Tom Tom GPS-can I track my Daughter?

[HappyAnniversary]

Ha! No, it''s not that I don''t trust her

, she''s in college and wants to go on a road trip with her girlfriend across the country!!! I am freaking about safety on the road and am considering buying a GPS thingy for two reasons, 1) she won''t get lost and 2) If she calls me on the cell (T-Mobile Samsung t629-- looked it up and didn''t see GPS info on it) and says she''s in trouble I''ll know where to tell the cops where she is!

1. BUT I don''t know how it works --does it transmit, too?
2. And do you know if the $300 price includes the maps?
3. Have you used one and does it work well?
4. How necessary do you think it would be? $300 is doable, but college tuition is due the month too. We don''t travel much to unknown places, so it not really an item we need again. Would it make her safer??

I am having a hard time with these kids growing up cos I can no longer say--No you can''t go.

 

[neatfreak]

Honestly? I think she will be FINE. I have road tripped a few times across the country and a GPS doesn't really help much on the highway. A good atlas is much easier. If she has to call the cops she should be able to tell them where she is pretty easily based on highway markers. Just make sure she has a good cellphone, a car charger for it, a battery booster just in case, and knows how to read highway signs/markers.

Take a deep breath. She'll be fine!

ETA: One thing I WOULD worry about is that T-Mobile doesn't have the best service in many areas of the country, so I would worry more about the lack of cell phone coverage. Do you know what carrier her friend has?

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Thanks Neatfreak! I know I am a little pyscho about this trip. I''ll ask about her friend''s cell carrier--I hadn''t even thought about that! I did buy a new Atlas from Barnes and Noble--on sale $2.00==so much better than $300!! I guess I would rather hear it is not necessary than it is, since college (and my new diamond) cost a lot!!

 

[kcoursolle]

She will be fine. I went to Puerto Rico and a road trip when I was still in high school and we actually acted fairly responsible considering how young we were.

Give her advice she can use: part your car near the hotel room so you can see it from the window, be sure to lock all of the hotel and car doors and not to leave expsive valuables in the car (especially ipods), be aware of people you meet at the bar and don''t tell them where you are staying/going, plan your fill up stops so you don''t run out of gas, don''t forget to charge your cell batteries at the hotel and to turn it off some of the time to save battery juice, pack healthy snacks, etc.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Thanks kcourselle for the tips. I read your post fast the first time and thought you said you went on a road trip TO Puerto Rico and I thought --HUH?? That would be some tricky driving!

 

[curiopotter]

HappyAnniversary,

I'm about to go on a road trip in the end of July from Houston to Las Vegas to The Grand Canyon and back to Houston..

I have a navigation system built in my car, and so far it's really gotten me out of a ton of problems. I'm also bringing my laptop that has a program on it called Microsoft Streets and Trips which has helped me build a route for our trip. The program is a little expensive, but you may find one on ebay cheaper ($30 on avg). It lists hotels on the freeways, restaurants, gas stations, stores, etc. You DO however, have to call ahead to make sure the places still exist, and call the gas stations on your scheduled fuel stops to make sure they're open 24 hours. We're sticking to the major freeways and all of our reserved hotel rooms have WiFi so I can check for road conditions and weather before we head out. We decided to play it safe both ways, with the MS Streets and Trips, and a Nav. system.

Navigation systems are nice if the program recognizes the street or address you're traveling to. Most of them have their quirks, but they can tell you the shortest or quickest route to get some places. The only setback is that most of them are just computerized atlases, and they can't tell the upcoming traffic conditions, or if a road has a detour, etc.. TomTom has the traffic conditions and weather built in, however.

I think she'll be fine without a navigation system, but they're great reference tools incase she DOES get lost, and calculates how to get back to the freeway FOR you instead of having to pull over somewhere and read a map or atlas, which is a real pain. I travel a few times a year on motorcycle trips, and having to pull over to read maps is by far the most annoying and dangerous part of trips. We ended up getting a navigation for our bikes and it's really helped us get back to where we're going. Check EBAY for TomTom's because they're infinitely cheaper.

IF you decide to get a navigation system, let her get aquainted with it before she drives because they can take a while to get used to. There are other nav. systems other than TomTom but it's pretty user friendly from what I've seen. I think they include the maps on the TomTom. It works like a hard drive, so they come already on the navigation system, and can be updated from any computer. Make sure she takes it out of the car before she parks the car to eat or stay at a hotel. I'm not sure about you being able to track her, though.

Go to http://www.tomtom.com or call one of their 1800 numbers. They're very friendly and can explain more of their features.

