Removing stuck cigarette lighter?

[T i m]

Hi all,

Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).

Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[Tim+]

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Pull. It's only a spring clip holding it in. Of course getting purchase on
a recessed button might be tricky.

Tim

[alan_m]

Post by Tim+

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Pull. It's only a spring clip holding it in. Of course getting purchase on
a recessed button might be tricky.

+1

There is little to go wrong with a cigarette lighter insert so if it
isn't working then maybe the fuse has blown and the socket may not be of
much use for the GPS until the fuse is replaced.

[T i m]

Post by alan_m

Post by Tim+

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Pull. It's only a spring clip holding it in. Of course getting purchase on
a recessed button might be tricky.

+1
There is little to go wrong with a cigarette lighter insert so if it
isn't working then maybe the fuse has blown and the socket may not be of
much use for the GPS until the fuse is replaced.

Good point. However, if it has blown the fuse what's to say it
wouldn't blow another if she did manage to find the right one and
replace it?

If could have an incorrect fuse rating (too low) fitted I guess?


Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 20:44:32 +0000, alan_m <***@admac.myzen.co.uk>
wrote:

<snip>

Post by alan_m
There is little to go wrong with a cigarette lighter insert so if it
isn't working then maybe the fuse has blown and the socket may not be of
much use for the GPS until the fuse is replaced.

... Is the right answer <g> although we (as in 'I' as I haven't had a
chance to look at it) don't know if it was a fault with the lighter
that caused the fuse to blow (as it should) or the fuse blew when it
shouldn't (because it was weak) or the incorrect (too low) rating. So,
whilst she resolved the stuck lighter somehow, she still couldn't use
the socket for the GPS but got home on it in any case. Now, had she
let me know she had got the lighter out but the socket was dead I
would have tried to talk her though finding and replacing the fuse (as
there could have been a spare or she could have nicked one from
another role) but I guess she didn't need to.

Unfortunately, stepdaughter is one of those people (the majority these
days) who to some degree treats a car as an appliance, rather than
possibly from a more old skool 'roll yer sleeves up and have a look'
POV.

That said, if she knows how to do something on the car (like check the
fluids / tyre pressures) she will, but not necessarily as often as she
might / should (but then I guess that could go for many of us these
days).

And I think any reticence to say checking the fusebox and finding /
replacing the fuse would be down to not wanting to break anything ...
and we know that is possible, especially if the plastic is getting old
or it's not a very god design (retaining tabs breaking off if not
'eased' undone in the right direction / way).

The cover for the fuses must have got knocked off the Meriva the other
day and because it was right over the n/s of the passenger footwell, I
just picked it up off the floor and tucked it out of the way for a
couple of days (so it didn't get broken) till I remembered to put it
back on properly. 'Years ago' I would have dealt with that sort of
thing asap. <sigh>

Anyway, thanks to all who offered a solution. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Post by Tim+

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Pull. It's only a spring clip holding it in. Of course getting purchase on
a recessed button might be tricky.

Yes, that (apparently) is the issue.

With her not having easy access to 50 years worth of accumulated tools
and me currently 100 miles away from her the only thing I thought of
was the tips of a couple of table knives slid just down each side of
the knob and levered outwards at the handles?

I can also understand her not wanting to damage anything further if
she can do without.

Cheers, T i m

[Graham T]

Post by T i m

Post by Tim+

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Pull. It's only a spring clip holding it in. Of course getting purchase on
a recessed button might be tricky.

Yes, that (apparently) is the issue.
With her not having easy access to 50 years worth of accumulated tools
and me currently 100 miles away from her the only thing I thought of
was the tips of a couple of table knives slid just down each side of
the knob and levered outwards at the handles?
I can also understand her not wanting to damage anything further if
she can do without.
Cheers, T i m

It can't be any badly damaged if it has somehow welded its guts
together than to need totally replacing.

[T i m]

On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 23:13:52 +0000, Graham T
<***@talktalk.net> wrote:

<snip>

Post by Graham T
It can't be any badly damaged if it has somehow welded its guts
together than to need totally replacing.

