GPS Viewing

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Tom Hoffman

Tom Hoffman

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Joined
Mar 1, 2013
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Home: Eastern Iowa
SWMBO and I were in a rented car taking a quick run home to Iowa two days ago from Yuma we were driving a Lincoln MKX.  Licensed in Texas.

We had just left the Flagstaff area going east on I-40. she was driving and i had the seat reclined trying to nap.  All of a sudden a an AHP car pulled her over and made a big tadoo over the GPS in the windshield.  Supposedly that was the reason for the stop. 

His questioning was very strange.  Asked where and why were going to Iowa,  had we been in Mexico?  Had we been drinking, did we have any alcohol.  Why was she working in Yuma  why were going to Iowa, why were we doing Christmas in January.  He had her go to the patrol car and only wanted to see my license since i had rented the car.

Later on we did a survey and looked to see other car mountings of GPS and virtually all we saw were mounted under the mirror on the front windshield.

She got a warning ticket.

All in all it was one of the most bizarre stops that I have been involved in.

Where do you mount your GPS?

Comments plz...
 
He probably thought that you had a radar monitor on you windshield and had to give you a reason for having stopped you.
 
I have mine mounted down below the dash, under the radio....I dont like stuff stuck to windshield or crap hanging from the mirror...but thats just me
 
poncho62 said:
I have mine mounted down below the dash, under the radio....I dont like stuff stuck to windshield or crap hanging from the mirror...but thats just me
Click to expand...

That is where I have mine in my truck, the Lincoln had no place that was smooth enough for the suction cup.
 
I got a similar stop coming out of Mexico years ago.  It quickly became obvious that he just wanted to see what was in my truck.  He had no good reason to stop me but he manufactured one and then glanced at everything we had to see if we were bringing something from Mexico that was illegal in AZ.  Profiling, I guess.  Anybody with out of state plates, coming north out of Mexico.
 
It depends on my sitting position as to where I mount the GPS.  My main concern, is that it does not hinder my view of the road.  But from what I hear, the Cops in AZ pull people over for just a chat.  Many have told me that if you let them search your vehicle, that's what they are after.  Apparently a lot of drugs move through AZ, and the cartels like to use older people as they don't get stopped as often.  AZ is now on to that and stops everyone the can, the smallest thing can trigger a stop.
 
Prior to the current JEEP we mounted the GPS on a bag on the dash and no one ever questioned it.  With the current JEEP I will mount the dash camera on the bag mount and expect the same result.  The same in the MH.
 
I keep mine down low; too tough on night vision up on the windshield.

I have seen the occasional rocket scientist with their GPS at eye level on the windshield, right above the steering wheel. Poor-man's Heads Up Display?
 
The reason for rules about stuff stuck to the widshield (Like the rear view mirror, technically in many states the Rear View Mirror is a violation) has to do with blocking the full range of vision, so if the GPS blocks your view of, say the hood of a car,, NOT a violation, in the states that wrote it properly.

In the motor home, my GPS is this laptop, sitting on a table, beside me, I scan it along with speedometer, Tac, Temp and the like, when I do my gauge scan, If I need to pay attention to it I look for a wide spot on the shoulder/parking lot.

(Have done that a few times).

I the car it's below the windshield, no real good spot on the glass for it. (in the car it's my phone though, not the laptop, though I do have a 2nd GPS In the car I'm not currently using).
 
In my adventurer the windshield is too far from my sitting position to mount it there.  In the MH I put it on the side window facing me.  I can easily look at it while keeping my eyes on the road.  But unless I grow 6' arms, I'd never be able to reach the windshield to make adjustments to it in route.
 
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