 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, so the sat nav has given up the ghost! I suppose it was better to do it now rather than in the middle of France. But the big Question is do I replace it with another sat nav or do I down load Tom Tom maps onto my iPhone? Im on O2 so I Pay £1.99 per day for use abroad and then top up if necessary. Has anybody any idea how much data the phone would eat between Calais and Annecy would the days data plan be enough? Any advice please. Anybody used Tom Tom maps on iPhone in France?  Help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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where are you going in France? You really don't need a satnav, and if not used with a bit of commonsense they can get people into all kinds of trouble on mountain passes!
I'd sort out a route, using google maps or whatever, then note down the key places you'll be passing en route, so you can look out for the relevant signposts. Signposting is good in France but invariably place names, not road numbers, with a clear distinction between motorway signage (blue) and the "routes nationales" (green).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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kez, Down load the navfree app to your iphone. It has the UK and ROI maps stored on the iphone, so no data connection necessary. Map for France can be downloaded for £1.99. It needs a fair amount of space on the iphone for the maps but works well for me.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Have you thought about buying a good old fashioned Michelin map - they are really quite good you know.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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If you download/purchase the Tomtom app with the french/european maps you shouldn't use any data at all because the map will be stored in your phone.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| snowbandit wrote: |
| Have you thought about buying a good old fashioned Michelin map - they are really quite good you know. |
+1 for maps
-999 for satnavs. The only potential benefit I can think of for a satnav is when you're on your own or your passenger is blind.
Years ago I drove from Chamonix to Rotterdam and I didn't even have a map. I was broke and just popped into the shop in Cham, looked at the map and made some mental notes about main towns on route. However the Belgian towns caused me some consternation on the return as they had different name on the signs when going north to south !
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| Quote: |
The only potential benefit I can think of for a satnav is when you're on your own
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yes, fantastic for finding your way round a strange city - you can't stop in the traffic to look at a map all the time.
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| Quote: |
The only potential benefit I can think of for a satnav is when you're on your own or your passenger is blind
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Or has the map reading skills of a matchbox!
Fully support the "don't blindly trust SatNav" argument, but personally I find mine invaluable. Even though I could get to Vallandry without maps or notes, it helps me take a detour on unfamiliar roads if there is an accident etc, helps with time planning as I know roughly when we will reach lunch stops and the like, has been very useful to "find" a hospital and petrol station in strange locations when needed.
It's a device which makes life easier, but shouldn't repalce common sense and the ability to read a map
Personally I'd buy a basic TomTom, there areloads of deals around, rather than relying on phone.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I love maps, but I'd vote for the 'proper' satnav option. I find them useful in so many ways.
1. They take 90% of the hassle out of navigation. No, you shouldn't trust them 100%, but they are pretty good.
2. On dark country roads they give you advance warning of twists and turns on the road
3. Warning of current speed limit, and speed cameras too (in most countries).
4. Decent large screen, no worries about data usage, battery life etc.
Buy a tomtom or similar, and unless you're on a serious budget, go for the live traffic option. It's paid for itself many times over with me.
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I can recommend Sygic as an iPhone satnav app over TomTom. It's certainly worth a look.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Warning of current speed limit, and speed cameras too (in most countries).
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But make sure you turn that feature off in France as it is illegal to have that warning
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Boris wrote: |
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Warning of current speed limit, and speed cameras too (in most countries).
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But make sure you turn that feature off in France as it is illegal to have that warning |
This was introduced in January last year, so many folk may not be aware the law has changed.
It was part of decree n°2012-3, introduced on 3 January 2012, and relates to both detectors and sat-nav warnings of locations.
Also, around 400 new cameras have been added to the French road network over the last year or so, and many of the speed camera signs have been removed (or will be removed)
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| Boris wrote: |
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Warning of current speed limit, and speed cameras too (in most countries).
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But make sure you turn that feature off in France as it is illegal to have that warning |
Just print out the Google map with the warnings on.
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You know it makes sense.
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In thinking about it, it's another reason I'd prefer to use my iPhone as my satnav. As I use it to play music through the car stereo as well as navigate, if I was being pulled over, it would be very quick and easy to swap to the music app and the satnav is gone completely, no reason to think it was being used never mind to know what it contains. Bearing in mind that the police cannot examine a satnav without good reason. Add to that that my car has satnav built in (which doesn't have speed camera locations) and I think I could use it safely without any issue.
