy to clarify this non-exageration: If you look up into
the sky at night between any stars or other heavenly bodies...how far can
you see?

"Peter" <prathman@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:w_-dnWwVSbR25s3cRVn-sw@comcast.com...
> Gymmy Bob wrote:
>
> > If you have ever driven in heavy fog, in the dark, you would understand
what
> > I posted. Other vehicles have lights on them and can be seen for
possibly a
> > 30 metres, more or less.
>
> The reference to getting out at a corner made it appear that at least
> part of this trip was on non-freeways. In that case there are a variety
> of possible obstacles that would not have lights - children and other
> pedestrians, parked vehicles, trees at the road edge, etc.
>
> Even on freeways there is no assurance that there won't be unlit
obstacles.
>
> > Road signs and the dark pavemnet cannot be seen or
> > perceived, at least. When making a turn the dark signs at the side of
the
> > road indicating the road name or highway number cannot be seen to the
side
> > of the headlights.
>
> Fog where you can't see beyond the hood of the vehicle is much more
> dense than fog which just prevents you from reading signs off the side
> of the road. I have continued driving (slowly) in the latter but not in
> the former.
> All the vehicle codes that I have seen require that you drive slow
> enough to ensure that you can safely stop when you see an obstacle. If
> conditions are such that you can't see beyond your own vehicle then the
> only speed that satisfies this conditions is 0.
> >
> > Without the GPS and only using a map you have been lost all night or
parked
> > until morning, if your car wasn't hit by another lost victim at the side
of
> > the road.
> >
> > Are you living in a second world country, like most of Europe or Asia,
where
> > cars are not that common?
>
> I take it you haven't been in either Europe or Asia in quite a few
decades.
> >
> > "Gary S." <Idontwantspam@net> wrote in message
> > news:rm00l053jpd092kocpuca6vg397n2ad25p@4ax.com...
> >
> >>On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 20:48:33 -0700, Peter <prathman@comcast.net>
> >>wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Gymmy Bob wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>My wife won't leave the house anymore without our Garmin SP III. She
> >
> > was
> >
> >>>>caught in a very heavy fog with 100Km to get home once and would rebuy
> >
> > it
> >
> >>>>herself if we lost it. My youngest son had to get out to verify
> >
> > pavement at
> >
> >>>>the corner. She could literally not see the road at the end of the
> >
> > hood.
> >
> >>>This use of a GPS receiver disturbs me. The SP III is a very nice
unit,
> >>>but it's not an adequate substitute for being able to see the road. If
> >>>the fog is that thick then pull well off the road so you won't get hit
> >>>by anyone else and stop driving until it has started to clear.
> >>>
> >>>Hoping the "literally" above was an exaggeration.
> >>>
> >>
> >>I would agree.
> >>
> >>Even if a GPSr were holding an accuracy of 3 meters, that might not be
> >>accurate enough.
> >>
> >>In any conditions, you not only need to know/see where you are in
> >>relation to the road, but you also need to be visible to others. In
> >>dense fog like that, even with perfect GPS, no other vehicle would
> >>have the slightest clue where your were until contact.
> >>
> >>Best bet in conditions like that would be to pull over, well off the
> >>road, and wait it out. Rare for dense fog to last many hours.
> >>
> >>Happy trails,
> >>Gary (net.yogi.bear)
> >>------------------------------------------------
> >>at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence
> >>
> >>Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
> >>Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom
> >
> >
> >
>

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