The Trouble with GPS
Here, in a nutshell, is my problem with most GPS nav systems – they are about the destination, not the journey. Unless you arduously map out a scenic route yourself, or buy one from this august publication, you are typically presented with two simple options – “Shortest Time” or “Shortest Distance”. Select “Shortest Time” and in the blink of an eye you’ll be slabbing on the interstate while scenic country roads lay fallow. Select “Shortest Distance” and you’ll shortcut through every subdivision and industrial park between here and Kenosha. That said, I’ve been using one since 2001 (RIP, Garmin eMap) and they’ve helped me find my way on three continents.
Maybe one day they’ll have a “Scenic Route” button, but until then motorcycle-specific products like TomTom’s Rider and Garmin’s zumo will feature incremental improvements in other key areas, like a glove-friendly interfaces, Bluetooth headset compatibility, and illustrated views of intersections. Less useful, but very entertaining is the use of Darth Vader’s voice on TomToms – www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ljFfL-mL70. Use the force, and turn left in 300 feet.
