Start Your GPS on the Way to the Rental Car
Each Friday, we’re featuring a reader-submitted tip as our Travel Tip of the Day. This week’s tip was left by reader Tim R., who says:
“If you like using your portable GPS for rental cars rather than your phone, here’s a tip I learned the hard way. Often it takes several minutes for your GPS to calibrate its new location. If you plug it in when you get in the rental car (which may be parked inside a cement parking garage), you will be driving blind for at least 3-5 minutes which is just enough time to get lost.
So to remedy that, I turn on my GPS as soon as I head for the rental car shuttle or building. This allows time for my GPS to calibrate itself properly before I pick up my car and head into traffic.”
This is probably not a bad idea if you use your phone’s GPS either, in case the rental garage is underground, for example. A great tip—thanks Tim!
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“Several minutes” is not enough if your first use of a portable GPS is on a different CONTINENT. I took mine to Rome and it took 45 minutes to get a fix the first time.
It’s also a good idea to enter the rental car company location into your bring along GPS so you can find your way back.
It took my GPS about an hour to calibrate after we flew from eastern Canada to Orlando. Luckily I brought printed directions to our resort. Just as I turned into the resort parking lot, the GPS came to life.