FWIW, I tend to just stick the cruise control on anyway, so doubt I'd be speeding in the first place.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
Just print out the Google map with the warnings on
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or just stick to the sodding speed limits..... 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| feef wrote: |
In thinking about it, it's another reason I'd prefer to use my iPhone as my satnav. As I use it to play music through the car stereo as well as navigate, if I was being pulled over, it would be very quick and easy to swap to the music app and the satnav is gone completely, no reason to think it was being used never mind to know what it contains. Bearing in mind that the police cannot examine a satnav without good reason. Add to that that my car has satnav built in (which doesn't have speed camera locations) and I think I could use it safely without any issue.
FWIW, I tend to just stick the cruise control on anyway, so doubt I'd be speeding in the first place. |
It's paranoia, nothing else ...  while FR 'laws' could be 'interesting, I am yet to come accross an unreasonable policemen in FR.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have the Sygic iPhone app, it works great. The cameras have disappeared in the latest update, it works off line.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Deleted.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 9-12-13 16:18; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| pam w wrote: |
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Just print out the Google map with the warnings on
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or just stick to the sodding speed limits..... |
Get over it Pam.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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blahblahblah, French accident rates - horrific a few years ago - have tumbled since they started enforcing speed limits.
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kez, The best option is to buy a proper app that downloads the maps to the iphone avaoiding data charges. I use co-pilot which consistently does very well in reviews.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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buy a new car, with a built in SatNav
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pam w,
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blahblahblah, French accident rates - horrific a few years ago - have tumbled since they started enforcing speed limits.
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But why do they have to enforce them on us as well?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Edit, found some evidence.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| pam w wrote: |
| blahblahblah, French accident rates - horrific a few years ago - have tumbled since they started enforcing speed limits. |
It's not just the limits they have been enforcing, but driving manners too. Even things like "Accelerating while being overtaken" or "Failing to get in right-hand lane while being overtaken" are being enforced and carry a €135 fine. Indeed the former also carry a minimum of 2 points and the potential for licence suspension for up to 2 years.
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feef, I wish they'd include "cutting back in after overtaking in such a manner as to leave the overtaken with the option of either driving far too close or easing off her (hitherto steady) speed to leave a safe distance".
I like the French lane discipline, on the whole, but that is really irritating!
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
feef, I wish they'd include "cutting back in after overtaking in such a manner as to leave the overtaken with the option of either driving far too close or easing off her (hitherto steady) speed to leave a safe distance".
I like the French lane discipline, on the whole, but that is really irritating! |
I think a lot of them are still getting used to that and maybe being a bit overzealous. With the threat of a €135 euro fine hanging over your head, I can understand it at first, until it settles down a bit and things get a bit more sensible 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
However the Belgian towns caused me some consternation on the return as they had different name on the signs when going north to south !
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Yes, annoying when the names are vaguely similar, but seriously inconvenient when the names don't resemble each other at all. You couldn't exactly guess that Mons and Bergen are one and the same town! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Pedantica, My particular bête noir (or whatever that is in Flemish!!) was Lille and Rijksel - at least when you leave Zeebrugge now they have new signs with both names on after that little issue the 600 miles to Tignes is easy follow Paris then Lyon then Lyon Airport then Albertville then Bourg - job done - less turns than getting to Asda!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I used Apple maps on my iPhone last week driving from Dunkirk to Bonn and it was superb. I"m on O2 - downloaded the route on wifi on the ferry. Made the mistake of not turning off roaming on arriving at Dunkirk! As the OP said the first 15(?) MB on O2 costs £1.99 per day. I found that 15MB was used up after about an hour and a quarter
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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[/quote]
You couldn't exactly guess that Mons and Bergen are one and the same town! [/quote]
Needs a bit of lateral thinking. Mons - say Monts (French = mountains) or Bergen (German = geddit). Obviously it's Flemish rather than German - hence the lateral thought. It works for quite a few Flemish/Walloon towns.
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chocksaway, zwaarte beest is literal but the Dutch would Just say "bete noire"
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FAQ
I can see that they might be useful if you were on your own, in certain circumstances, very occasionally.
)
" Dear Santa, please can I an Infinity". 