 

[asscher_girl]

Hi HappyAnni - my FI and myself moved out to Northern CA from Atlanta, GA in January and be both purchased GPS/navigation systems. They are both Garmin Nuvi''s and we love them. My FI got one that has a really large screen (it was about $700 or 750) but I got the smaller one and it was about $500. They have been life savers. Both of us are in sales and we drive around a lot and we''ve never had any problems with them. Sure sometimes they make take us a different route than what they took us last time, but they always get us to where we need to go. I don''t know about the whole tracking thing though.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Thanks all for the replies. DD, DH and I went out to eat tonight. I started to list the safety ideas and all she got was mad!

I told her I bought her an atlas and she said why? she''ll print out the route from her computer. Ah, we have such a tempestuous relationship. She''d just laugh at the Tom Tom so its off the docket for now. I think in a few years we will get along better. I am not hounding her, but my suggestions are seen as sticking my nose in her business. Sigh

 

[WTNLVR]

Personnally I think a good map is better. We used a Tom Tom to go to Hatteras and it was a pain in the neck. It originally wanted to take us a route via an 8hr ferry! So, you kinda have to know exactly what route you want to take. I think a nice AAA trip tic is better. For city driving it works much better IMO.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 7/8/2007 8:25:02 PM
Author: HappyAnniversary
Thanks all for the replies. DD, DH and I went out to eat tonight. I started to list the safety ideas and all she got was mad!

I told her I bought her an atlas and she said why? she''ll print out the route from her computer. Ah, we have such a tempestuous relationship. She''d just laugh at the Tom Tom so its off the docket for now. I think in a few years we will get along better. I am not hounding her, but my suggestions are seen as sticking my nose in her business. Sigh

Yeah, this doesn''t surprise me. I was the same at that age. The good news is that just because she didn''t enjoy it, doesn''t mean that she didn''t listen to you and she won''t use the advice. Kids listen to their parents more than you would expect given their reactions to parents'' advice.

 

[curiopotter]

*sigh* teenagers...


Tell her to make sure the roads still exist, because I''ve found countless errors in mapquest and googlemaps on my road trips, and she won''t have internet access to get new directions incase the ones she has are faulty. Tell her to also call the hotels and ask if there''s any construction in the areas shes'' traveling.

Also ask her for a print-out of the maps she''s taking with her. That way if she DOES have to call you, you can at least pinpoint the page number she''s on, and the road she''s on, and help her out that way.

I''d just frankly tell her (or write her a letter or email) that you love her and WANT her to have a great road trip and have fun, but you also care about her safety, and to be able to help her from home incase something DOES happen. Other than that, I wouldn''t pressure her about anything else.

 

[monarch64]

Sorry for what I''m about to say: please don''t track your daughter!!! I know I don''t know you or your situation or your daughter, but I feel it''s really unnecessary to "track" her like an animal.

I''m 30 now, and grew up with very protective parents who did indulge me in one spring break and everything turned out fine. No one died, or overdosed, or drank themselves into oblivion, or showed up later on girls gone wild, I swear. But if I''d known my parent(s) had "tracked" me, I may have done a lot worse including running away to Mexico or something. As long as she has a phone in the hotel room (no, not even a cellphone, you don''t even need that much connection unless absolutely necessary), you''ve done your part as far as safety and she''ll be home and happy in a week. Just don''t be the crazy GPS mom...or at least keep it to yourself and your husband?

 

[So_happy]

I have a Garmin and that little sucker is amazing. And the next model up from mine will tell us of upcoming traffic and reroute us if neccasary. I use it all the time and have used it on many longer distance trips. It''s nice to sit back and relax and not dig out the ole huge map or even try to read the frustrating babble that mapquest seems to pump out lately. These gps''s are also very nice for when you are on your route and simply feel like checking to see if there is a.........oh........old navy nearby because you forgot flip flops and want to buy some cheap ones for your trip. It''ll tell ya that no problem!

Having said that, I do always keep a proper atlas in my back seat at all times. Ya just never know if the electronic marvel will short or break or whatever and you''ll need something! I also still print up a mapquest set just in case. I''ve never needed either but it''s nice to know I''m covered.

