GPS ?

Amber, Kent's analysis of the GPS issue was spot on! I don't believe anyone here has ever expressed regret at using one.

I've used both Maps and GPS while driving in the U.K. and I've found that having both is a really good policy. GPS units sometimes choose rather "odd" routing and a few times the unit has gone into "brain lock" and chosen a completely incorrect route (possibly as two nearby towns may have a street with the same name?). Therefore it's a good idea to have a Map for "backup" (I normally use Michelin maps).

However on at least one occasion (heading for the airport in Bristol) I was unable to get into the correct lane for the airport due to heavy traffic volume and the GPS really saved the day! Without missing a beat, the GPS said "recalculating" and led me via a rather unusual route (behind an old country Pub, through a narrow one lane country road covered in trees and then onto a larger road) directly to the car park at the airport. I was very impressed!

I've found it's a good idea to always "double check" the GPS directions, as it can occasionally direct drivers onto one-way streets or other prohibited locations. Don't just follow it blindly and without question! Double check using road signs.

I usually travel solo, so having a model that "talks" to provide directions is essential, so that I don't have to look at the unit while in traffic. The speaking models often mispronounce street names (especially foreign names), but I find that it's still a very useful feature.

I'm sure you could manage with just a Map, but now that I've travelled with a GPS it will be packed for every trip! One interesting note, on the flight home the in-flight navigation system was "broken", so I used the GPS to determine the plane's location (I had to borrow a window seat from one of the Flight Attendants so that the unit could get a signal - I asked the F.A.'s first if they had any objections).

Hope this helps. Cheers!

Thank you both. Now, here's the next question. We have already booked our rental and did not preplan for a GPS. We were thinking of just buying one here and taking it with. Should we do this or do they usually have them available for rental at most car places when we pick up our vehicle? Thank you, thank you!

Amber, there are a couple of things you have to ask yourself with regards to GPS. I agree with Kent that no one is likely to have a real issue with using the system. The real question is the cost/benefit analysis. Depending on how long you are going to be GB, it may or may not be worth it. My wife and I just returned from a 28 day trip to the UK. We rented a car for 12 of those days. The car we rented didn't have a GPS and we would have had to switch to a different pick up location with higher fees to be able to rent one from Europcar (so you want to check with your agency about availability - not all offices have them). AutoEurope would have rented us one stateside, but we would have had to rent it for the entire 28 day trip. We decided that, since we would not be using one at home, it was too expensive to buy one.

Instead we used AA Route Finder (UK version of AAA) to generate maps and directions for us, and we used a AA Road Atlas (we borrowed one, but you can buy them for less than 10GBP). So you can spend less than 10GBP on maps or over $100 (or way more) on a GPS. The GPS may give you more peace of mind, and if you have a lot of money, it may be worth it. But we didn't really have any problems with the maps.

So it all comes down to your opportunity costs and how much it is worth to you. If we had more disposable income, we may have opted for it as well. But do check with your agency about availability at your pick up office.

Amber, I beg to differ with Kent's statistical analysis (no hard feelings Kent, you are usually so spot-on). More accurate results, I believe, are 200 to 1, not 200 to 0. I would be that lone 1.

Though I can appreciate some peoples need for GPS, and the help GPS can provide, I have never used it in Europe and never wished I had it (I've used it in the US a couple times because it came with the rental car and I would never intentionally pay for it here). I realize that some folks are map-challenged and for them I can imagine that GPS is a godsend.

If you don't need GPS while on vacation here at home, you probably don't need one in Europe. Not even in England/Scotland or the much-vilified (for funny-road-wise reasons) Italy or Ireland. On the other hand, if you don't know north from south or what all those weird symbols on a map mean, or have no stomach for "adventure" (getting lost) GPS might be for you.

Do a search on these boards for "GPS"; you'll find this topic has been much discussed both pro and con (admittedly mostly pro - damn! I hate to lose!).

For me, much of the fun of travel, especially driving by car, is found in discovery, even if that means getting lost along the way. I like to walk without a map in new cities, and ride the subway and other public transit to really get the sense of the place I'm in. Listening to some computerised voice telling me the most efficient way to get from where I've been to the next place I once read about in some travel book is not my idea of travel. I'd rather stop and ask directions from a local and possibly engage in a bit of conversation.

But that's just me. Others love GPS. Your choice. Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

While I am in no way GPS-dependent, I do love mine. I haven't yet used it in Ireland, but am looking forward to doing so. I have no problem with reading maps. It was one of our earliest activities as little kids on car trips, and I raised my kids the same way. But I do find the GPS entertaining and informative for things other than knowing where to turn. It can point out the nearest gas station or ATM or restaurant, it can alert you to points of interest or services that you might not know are near by, or it can show you the closest location to get help if you have a mechanical problem or need a doctor. I usually use a combination of printed out maps and the GPS.

We have driven in Norway, France, and many times in Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland without a GPS. I navigate while my husband drives. We use the AA road atlases and the orange (regional) Michelin maps, and drive on all sorts of roads, including the back lanes. We have never been lost more than five or ten minutes---we always come to a more major road which we can find on our maps. If you enjoy maps and have no problems reading them, I don't think you need a GPS.

Amber,

A few thoughts to add to my original Post. First, if the rental firm provides a GPS unit, it will probably be an expensive add-on (unless there's a "special" happening at that time), and the unit may be configured in the local language. Unless you're familiar with navigating the Menu systems, it might not be much use to you.

Regarding buying a GPS unit here, be sure that you buy a model that has the European maps as well as North American maps. In the Garmin Nuvi series, these are the x70 models (370, 670, etc.). The cost seems to have come down quite a bit lately, and I don't find them that expensive. Check for specials on Amazon or other retailers. They are usually supplied with a cigar lighter power adapter and a suction cup windshield bracket, so can easily be used in rental cars.

Happy travels!

I used my Garmin 370 on my most recent trip and it helped tremendously. I recommend buying it here, testing it out and then using it on your vacation so the technology is not new. Good luck.

Amber,

I used a GPS on a recent trip to Ireland and think it's a must. You don't want to mess around when driving in an unfamiliar country, particularly one with different driving customs such as England.

You should complement the GPS with maps and directions from sites like michelin. But the GPS is a big help.

Amber,

You may get by without one. You know the language and it's pretty well signed in England. Even if you can get around, a GPS will still save you a lot of time, particularly taking you directly to street addresses of hotels or B&B's, gas, food, and points of interest.

If you have a choice buy one here, learn how to use it and it will pay off in Europe. I have a Tom Tom 920.

I can navigate by quickest route or ask it to avoid tolls.

It's great for taking me to public parking. If the parking lot is full, I can ask it to take me to the next closest one.

If the kids are hungry, I can navigate to the nearest restaurant; I can choose Arby's, Taco Bell, McDonald's or skip those and go to real restaurants.

If I need gas, it will show me where the nearest gas is and give me directions to it. Or allow me to pick between a list of close gas stations.

If I need help. It will give me locations and directions to emergency or repair services and contact phone numbers.

It will navigate to points of interest and has a walking (or biking) feature for after you drop your car.

I had driven and done well in Germany and Austria quite a few times before my first drive in Italy. Italian cities have no street names (except for occasional small tiles above people's doors with the address and name of street). The autostrada's don't have signs saying A13 north, instead the sign points to random towns (rarely the big one's you would expect). I lost a ton of time asking directions and trying to find the correct road. I survived without a GPS but bought one when I got home and won't go again without it.