Using a Sat Nav to follow a route planned previously

1. Make sure you know the route and major stops and way points.

Knowing the route helps with navigation considerably.

I know the sat nav is there to help with the route, but it only helps.

All sorts of things happen that mean a knowledge of the route is significantly helpful.

For example if you take a wrong turn "because the sat nav told you to", knowing the route and reading the road signs prevents such mis-haps. Additionally the frustration of a missed via, with the sat nav constantly navigating you back to the missed via can be more easily idendified and circumvented if you know the route.

2. Do not just follow the route on the sat nav blindly as it may have re-souted and taken you off the planned route.

Sat navs are most useful if things change as they will reroute and find the "best" oute to the next via/ way point.

However if you do not notice the reroute and are just following the route on the screen blindly you will not be surprised to find that no matter which road you take it will always be on "the route".  However of course this isn't the planned route and may be missing a fantastic road or scenin route.

3. Ensure your options are set the same as the person who plotted the route.

Not everyone places enough way points on their route to ensure that the route will be identical on different sat nav models, even from the same manufacturer.

In fact the same route placed on different models of sat nav from the same manufacturere will more than likely give different routes.

To give the sat nav the best chance of plotting the same route make sure all options and avoidances are the same.

For example options might be

• Fastest Route
• Shortest Route
• Twisty Route

Avoidances might be

• Motorways
• Cross country