Avoid SatNav signs

[Big L]

How could I have forgotten about this one?

[Sabrista]

How could I have forgotten about this one?

I’ve already posted that one!

Serena

[swissferry]

Not too fond of this ignore sat nat sign: it only applies if you are turning left and are driving a wide or heavy vehicle.

The width restriction does feel narrow when approaching down the hill and around the bend.

[nowster]

One possibility is for all of EUrope to standardise on using the letters "GPS" to include "Satnav". A look at Wikidata shows that "GPS" is a pretty universal abbreviation.

But does that mean if I don't use a NavStar GPS™ based satellite navigation device, but rather one that uses a different GNSS system like Galileo, GLONASS or BeiDou, I can go up that road?

[wallmeerkat]

Not too fond of this ignore sat nat sign: it only applies if you are turning left and are driving a wide or heavy vehicle.

The width restriction does feel narrow when approaching down the hill and around the bend.

The avoiding bridge diversion signage is well signposted - https://www.google.com/maps/@55.7621923 ... ?entry=ttu

[Helvellyn]

One possibility is for all of EUrope to standardise on using the letters "GPS" to include "Satnav". A look at Wikidata shows that "GPS" is a pretty universal abbreviation.

But does that mean if I don't use a NavStar GPS™ based satellite navigation device, but rather one that uses a different GNSS system like Galileo, GLONASS or BeiDou, I can go up that road?

It would possibly run in to some trademark-type issue but I think it's fair to say that from a language use perspective, if not a legally technically correct one, GPS has become a generic term for satellite navigation systems.

I think that means there's little chance of it actually appearing on signs.

[wallmeerkat]

One possibility is for all of EUrope to standardise on using the letters "GPS" to include "Satnav". A look at Wikidata shows that "GPS" is a pretty universal abbreviation.

But does that mean if I don't use a NavStar GPS™ based satellite navigation device, but rather one that uses a different GNSS system like Galileo, GLONASS or BeiDou, I can go up that road?

It would possibly run in to some trademark-type issue but I think it's fair to say that from a language use perspective, if not a legally technically correct one, GPS has become a generic term for satellite navigation systems.

I think that means there's little chance of it actually appearing on signs.

Could argue too that "sat nav" as a term is dissappearing, used to refer to built in mapping in cars or the little garmin etc devices, but a lot of people I hear refer to "maps app" or the name of it eg "waze/google maps"

[nowster]

One possibility is for all of EUrope to standardise on using the letters "GPS" to include "Satnav". A look at Wikidata shows that "GPS" is a pretty universal abbreviation.

But does that mean if I don't use a NavStar GPS™ based satellite navigation device, but rather one that uses a different GNSS system like Galileo, GLONASS or BeiDou, I can go up that road?

It would possibly run in to some trademark-type issue but I think it's fair to say that from a language use perspective, if not a legally technically correct one, GPS has become a generic term for satellite navigation systems.

More that GPS refers to only one GNSS system and a competent lawyer would use that loophole. "But your honour, my client had his lorry's satnav set to only use GLONASS at the time."

[alexmh04]

There's this one on the A1068 in Northumberland
Satnavs love directing traffic over back roads to get from the A1068 to the A1 around this area; Google Maps has learned not to use the road indicated by this sign but its preferred route is to use the next road over to the east instead of the primary route.

[Vierwielen]

One possibility is for all of EUrope to standardise on using the letters "GPS" to include "Satnav". A look at Wikidata shows that "GPS" is a pretty universal abbreviation.

But does that mean if I don't use a NavStar GPS™ based satellite navigation device, but rather one that uses a different GNSS system like Galileo, GLONASS or BeiDou, I can go up that road?

Does the name "GPS" have a copyright? Is that copyright enforced? Hoover Inc did not enforce the word "hoover" when applied generically to vacuum cleaners and now the word has entered the English language without reference to the company after whom it was named. Follwoing on this argument, if the letters "GPS " were to appear in the Vienna Convention on road signs, then thre woudl be strong persuasive evidence in an English court that it applies to any satellite navigation system.

[the cheesecake man]

Does the name "GPS" have a copyright? Is that copyright enforced? Hoover Inc did not enforce the word "hoover" when applied generically to vacuum cleaners and now the word has entered the English language without reference to the company after whom it was named. Follwoing on this argument, if the letters "GPS " were to appear in the Vienna Convention on road signs, then thre woudl be strong persuasive evidence in an English court that it applies to any satellite navigation system.

GPS was invented by the American military long before civilian use was allowed. I doubt any business can claim to own the intellectual property, even if they can find a legal loophole there's still the issue that they haven't got a fleet of Stealth bombers to back up their claim.

[Vierwielen]

Does the name "GPS" have a copyright? Is that copyright enforced? Hoover Inc did not enforce the word "hoover" when applied generically to vacuum cleaners and now the word has entered the English language without reference to the company after whom it was named. Follwoing on this argument, if the letters "GPS " were to appear in the Vienna Convention on road signs, then thre woudl be strong persuasive evidence in an English court that it applies to any satellite navigation system.

GPS was invented by the American military long before civilian use was allowed. I doubt any business can claim to own the intellectual property, even if they can find a legal loophole there's still the issue that they haven't got a fleet of Stealth bombers to back up their claim.

No-one is suggesting that a business can claim to own the intellectual rights to the name "GPS", but if they were to advertise that their widget uses "GPS" to locate its position when in fact it uses any satellite navigation system, are they in breach of product description?

If "GPS" has become a generic term for satellite navigation in the same way that "Hoover" has become a generic term for vacuum cleaning, then they are not in breach of product description. If on the other hand, the US Military had protected the name "GPS" in the courts, then they would be in breach of product description unless they were using the US military system.

[linuxrocks]

"The 2 governments {UK & US} affirmed their joint commitment to ensuring that GPS civil signals will remain perpetually free and openly available for users worldwide." https://www.gov.uk/government/news/join ... l-property Of course, pre-brexit the UK would have been more closely aligned with Galileo, the EU system. There is also GLONASS, Russia's system, BeiDou, the Chinese system and NAVIC, India's system. I don't know the status of these, but I have seen devices which operate on both GLONASS and GPS so I assume at least GLONASS to be "free and open".

Naturally, someone did try to trade mark "GPS" but it was rejected https://trademarks.justia.com/745/14/gps-74514382.html

[nowster]

Naturally, someone did try to trade mark "GPS" but it was rejected https://trademarks.justia.com/745/14/gps-74514382.html

It looks more that they failed to renew it on its second decennial.

[Klepsydra]

Cherry Tree Hill, Coalbrookdale:
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6432796 ... ?entry=ttu

[techdan2002]

A3047 in Scorrier on approach to the A30 junction. The A30 can only be joined Eastbound at this junction and the sign was erected after a number of vehicles were sent the wrong way down the Westbound slip road off the A30.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.25421 ... ?entry=ttu

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.25488 ... ?entry=ttu

[JohnnyMo]

"The 2 governments {UK & US} affirmed their joint commitment to ensuring that GPS civil signals will remain perpetually free and openly available for users worldwide." https://www.gov.uk/government/news/join ... l-property Of course, pre-brexit the UK would have been more closely aligned with Galileo, the EU system. There is also GLONASS, Russia's system, BeiDou, the Chinese system and NAVIC, India's system. I don't know the status of these, but I have seen devices which operate on both GLONASS and GPS so I assume at least GLONASS to be "free and open".

Naturally, someone did try to trade mark "GPS" but it was rejected https://trademarks.justia.com/745/14/gps-74514382.html

I have a app, GPS Test, which uses GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Beidou, Qzss, Sbas and show which are currently visible.