Quite, *if*.

If it's just not ejected and so removed easy user access for removal,
it may be easy to remove, once she's got the knob bit up a bit.

Cheers, T i m

[Graham T]

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

How old is the car? It's ages since I've seen one with a cigarette
lighter in it. They usually call them power sockets these days.

[T i m]

On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 20:57:45 +0000, Graham T

Post by Graham T

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

How old is the car?

2001 I think.

Post by Graham T
It's ages since I've seen one with a cigarette
lighter in it.

Yeah, I think the (unused) lighter is still rolling around the ash
tray on our 2004 Meriva.

Post by Graham T
They usually call them power sockets these days.

And assuming they haven't already, I think it's about time they
created a new universal / 12V 'power socket' that was a better design
than the lighter socket. My old BMW motorbike has a slightly smaller
'lighter style' Bosch / Heller 12mm power connector that I think is
also use on some (other <g>) agricultural equipment but that too isn't
particularly 'nice'.

My favourite 12V connectors are the Anderson Powerpoles:

http://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/products/powerpole/index.aspx

Self cleaning, easy to release the genderless pins, polarised, come in
a good range of sizes so there is no need to overload or oversize for
any particular application.

I often remove the array of plugs that often come with 12V devices and
replace them with Powerpoles then stuff is even more interconnectable
and durable.

In fact, that reminds me I still need to re-fit the loom that I
originally made for the Sierra then ended up in the Rover, into the
Meriva as that gave me a direct (fused) 12V supply in the cockpit on a
'flying lead' that was handy for all sorts of things.

Cheers, T i m

[Dan S. MacAbre]

Post by T i m
On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 20:57:45 +0000, Graham T

Post by Graham T

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

How old is the car?

2001 I think.

Post by Graham T
It's ages since I've seen one with a cigarette
lighter in it.

Yeah, I think the (unused) lighter is still rolling around the ash
tray on our 2004 Meriva.

Post by Graham T
They usually call them power sockets these days.

And assuming they haven't already, I think it's about time they
created a new universal / 12V 'power socket' that was a better design
than the lighter socket. My old BMW motorbike has a slightly smaller
'lighter style' Bosch / Heller 12mm power connector that I think is
also use on some (other <g>) agricultural equipment but that too isn't
particularly 'nice'.

The missus' Volvo has a few USB connectors front and back that can be
used to feed it music files to play, and also as a charging power
source. I suppose it's standard nowadays.

Post by T i m
http://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/products/powerpole/index.aspx
Self cleaning, easy to release the genderless pins, polarised, come in
a good range of sizes so there is no need to overload or oversize for
any particular application.
I often remove the array of plugs that often come with 12V devices and
replace them with Powerpoles then stuff is even more interconnectable
and durable.
In fact, that reminds me I still need to re-fit the loom that I
originally made for the Sierra then ended up in the Rover, into the
Meriva as that gave me a direct (fused) 12V supply in the cockpit on a
'flying lead' that was handy for all sorts of things.
Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:55:44 +0000, "Dan S. MacAbre" <***@way.com>
wrote:

<snip>

Post by Dan S. MacAbre

Post by T i m
And assuming they haven't already, I think it's about time they
created a new universal / 12V 'power socket' that was a better design
than the lighter socket. My old BMW motorbike has a slightly smaller
'lighter style' Bosch / Heller 12mm power connector that I think is
also use on some (other <g>) agricultural equipment but that too isn't
particularly 'nice'.

The missus' Volvo has a few USB connectors front and back that can be
used to feed it music files to play, and also as a charging power
source. I suppose it's standard nowadays.

<snip>

Yes, that is for sure and whilst it is good for lots of things we have
these days (phones, tablets, GPS's often) it's not so good for say a
12V cooler or laptop charger. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[jen]

New luxury cars have lighters. My maserati and mercedes have them

[Tim+]

Post by jen
New luxury cars have lighters. My maserati and mercedes have them

You waited 5 years to wave your willy?

Tim

[Abandoned_Trolley]

Post by Tim+
You waited 5 years to wave your willy?
Tim

assuming "jen" is a bloke ?

