SatNav on phone

Check whether it is legal to use a phone sat nav while driving that is not in a cradle.

My phone now joins up to my in-car Alexa device, so can give instruction verbally to it

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You should make sure that you have some gizmo or other that allows you to communicate with your phone. Drivers who are caught touching their phones for even the briefest moments while driving will soon be convicted as new HD cameras are trialled.

An urgent review has been called by transport secretary Grant Shapps to tighten a loophole which allows motorists caught with their hands on their phones to avoid punishment.

At the moment police have to catch those behind the wheel calling, texting or engrossed in some other kind of 'interactive communication' to bring a successful charge, Birmingham Mail reported.

The issue was brought to light earlier this year when Ramsey Barreto successfully appealed a conviction he received for filming the scene of a crash while driving.

His lawyers argued UK laws only forbade driving while communicating on a phone, not simply holding a mobile.

The Department for Transport is working to close the loophole so anyone spotted texting, taking photos, browsing the internet, scrolling through a music playlist, setting the satnav or doing anything else on their phone behind the wheel can be prosecuted.

I switched the Waze, great functions.

We have just bought a new car. It has a special little compartment next to the phone socket so that you don't need to rest your phone anywhere.
I use Google maps whenever we go on a journey to somewhere unfamiliar.

I'm also looking at the Android Auto app, but I think that uses a lot of data.

Try WAZE

I had a fiddle with my car and phone but wasn’t successful in setting up. I was chatting to my daughter and she said she’d just figured out to do it so I will get her to help me out with it.

Really appreciate googlemaps.
I have used a satnav since domestic ones first came out. But resented having to pay to load on to them map updates. Indeed, the last TomTom I purchased was just a few months before they started to provide free updates, but it still wanted to charge me for that one. So, it was always out of date!!

Was final convert a couple of years ago, when one of my daughters moved to a new build. No way would my TomTom find that (it did not exist), but my phone googlemaps did.

I have a special holder (long arm attached to windowscreen), and this opens up for phone to go in, and opens to let me remove it, AND charges my phone whilst in there.
Do remember to keep volume on phone turned up to it fullest - and also remember to touch FINISH at end of journey otherwise phone keeps trying to give you information even after you have gone indoors.

Successful fiddling! Voice back on. We’ve used ours all over the place too-it’s v impressive!

Google maps on your phone works when travelling abroad, too. A couple of years ago, I was driving back to Ouistreham from DH's home when the gilets jaunes were setting up blockades. I had nearly reached Caen when I was confronted by a road closure with gendarmes directing the traffic off the route nationale. All went well as I followed the diversion signs (and the other vehicles!) until the signs suddenly ended! Aargh!

I typed in Ouistreham ferry and it directed me perfectly, even though I had to double back to avoid yet another blockade! It even recognised by name the tiny backstreets in a town through which I drove. Luckily, Brittany Ferries had warned me to allow more time in anticipation of delays en route. I was very relieved when I found myself back on roads I recognised!

DH always wants to use the Satnav he has-Tomtom-he goes out and sits in the care while it loads.
When I’m going out I just click on google maps, have a quick glance at route u’d it’s somewhere I vaguely know and off I go.
I have bought a holder for my phone but don’t use it all the time.
Although, funnily enough, yesterday it was silent! Perhaps it’s sulking-will have a fiddle with it today

Grannynannywanny ?? tell them how much I appreciated your help.

Sat-Nav, that will be Satan's Navelwort? I hate the wretched things. When my wife plugs her sat-nav in I always end up arguing with it.

Beechnut my family will think it’s hilarious when I tell them I’ve shared my almost non existent technology skills on here!

??*Grannynannywanny*. I feel I might be entering a modern world ??

I’ve surprised myself recently with a few things I’ve learned since lockdown.

Hope it works for you Beechnut. I wasn’t expecting it to play through the car speakers. Once you pair your phone with the car’s Bluetooth you don’t need to do anything else. They will connect each time you get in car. Even if the radio is on google maps will cut in and momentarily silence it to say the directions just like a “proper” satnav system.

Thanks Grannynannywanny for the Bluetooth tip. I’m going to have a look at that. I’ve googled how to do it with my make of car.

I downloaded google maps onto the phone and I am now being inundated with ads! I tried putting in my location and it took me to Germany!

I think I will tinker tomorrow when I am not so sleepy.

I have a holder for my phone but I no longer use it. As others have said, verbal directions from the phone suffice. Just made me think - it's like having a (good) backseat driver telling you where to go!

Thankyou

Yes tanith I used one of those phone holders on the dash board and it worked fine. But I quickly decided it was just too much of a distraction for me while driving. I feel safer just listening with the phone out of sight. I’ve had it that way for a few years.

I use google maps on my phone as satnav and find it very good. I prefer not too look at it and leave it out of sight as I find it too distracting and unsafe to glance even momentarily at it.
An unexpected bonus is that because my phone connects with the car’s Bluetooth my google maps directions automatically play through the car speakers. It’s great in unfamiliar places and it’s free.

Does anyone use a magnetic holder for their phone in the car? They have one in Halfords I’m thinking of trying to use it as satnav.

I just search and that brings up the map and its straightforward from there.