We bought a ‘Global Positioning System’ to take on holidays with us. Mostly because The Baldy Boy had to drive through Sydney to pick up the new trampoline on the way home, and because… well.. what boy doesn’t like a new techy toy to play with. I have to admit it did come in handy quite a bit while driving around Queensland. It made driving from one friend’s place on the Sunshine Coast to another’s on the Gold Coast much easier – not to mention finding our way into the middle of Brisbane and to and from the airport.
It is a bit of a leap of faith for me, to trust the little box that is telling you where to go. While driving around the city streets of Brisbane it was quite hard for me to let go and just follow the instructions. I was sure that sign said ‘Gold Coast’ and pointed right, so why is this thing telling me to turn left??? And please please PLEASE tell me that it knows which way all these one way streets go!
I got used to it though, and in the end even found the nice lady’s voice quite comforting – especially when the girls would parrot the instructions from the back seat, just to make sure I had heard it…
“She said turn left Mamma”
Thanks girls.
There are several voice options for the GPS, with several different accents, but surprisingly there is no Aussie. Maybe having someone say “oi turn right you bugger” isn’t so conducive to stress free driving?
We tried the kiwi lady but it got a bit too much after a while, the American was a little too twangy even for me, so we settled on the English lady. She sounds just like Nigella to me…. all nice and proper. I often felt like at any moment she was going to break out and give me a good “Luscious” or “Superb” and it was almost disappointing when all I got was a –
“In 800 metres…. bare right”
(now I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I just have to ask… should it be ‘bare’ or ‘bear’? or some other kind of ba(e)r(e) that I can’t think of??)
It is bare. Bear is like the animal.:) I love our GPS but the lady has the most annoying voice lol
bare.
I haven’t had used a talking GPS yet. sounds like fun!
The best thing about our GPS is the “distance left to travel” bit. Now instead of asking us how long to go every 5 minutes our son keeps track on the screen. All the kids like to give us the directions as well. My husband set ours to moo (like a cow) at certain points of interest – don’t ask me why, I have no idea. Anyway, it turns out the kids think this is hilarious :-)
See, I would disagree – I would say bear as in “to carry one place to the other” or “to hold oneself in a suitable way” or even perhaps “to turn in the stated direction” (thanks handy dandy Longmans for confirming that)…
Bare is to take off – which, depending on your driving (and your voiceover) you may decide to do anyway. (I know, I know, different sort of take)
From your friendly wordaholic.
we used one in my FIL’s car and it didn’t know the street was concrete blocked off – and we had arguments over it DH and I – no street directory to get out of the street maze.
I would prefer the English lady too … hate a man telling me where to go.
Ah no see, it’s actually ‘bair’…
Ok, I’m pulling your leg ;) I do not like GPS’s!!
I just got one too! Well for mothers day, and I love it, AND I was going to blog about it! Not anymore LOL! Mine does have Australian voices and I do like the women’s voices better to…
Not sure about bare and bear, have wondered myself!