[Brian]

Post by Abandoned_Trolley

Post by Tim+
You waited 5 years to wave your willy?
Tim

assuming "jen" is a bloke ?

These days …….

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article

Post by Tim+

Post by jen
New luxury cars have lighters. My maserati and mercedes have them

You waited 5 years to wave your willy?
Tim

A true luxury car has them as an option - same as ashtrays. And has for a
very long time.

[Brian]

Post by Dave Plowman (News)
In article

Post by Tim+

Post by jen
New luxury cars have lighters. My maserati and mercedes have them

You waited 5 years to wave your willy?
Tim

A true luxury car has them as an option - same as ashtrays. And has for a
very long time.

I wonder how long it is before we see the back of the dreadful 12v socket
and a better designed one?

There is a need for a 12V socket but the cigarette one and the one common
in Europe really are terrible.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by Brian

Post by Dave Plowman (News)
In article

Post by Tim+

Post by jen
New luxury cars have lighters. My maserati and mercedes have them

You waited 5 years to wave your willy?
Tim

A true luxury car has them as an option - same as ashtrays. And has for a
very long time.

I wonder how long it is before we see the back of the dreadful 12v socket
and a better designed one?
There is a need for a 12V socket but the cigarette one and the one common
in Europe really are terrible.

I fitted what is called a motorbike 12v outlet. Sort of similar to a fag
lighter socket but smaller. Needs a lot of force to fit/remove the plug.

[Davey]

On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 18:31:12 +0000

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Can she not read a map? Oh, of course, they don't teach that nowadays.
Ooops.

[Chris Whelan]

Davey wrote:

[...]

Post by Davey
Can she not read a map? Oh, of course, they don't teach that nowadays.
Ooops.

'They?' never did.

I can read maps. I started out in the early Sixties finding my way all over
the country using 6d Esso maps, and graduated through to competing in highly
navigational road rallies, requiring the plotting of eight digit grid refs,
at a rate of perhaps six a minute. In the dark.

How do I find my way now? A sat-nav.

The level of help they provide now, with lane guidance and traffic updates,
make them by far the easiest and safest way to travel to unknown areas.

Anyone who decries them has never properly used one.

Chris

[T i m]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 07:44:09 +0000, Chris Whelan
<***@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote:

<snip>

Post by Chris Whelan
How do I find my way now? A sat-nav.

You, me and billions of other travelers Chris. ;-)

Post by Chris Whelan
The level of help they provide now, with lane guidance and traffic updates,
make them by far the easiest and safest way to travel to unknown areas.

Of course they are. However, 'most of us' grew up without them so
could 'of course' could manage without, but that's the best it would
be (for the reasons your site), manage, just like we could also manage
without a washing machine or

Post by Chris Whelan
Anyone who decries them has never properly used one.

Or never used a 'good' one?

My first GPS was a Garmin GPS III+ that didn't have any autonavigation
but it did have an auto-scrolling map and could point towards a
waypoint and so still a load better than a map, especially when riding
solo on a motorbike, at night and in the rain! ;-)

Even when traveling a reasonable distance, the III+ gave me the
direction (pointer) and the (line of sight) distance to the
destination. So, if you were traveling from London to Brummy on the
motorway you rarely referred to it. You might use it over the final
few miles. However, if you chose a non-motorway route you often found
yourself at a T junction where there were no real clues re which way
you should turn because neither *village* mentioned on the signpost
were places you had previously heard of or memorised re the route.
However, the chances are the GPS pointer will be pointing in the right
direction. ;-)

Now of course (as you say) it's so much better with actual photographs
of landmarks and realtime traffic update.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Post by Davey
On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 18:31:12 +0000

Post by T i m
Hi all,
Stepdaughters daughter found and pushed the cigarette lighter into
it's hole and it's now stuck in, presumably because it doesn't work as
it would typically heat up and pop out again (power being on to the
socket etc).
Never having smoked so used a lighter and had one get stuck, how do
you typically get a stuck one out of it's socket please (with no real
tools as she's away on holiday and really could do with the socket for
the GPS for the trip home). ;-(
Cheers, T i m

Can she not read a map?

