Don’t Get Lost With GPS

Has your GPS led you down the wrong path? Has it suddenly seemed out of touch with the world? Oh, no!

Planning ahead could save time, gas and stress.

While your GPS navigation system does help direct you to an unfamiliar destination, there are times when it can misguide you. The question is, why?


Sometimes, your GPS does not receive a clear, strong signal and cannot communicate with satellites that accurately establish your location. Thick cloud cover, mountains, dense foliage, tall buildings or electromagnetic interference could be the culprits and you lose your GPS capabilities. It might be a good idea to have a back up resource, a print out from Mapquest or Google Maps … or, have one of those old fashioned road maps of the areas you are travelling.

When inputting the address into your GPS, make sure you start with the right state, city and address – If you’re not careful, you might end up at your hotel on Main Street, Newington, Connecticut, rather than Main Street, Chatham, Massachusetts.

In addition, inaccuracy can be attributable to out-of-date software. Download updates for your GPS regularly – otherwise new roads will not be available. You can expect roads to change as much as 40 percent [source: TeleAtlas.com]. There are new roads, closed roads, lane changes, you name it. If you don’t update your system, you might be driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street or finding yourself in the middle of a construction site.

With a little bit of planning, careful driving and a full tank of gas, your GPS should get you where you want to go. And remember, it will give you options. Do you want the longer, scenic route or the most rapid, gas efficient route? Bon voyage!