Also, I know some rental car companies rent them for about $10/day. That''s how I ended up buying mine...........after falling in love with it in Florida.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Thanks again all for replying. I guess I made the title a bit extreme for shock (and a joke) value. But yes, I am probably being overprotective, but it is not in what SHE might do (she''s 21 and I know that is her business as long as it is legal (no drunk driving for example), it is just in the possibilities of what two naive girls might not recognize as a bad situation. And I really wasn''t wanting to track her every move, but if she called me with a scream of HELP I could tell the cops where she was. She''s called several times when she''s gotten lost and I''ve had to try to get her home via the internet and cell phone. Imagine having your slow computer freezing up and the daughter (with great stress and alarm in her voice) say do I take the exit? do I take the exit? She''s always been a Drama queen, so these phone calls have been very stressful. Once she called, driving, lost because of construction saying I don''t know if I am on the right road or not because of the construction barrels, her voice cracking almost in tears and then screamed OMG!! and I am picturing a semi heading on to her and its that she missed a turn. It was because of this history of getting lost while driving that made me think she needed the extra help.

 

[eks6426]

My husband and I own a Nextel dealership and primarily sell GPS type tools to businesses. We deal a lot in tracking and maps....

If your daughter has a newer model cell phone, by law they have to have a locater GPS that can be used if she calls 911. That same locater could be used if she suddenly turned up missing. You don''t need to do anything for this to be active other than ensure the cell phone model she has is new enough.

Tracking and mapping are really 2 entirely different things. There are several mapping options...handhelds like Garmins, built in car versions or mapping that you can put on her cell phone. http://telenav.com/


Tracking can be done in a variety of ways. Some systems work so your daughter would have no idea you were tracking her. Others, there will be an icon on her phone. Most are web based meaning you log into the internet and can "see" where she is. But to me, she seems a bit old to be doing this. It would certainly need to be something that SHE wanted too. We use tracking on our teen but he is only 17.

Honestly, after insuring her cell phone is new enough to have the 911 GPS locator in it, I''d just give her an Atlas and let her go. You can always call her if you are nervous.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Super --GPS in the phone for 911 and an Atlas is good enough for me. I wasn''t wanting to track her every move--only ensure someone could tell where she was if she needed help and maybe help if she gets lost in a big city she''s traveling through

 

[poptart]

Date: 7/9/2007 8:36:35 AM
Author: HappyAnniversary
Thanks again all for replying. I guess I made the title a bit extreme for shock (and a joke) value. But yes, I am probably being overprotective, but it is not in what SHE might do (she''s 21 and I know that is her business as long as it is legal (no drunk driving for example), it is just in the possibilities of what two naive girls might not recognize as a bad situation. And I really wasn''t wanting to track her every move, but if she called me with a scream of HELP I could tell the cops where she was. She''s called several times when she''s gotten lost and I''ve had to try to get her home via the internet and cell phone. Imagine having your slow computer freezing up and the daughter (with great stress and alarm in her voice) say do I take the exit? do I take the exit? She''s always been a Drama queen, so these phone calls have been very stressful. Once she called, driving, lost because of construction saying I don''t know if I am on the right road or not because of the construction barrels, her voice cracking almost in tears and then screamed OMG!! and I am picturing a semi heading on to her and its that she missed a turn. It was because of this history of getting lost while driving that made me think she needed the extra help.

I really don''t think you need to get her the tracking system. I am 21 as well, and moved to a new state by myself when I was 19. I can''t tell you how many times I got lost on the highway trying to find the exit back to my school, or the mall, or work. I even took the wrong exit driving cross country. It happens. This might sound a little mean, but letting her just get lost isn''t all that bad. She''ll learn really quickly how to read the right signs, and will be proud of herself for figuring it out on her own. Plus she will have another set of eyes looking out for her since her friend will be there. I know you don''t want her getting caught in an unsavory part of some city, but she''s probably not as naive as you think, and I''m sure she''s got a great head on her shoulders! Just call to check in on her and maybe get her a nice atlas for the drive. My mom got me a map of my area that is a dry erase map that came in really handy. I''m not sure if they make those in big atlases though. It sounds from your post like you are really apprehensive, but I bet everything will be just fine. You will only make yourself worry more by thinking of all the things that could happen that most likely wouldn''t. Best wishes!

 

[E B]

I have the TomTom GPS and it is priceless. One of the most useful things we''ve ever purchased. If I take a wrong turn or choose a wrong highway, instead of stressing and trying to figure out what to do as I''m driving (which is dangerous), TomTom tells me where to turn and how to get back onto the correct path. I cannot say enough great things about it.

 

[enbcfsobe]

For safety purposes, I would think that an a CB radio would probably be a more cost-effective thing to buy. Make it an old-fashioned trip with a CB and (recent!) paper maps and an AAA TripTik (these are invaluable and can help you anticipate detours/construction) as backup to the cell phone. Just my thoughts.