Technical hoo-haa

I have a Nuvi 205w navigational system in my car. It came with the extended warranty we invested in when we purchased the Impala. I was very impressed when Dickidoo demonstrated how it worked. My icon is an eagle. I even have an eagle shadow that shows up on the little animated road below me. At the touch of the screen I know exactly where I am and how to get back home. Emergency locations like police stations, fire departments and hospitals are also pre-programed. I was so excited to try it out on my own.

'Turn right on Wayfarer Drive in 50 yards' said the Nuvi 205w with an annoying female voice that sounded suspiciously like the voice of the self check-out registers at my store. Just great! I hear her all day at work, and now she was in my car bossing me around and telling me where to go,

Except there was no right turn in 50 yards...

'Turn right.'

There is no right turn, it's a fricken field!

'Recalculating route.' my Nuvi 205w said almost impatiently.

'Turn left on Coral Ridge Drive.'

There is no fricken Coral Ridge Drive on the left either! The sign says Candelabra! I even stopped the car to give the gadget time to recalculate.

'Turn left!' By that time I think my Nuvi 205w was actually yelling at me! I deal with enough irritating people in my line of work and I certainly did't need my machines copping an attitude with me as well so I switched off the navigator and drove around until I found Coral Ridge Drive.

I know there will come a time when I need my Nuvi 205w and will probably greatly appreciate her directions but for now, just around my town, she's a pain in the caboose.

I still think those things should come with gender options. Perhaps some guys actually like Nuvi's voice, but personally I would rather have a voice like Sam Elliot's telling me where to go. I wouldn't even care if there was no left turn, I'd get lost a million times just to hear him say 'Turn here,' or 'Turn there'.

It would be more like a date than getting lost!