And drive, no.

Post by Davey
Oh, of course, they don't teach that nowadays.

If she had a map with her I'm pretty sure she could read it ... or her
daughter could (as ours did when she was my motorcycle pillion),
before GPS's came along and made the whole process easier, safer,
faster.

Post by Davey
Ooops.

The only 'Ooops' in this case would be her being able to find
somewhere selling a road atlas, assuming hers, the one she borrowed as
a spare and the one on her phone don't help her get home. ;-)

I still buy those big yellow 'AA' atlas's they sell in petrol stations
for £1.99 (or 99p when the new one is due out) and they normally
remain in the boot, slowly getting destroyed and are completely unread
by the time I replace them.

I will continue buying them though as *I* am old-skool and like to 'be
prepared. I'm my case and in these days that would mean my Garmin GPS
would have to fail, my phone GPS would have to fail, my portable /
backup battery (that can charge the GPS or phone, assuming either went
flat and couldn't be charged from the car) would have to fail and my
ability to read the road signs or ask for directions would have to
fail, before I bothered to dig the map out. ;-)

That said, I do like 'real' maps and think would find it impossible to
throw away my little collection of OS Landranger maps away, even
though most are probably out of day to some degree.

Whatever the outcome of her journey home, she would still need to get
the lighter out to be able to use the socket in the future. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Chris Whelan]

T i m wrote:

[...]

Post by T i m
That said, I do like 'real' maps and think would find it impossible to
throw away my little collection of OS Landranger maps away, even
though most are probably out of day to some degree.

Me too.

I use Google maps to check the route to a new location before I set off, and
street view for the last couple of junctions to get visual cues that might
make spotting a junction tricky even with the sat-nav.

Chris

[Ramsman]

Post by Chris Whelan
[...]

Post by T i m
That said, I do like 'real' maps and think would find it impossible to
throw away my little collection of OS Landranger maps away, even
though most are probably out of day to some degree.

Me too.
I use Google maps to check the route to a new location before I set off, and
street view for the last couple of junctions to get visual cues that might
make spotting a junction tricky even with the sat-nav.
Chris

My dad was in the TA and there were always OS maps at home, and most of
them are still in my loft. I learned to read them long before they
cropped up in geography lessons at school. These days I use my TomTom to
navigate, but always check the route beforehand against the paper maps
or Google Maps, and make any changes if I want to take a particular
road. As you said, Google Street View is very useful for seeing what an
unfamiliar junction looks like.

[T i m]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:27:24 +0000, Ramsman <***@nowhere.com>
wrote:

<snip>

Post by Ramsman
These days I use my TomTom to
navigate,

<snip>

I was given a TomTom but not really tried to use it in earnest but
feel they are 'different' to the Garmin offerings (or were).

The guy who gave it to me was getting fed up with it and asked me what
I had (a Garmin Nuvi) so got one of those. He (a retired gentleman)
was genuinely enthusing on how much 'better' the Garmin was in use and
to use, but that *could* have been either:

1) The Garmin was a newer model and a new TomTom could have been
equally good ...

2) These things *are* different (UI) just as Windows is to OSX and
some people fit / prefer one over the other.

Daughter used my Garmin and her friends similarly aged (if not
slightly newer) TomTom and so too found the TomTom less 'useable'. In
her case it was a combination of the UI (that could be partly down to
familiarity (with the Garmins)) but more importantly, the routing
itself.

I am regularly having to get up in the middle of the night to
're-direct' foreign artics from this dead-end onto their correct route
and I make a point of seeing what make GPS they are using. It seems
they are mostly TomToms (marketing?), a few Garmins and some I've not
heard of but I'm wondering if some of these 'domestic' units lack the
granularity of setting where you can set it to 'Lorry' to restrict
access to narrow roads and low bridges etc?

It could be that the options are there but the operators don't know
how to use them?

