I've seen that happen and it's almost bewildering to see how people's navigational skills go down the toilet when they rely too much on a GPS. It's almost comical! Like watching a lost tourist wandering around with a map glued to their face!

We had a friend recently move to Vancouver from Los Angeles. She lives on one end of downtown and can't even navigate across the bridge without her GPS, and she's been here since the summer!

While I can appreciate how having a GPS is useful for the initial getting from point A to point B, the second time around you should probably stow that GPS away.

In cities a GPS can be useful, again, the first time you're exploring an area. In the Canadian context, I find them more useful in cities than outside of cities.

Being ex-military I never thought I would have the use for one but, we do travel in the States a fair bit and it is great not having to have maps for each place. Plug in the postcode and away you go.

We now have one for each car

I also like mine, a Garmin 255W, when I'm on the road and stop in an unfamiliar town. I can find out in an instant where hotels, food, shops and fuel are. Sure beats driving around looking in all the wrong places. Also if you set it to miles and not Kms when in the US the speed indicator is more accurate than the conversion on the speedo.

Seriously if you can borrow a friends for a while then do so. I too was a sceptic before I tried one.

I went to LA and without my Sat-Nav there is no way on this earth my journey from LAX to the Hotel would have been so smooth. The place was miles away and whilst there we travelled all over. It was just a case of selecting a destination such as a mall from the points of Interest and the sat nav took you right there. It was as if I was a local driving around the place my stay would have been a completely different without it. I wouldn't have gone to or have been able to find half the places I did.

It was the same whilst in Toronto my family insisted on collecting me from the airport as we would 'never be able to find their house.' After landing jumped into the rental put in the address and TomTom took us right there - you should have seen the look on their faces when we pulled up

I have used it in Florida and Michigan and it has saved me so much time and from arguing with the mrs cos of her dodgy map reading

As I mentioned previously its worth its weight in gold and I take it everywhere The only thing to be careful of is in city centres when normal roads suddenly become 1 way and pedestrian routes

Always wondered why it took my OH so long to get anywhere. So one day I borrowed her GPS, then I found out why. The convoluted routes gave her took twice as long than driving the routes I used. Out of the 30 or so directions across Vancouver, I ended up ignoring all but one. Unless you are hopelessly lost or have no idea where you are going they are useless.

When I first arrived I found my way around the old fashioned way, with a map and getting lost.

Actually, although making myself out to be a GPS hater, I am not. And for exactly the reason given above, I can see they could be super useful.

But for my own home area, and let's face it , I don't go much further very often, or for somewhere I am staying for a while, I just don't see the point I guess. I like getting a bit lost - it teaches you more!

And I truly just love (paper) maps anyway - I have loads and could look at some for ages. I think I was a cartographer in a previous life.

Thanks for your replies .... myself, I think I am a bit like Ann. If I am going somewhere new I usually Google it, and print off a map. I don't normally go for the google directions though, preferring to work things out for myself I guess.

I can see the possible benefits in some far-flung city, but like Ann, it's really not something I do. I think for now I'll press on without one.

I have seen friends use them, and didn't really think they did better than using their brains in fact somebody telling me all the time which way to go might be irritating after a short while!

Get a TomTom. Mine has an MP3 player in it which you can tune the car radio to and listen through real speakers, and also doubles as hands-free for my cellphone. Oh, and it also navigates us better than Mrs Snave with a paper map. Updates are a bit expensive though.

You'll be pleased to know that you can now get from the Ambassador Bridge to the interstate without having to drive through ghetto territory.... Unfortunately coming back the other way isn't open yet, so you still have to navigate some dodgy streets - seems to be some legal wrangling going on, the bridge have started proceedings against Michigan DOT who won't open it up for some reason....

What, no more scenic detours tours through picturesque Mexicantown. !

Not unless you choose to You now get the option of straight onto I94/96, I75 or local roads through Mexicantown....

On the way back you still have to navigate Vernor for now.....

Yeah I was reading about that the other day something about blocking the access ramps Oh well there's still the tunnel right and there's talk about another bridge soon but the mayor is fighting for more green link tunnelling

Yes, generally use the tunnel on the way back as it's easier to find....

There's going to be a new bridge over towards the west, that will happen regardless of what the mayor thinks. They've already started knocking down some of the buildings on the approach to it.

Also, the guy who owns the Ambassador bridge is trying to build a twin span, in fact he's built the start of it on the US side and was going to try and strong arm it through but they won't allow it on this side!

Yep I hear you.

Its not totally useless around here but not that good either.
We bought ours when we drove from Moncton to Toronto and it was useless past Fredericton, but having said that there is basically one road out of the province into quebec.

Once we hit Toronto however it was brilliant. Our sons lived right downtown on College and it took us straight to their door.

Used one extensively in Nova Scotia last summer while touring in a 32ft RV. The only problem we found was that if you don't check the route beforehand the sat nav will try take you down dirt tracks etc that might be OK for a car but not for something that is essentially a truck.

If you remember it's just a navigational aid, remain alert to where it's sending you and above all remember your in charge not it , you'll be fine.