car GPS for Learning Disability (LD) young adults

Penta

New Member
Does anyone have one? I wonder how useful one would be for a dyslexic young adult. As it is, I am her GPS. When she gets lost, she calls me, I look on the map and direct her. She plans to take a road trip alone in December about 2-3 hours north of us and of course, I will worry.

Are GPS systems expensive and worthwhile? How do they operate? Do you pay monthly to a company?

Thanks.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I got Jamie one for his birthday in July because he works driving backroads constantly. He loves it!

You can get a pretty good one for about 200 bucks at walmart or office depot. No monthly fee.

You simply put in the address you are going to and it tells you how to get there. You can tell it to take you there the quickest way, using highways, backroads, no highways...etc. You can also look up restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, police departments.

You can download the newest maps with most of them.

Make sure you get one that talks to her. The one I got Jamie talks and it was about 200. It just suction cups to the window or dash. You can also find them on ebay. For a bit more money you can get them with blue tooth enabled so the cell phone runs thru them.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Oh I forgot to say how it works.

It will have a map on the screen and then it will say..."go 2.2 miles and turn left on green street""Approaching Green street, turn left"
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I've been wanting one forever even though I don't have a learning disability. My family claims, however, that I am directionally challenged.

I think it would be great for your difficult child. I was thinking of getting one for each of my girls for Christmas. It would take the worry out of them being out alone at night and getting lost.

You can get great deals online. Go to Amazon and read the reviews of the different kinds. One of the more popular models is the Garmin Nuvi. You can get it at all different price points depending on the features that you need. After you pick the one that you want, go to pricegrabber.com and check the prices there. They will find you the cheapest online deal. I have bought most of our electronic items that way with no tax or shipping charges.

I'm thinking of asking Santa to bring me one, too. :smile:

~Kathy
 
I am the family's GPS.

I was a dispatcher for years, and a repossessor for years more. Everyone calls me for directions.

If I like the person, I give them correct directions.
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
My daughter is only 12, but I've already said many times that if it weren't for GPS in today's world, she would never be able to drive. She gets lost in her own neighborhood. Literally.
 

meowbunny

New Member
I got a Mio from CircuitCity for under $200.00 (cheaper than most). It is awesome!!! Even found a vacation home on the Suwahnee River that was down 3 different limestone roads.

It talks, gives you warnings one mile, one-quarter mile and various yardages. If you miss the turn, it will find a way to get you back to where you want. It also will find many local stores and restaurants.

So, a definite vote to get a GPS. They are worth every penny.

Now a warning: Be sure that when you leave the car you take the GPS with you. Also, remove the attachment device and charger and clean the window where it suctions on so that that the ring doesn't show. Sadly, they are now very hot items to steal and breaking a window to get to it is too common.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Jamies is a Garmin. I cant remember the model. Like I said, he loves it.

I want one too...lol. He really likes the feature where you can find restaurants. You just tell it what sort of restaurant you want...seafood, chinese, buffet, whatever...and it brings them up. It also has the telephone numbers of them...you then hit it and it gives you directions from where you are!
 
OK, another commercial reference.

I don't even remember what the ad was for. I think it was the car that the GPS was in. Anyways the guy is driving and the GPS unit talks in a female voice to warn him of traffic up ahead. The guy says something to the effect of "You know, you are amazing, you do this, you do that, you tell me about traffic..." He gets a funny look on his face, then says "I love you" to the GPS. Cue "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (Turn around, every now & then...). THey go back and forth between the guy and the GPS screen. The guy starts to get an uncomfortable look on his face, like one would get if they said I love you and did not get an I love you in return.

Eventually the GPS says "Market Street exit ahead". The guy says :Yeah, you're right. Best to just keep it professional."
 

gottaloveem

Active Member
Our friends got their Learning Disability (LD) son Garmin. They got it off E-bay.

Their son got lost all the time. With Garmin, he never does. He can go places 20 miles away and farther. He can get there and back without getting lost.

My friend and I borrowed it when we went to Cleveland to see the Princess Diana exhibit. We didn't take any maps. We found everything. It was great. I want to get one.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I think our AS difficult child will NEED one. He honestly doesn't observe
where anything is other than knowing how to go from school to
home. It's scarey! I truthfully don't think he knows the way
to his GFGmoms house.......and it only involves like five or six
different turns AND he goes almost every weekend! Yikes. DDD
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Penta, it was the best money I have spent in a long time. My difficult child takes it even when not in a car. (train to new jersey then walk to an appointment). He has so much more confidence to go places and do things. He has been to more places in Raleigh than I have. He plugs in the mall addy and off he goes.

I can't be more happy with this purchase. He used it to get from Plano to Raleigh. Didn't even take a map. :smile:
 

OpenWindow

Active Member
I tell my sister all the time that she is geographically challenged. We lived in St. Louis where the regions are pretty straightforward. If she was in South County, and she needed to go to North County, she didn't know whether to go north or south on the highway to get there. We lived in West County, and the Arch is downtown. Do you go east or west to get to the Arch? Don't ask my sister. And she lived there for at least 25 years.

She's is a techno geek, and her GPS is probably her favorite "toy" now. And, I get a lot less phone calls asking me directions when she is hopelessly lost.

Linda
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Big Bad Kitty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am the family's GPS.

I was a dispatcher for years, and a repossessor for years more. Everyone calls me for directions.

If I like the person, I give them correct directions. </div></div>That's what I want, a GPS with attitude!
 
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