If I'm using my GPS whilst walking in unknown City I make sure I set
it into 'Pedestrian mode' as they then allows me up one way streets
etc. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Davey]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:52:11 +0000

Post by T i m
I am regularly having to get up in the middle of the night to
're-direct' foreign artics from this dead-end onto their correct route
and I make a point of seeing what make GPS they are using. It seems
they are mostly TomToms (marketing?), a few Garmins and some I've not
heard of but I'm wondering if some of these 'domestic' units lack the
granularity of setting where you can set it to 'Lorry' to restrict
access to narrow roads and low bridges etc?

After we moved back here about 6 years ago, we would regularly hear the
engines of lorries trying to make an impossible turn outside our front
door, as that's "what the SatNav" said to do. It always a TomTom,
never a Garmin. The process of getting the instructions revised was so
protracted and deliberately obstructive that I vowed never to buy a
TomTom.

[T i m]

Post by Davey
On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:52:11 +0000

Post by T i m
I am regularly having to get up in the middle of the night to
're-direct' foreign artics from this dead-end onto their correct route
and I make a point of seeing what make GPS they are using. It seems
they are mostly TomToms (marketing?), a few Garmins and some I've not
heard of but I'm wondering if some of these 'domestic' units lack the
granularity of setting where you can set it to 'Lorry' to restrict
access to narrow roads and low bridges etc?

After we moved back here about 6 years ago, we would regularly hear the
engines of lorries trying to make an impossible turn outside our front
door,

Yup, that's the noise / trigger. Sometimes you don't actually hear it
but find your car has been written off by one the next day. ;-(

Post by Davey
as that's "what the SatNav" said to do.

I think there is a link between say turning on the GPS (or car engine)
and turning off your common sense and sense of reason.

Post by Davey
It always a TomTom,
never a Garmin.

Ok.

Post by Davey
The process of getting the instructions revised was so
protracted and deliberately obstructive that I vowed never to buy a
TomTom.

I've updated map information (online) on both but have no idea if my
input was ever used.

Cheers, T i m

[Davey]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 18:23:08 +0000

Post by T i m

Post by Davey
The process of getting the instructions revised was so
protracted and deliberately obstructive that I vowed never to buy a
TomTom.

I've updated map information (online) on both but have no idea if my
input was ever used.

Ah, here I can help.

I went onto the TomTom website to try to find a way of contacting them,
to report the problem. I could not find a way then, in early 2011, of
doing it online, and none was offered to me. The problem was not one of
inaccurate data, but how the data was used to get from A to B.

I eventually contacted somebody, and was told that in fact the mapping
information came from a different company, Terraserver, and I would
have to contact them. Terraserver also apparently supplied all the GPS
companies with the same data, according to TomTom.

So I found how to contact Terraserver, and told them the problem. They
agreed to update their info, but pointed out that it would only be
effective when each device was updated, which could be unpredictable.
But the number of lorries trying to make the impossible turn has
certainly decreased since then.

[T i m]

Post by Davey
On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 18:23:08 +0000

Post by T i m

Post by Davey
The process of getting the instructions revised was so
protracted and deliberately obstructive that I vowed never to buy a
TomTom.

I've updated map information (online) on both but have no idea if my
input was ever used.

Ah, here I can help.
I went onto the TomTom website to try to find a way of contacting them,
to report the problem. I could not find a way then, in early 2011, of
doing it online, and none was offered to me. The problem was not one of
inaccurate data, but how the data was used to get from A to B.

Interesting.

Post by Davey
I eventually contacted somebody, and was told that in fact the mapping
information came from a different company, Terraserver, and I would
have to contact them. Terraserver also apparently supplied all the GPS
companies with the same data, according to TomTom.

I think I can confirm that from Garmin c/s. I was asking them about
the idea of 'Lifetime' free map updates and why it wasn't tied to the
user, rather than the device (eg, what if the device fails and needs
replacing or becomes unsupported etc). Part of the answer was that
they (as you say) have to buy the maps off a 3rd party and so couldn't
give them away under such circumstances.

Post by Davey
So I found how to contact Terraserver, and told them the problem. They
agreed to update their info, but pointed out that it would only be
effective when each device was updated, which could be unpredictable.

