Getting From A to B With GPS

Where in the world would we be without GPS technology to tell us where in the world we are? Not that far back in history explorers set off for distant lands armed only by a few sketchy and rather fanciful maps, a compass, a fair knowledge of the stars, and a favourable wind.

Today it is now possible for anyone to clip in a small device the size of a hamburger, and drive to any destination on the globe to within an accuracy of a few metres. The fact that most people seem to use this technology to find, for example, the most efficient route to the bowling alley avoiding rush hour traffic and the junction with the slow changing lights is neither here nor there - it's the potential value that matters!

It is easy for people to mock the idea of needing this technology, citing cases of explorers ploughing the seas to find new worlds with little more than a pocket watch and the stars. But whilst they may have lived in a world whose maps contained swathes of empty space marked only with script declaring 'here be dragons', today we are armed with maps which are changing every two minutes, and which contain multitudinous annotations declaring 'here be roadworks', 'here be temporary contraflow diversions' and 'here be a ten mile tailback resulting from an overturned lorry carrying fourteen hundred chickens.'

Because there are nearly 700 million cars in the world, driving from A to B rarely involves actually starting at point A and driving like a Roman to point B. Not that Romans drove, but you get the idea. Such a journey usually involves driving from A to B via point C if it's a Sunday evening, but through point D at rush hour. What about if you need to stop off at point E on a Sunday evening, but at a time when there's a big game on, and the traffic's likely to be heavier?

Driving is no longer a simple affair, which is why GPS technology is able to lend a hand. It's not just about convenience - it's about safety. The more traffic on the roads, the more likelihood there is of an accident, and a resulting tailback. Roadworks are no longer merely an inconvenience, they can add hours to a journey. What has been needed for some time is a system which is able to coordinate much of the traffic on the roads, siphoning off excess traffic on some roads at certain times to ease congestion and keep everyone moving.

With GPS technology accessing up to the minute data on road situations, beamed directly to your dashboard via satellite, you become one of those vehicles helping ease conditions on the road, helping you to get where you need to be more quickly, and more safely. You're also helping to do your bit to ease problems elsewhere, which will certainly help you feel good about doing your bit.

So where would we be without GPS systems? Stuck on the freeway, spending a hot Sunday afternoon behind a chicken truck.

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