Gps

[AbbyMom]

I have a Garmin I-5.

I got it originally because here in the huge Chicago area, sometimes roads are closed for accidents and the police will force you off into unknown territories. I wouldn't know how to get home and if it was dark, it was a pain.

Now I just select "go home" or "go to work" and it does a pretty good job of figuring it out.

But now that I have it, it's very useful for locating nearby businesses--restaurants or banks, etc. from the preloaded list.

Recently I had jury duty at a courthouse I had never been to. In my driveway at home, I selected from their list of courthouses. The one I wanted was at the top because it was closest. I just clicked select and followed the voice!

Also, we took it on vacation and preloaded it with addresses of places we wanted to go. That was extremely convenient, especially after dark. When we picked up the rental car at the airport, we just selected the next place to go and followed the voice.

Good luck.

[Jessika]

My in-laws have an aviation GPS unit they use in their car. It's portable and super neat. If you pass a street you were supposed to turn on, the directions change and it even tells you how to turn around

[CathyBogart]

I got a Garmin for Christmas, and I don't know how i ever got along with out it. Well, actually, I didn't really...I get lost very very easily even if I write down directions, so I just didn't go a lot of places I wold have liked to because I was afraid of getting lost.

It's only made a mistake once, and that was because the address I was trying to get to was so new it wasn't yet in its database.

I now try to get to new places without it, but if I ever DO get lost, it's great to know I can punch the "GO HOME" button and it will take me home.

[caseysmom]

Cathy, I want GPS mostly for when I visit your lovely but confusing city.

[CathyBogart]

You can borrow mine!

[caseysmom]

I practically cry everytime I need to leave San Francisco I have such a hard time finding my freeway, I love it there and drove there once with a friend who had GPS, it was a totally different experience.

[RICHARD]

Please pull over or have someone program the unit while you drive.

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There was a great story in the L.A. Times about a man who bought a new BMW w/GPS and drove his daughter to Las Vegas.

On the way back he ran into traffic, got off the road to drive a shortcut and spent 6 hours lost and stuck in the mud. The tow truck finally found him.

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Think of all the great little eateries you will miss when you drive directly to your destination.

The most wonderful food places are found while driving around the block with a piece of paper in your hand.

[CathyBogart]

That's how I feel going INTO SF. One-way streets, everything is too narrow, and all the buildings are so tall I feel claustrophobic. Trying to find a freeway is a nightmare. Trying to get up the HILLS in my 18 year old car....

I might find the city itself less terrifying if getting around and getting out were easier. Or if there was a parking space occasionally. Last time I just took bart....which was an experience in itself