Of course, unless the process is made near automatic then I guess it
would rarely get done.

Post by Davey
But the number of lorries trying to make the impossible turn has
certainly decreased since then.

Cool. Well done for making the effort. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Chris Whelan]

T i m wrote:

[...].

Post by T i m
I am regularly having to get up in the middle of the night to
're-direct' foreign artics from this dead-end onto their correct route
and I make a point of seeing what make GPS they are using. It seems
they are mostly TomToms (marketing?), a few Garmins and some I've not
heard of but I'm wondering if some of these 'domestic' units lack the
granularity of setting where you can set it to 'Lorry' to restrict
access to narrow roads and low bridges etc?

TomTom outsell Garmin massively, so the results of your straw poll are
unsurprising.

The HGV drivers or their employers are probably cheapskates, trying to use
the wrong tool for the job. They should be using this:

https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/sat-nav/truck-sat-nav/

Chris

[T i m]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:48:35 +0000, Chris Whelan

Post by Chris Whelan
[...].

Post by T i m
I am regularly having to get up in the middle of the night to
're-direct' foreign artics from this dead-end onto their correct route
and I make a point of seeing what make GPS they are using. It seems
they are mostly TomToms (marketing?), a few Garmins and some I've not
heard of but I'm wondering if some of these 'domestic' units lack the
granularity of setting where you can set it to 'Lorry' to restrict
access to narrow roads and low bridges etc?

TomTom outsell Garmin massively, so the results of your straw poll are
unsurprising.

Do you have anything to support that OOI please Chris? I ask because
something I found from (admittedly) 2012 suggested otherwise:

"Garmin still holds the lead in sales ..."

http://uk.pcmag.com/consumer-electronics-reviews-ratings/60825/guide/garmin-vs-tomtom-which-gps-should-i-buy

The article also seems to reflect my feelings around the UI:

"Garmin's user interface is still unparalleled."

Post by Chris Whelan
The HGV drivers or their employers are probably cheapskates, trying to use
https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/sat-nav/truck-sat-nav/

Or this even:

http://sites.garmin.com/en-GB/dezl/ ;-)

The thing is nearly all my Garmin GPS's have a 'Truck' type setting
and whilst they didn't differentiate what size 'truck' it was catering
for, I'm guessing it would consider those things that might typically
affect trucks, like weight, height or width restrictions.

The other things is, across a reasonably wide range of Garmin GPS's
(GPS III+, GPS V, Quest, Streetpilot III / 2610/20, Nuvi 215 [1]) used
(battery / Ext 12V etc) when walking, cycling, boating, motorcycling
and driving (and even flying (only as a passenger), none of them have
ever sent me up a road that was unsuitable for the 'type' setting.

Cheers, T i m

[1] I believe all but the Nuvi were waterproof and therefore suitable
for 'outdoor use as is.

[T i m]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:14:49 +0000, Chris Whelan

Post by Chris Whelan
[...]

Post by T i m
That said, I do like 'real' maps and think would find it impossible to
throw away my little collection of OS Landranger maps away, even
though most are probably out of day to some degree.

Me too.

;-)

I think it's much easier to get a good overview of a journey on a
paper map, as long as it covers it in the right detail. The details of
a journey of 10 miles that is only represented by 1cm of line on a map
isn't likely to help that much and you can't zoom in and out easily on
a paper map. ;-)

Post by Chris Whelan
I use Google maps to check the route to a new location before I set off,

Check,

Post by Chris Whelan
and
street view for the last couple of junctions to get visual cues that might
make spotting a junction tricky even with the sat-nav.

I might do that just for just the final destination (seeing what the
building looks like from the road) but have done as you do where it
looks like it could be easy to miss say a small access road etc.

Whilst I quite likes the 'planning' of a journey on my version of a
paper roll, as a solution it really sucked when for whatever reason
the journey / destination changed. Like, you are on the way to a new
location and you need to deal with a road-works diversion or get a
phone call, requiring you to fit a C between your A and B.



Cheers, T i m