GPS in Israel

[yhakak]

Will my Google GPS installed on my Android phone work in Israel with a Cellcom Sim card?

yes. but again, use waze. Much better and you get traffic, police, etc....and the turn-by-turn directions are far superior.

[Yitz]

yes. but again, use waze. Much better and you get traffic, police, etc....and the turn-by-turn directions are far superior.

You need a data plan for waze

[Cbs]

You need a data plan for waze

And for the google maps on Android u don't need data??

[yhakak]

And for the google maps on Android u don't need data??

nope, there is now a feature where you can pre-download a 10 mile radius from any spot onto the device...did it in London when i didn't have a data roaming plan, worked great.

[Cbs]

nope, there is now a feature where you can pre-download a 10 mile radius from any spot onto the device...did it in London when i didn't have a data roaming plan, worked great.

I know the feature that lets you make map available offline
 I did it in the past 8 countries I was in now in Europe. It just doesn't work as a GPS. I can't find NY location or get directions offline. How do you do it?

[yhakak]

I know the feature that lets you make map available offline
 I did it in the past 8 countries I was in now in Europe. It just doesn't work as a GPS. I can't find NY location or get directions offline. How do you do it?

on my galaxy SII (ICS) it worked fine without internet - i didn't try getting directions but it tracked my location without a problem...

[Cbs]

on my galaxy SII (ICS) it worked fine without internet - i didn't try getting directions but it tracked my location without a problem...

I've seen how on iPhones it finds location with GPS but I didn't know it works in android,  at least not on the RAZR maxx

[Yitz]

I tried saving the maps for Israel and it does not work on a android.

[txtmax4]

Thanks to Dan and the amazing ElAl deal, I will be g-d willing be going to Israel right after the Chag. I have never driven in Israel but will be renting a car this time. My plan is to rent a GPS from the cell phone rental place. Does anyone have any other suggestions? My main concern is with the English speaking GPS systems, how to know the addresses of certain areas, for example the kever of the Rashbi in Meron, Kever of Shmuel Hanavi etc. The Kotel and Kever Rachel are easy to get to but the other areas I can see myself confusing Ramla for Ramala and we all know the ending to that story.....any help would be greatly appreciated.

Be careful even if you do type the correct name etc.
I was in Israel a few years ago and rented a GPS which had a setting that avoided crossing the green line and nevertheless it routed me via many Arab towns and villages, I had some pretty scary experiences...

[Moishebatchy]

Be careful even if you do type the correct name etc.
I was in Israel a few years ago and rented a GPS which had a setting that avoided crossing the green line and nevertheless it routed me via many Arab towns and villages, I had some pretty scary experiences...

WARNING: Seichel not included in GPS rental. Driver must supply own.

[txtmax4]

WARNING: Seichel not included in GPS rental. Driver must supply own.

Nothing to do. For a guy like me who never drove from TLV to Neve Yaakov, or never drove in Yerushalayim (ended up right near Al-Aqsa), or drove back from the north and for some (extremely) odd reason didn't get directed via Kvish 6 (did on the way there).. One minute you're in the heart of Jewish Israel and a minute later your surrounded by Abduls..
I don't understand where seichel comes into the equation when driving around unknows roads, especially when relying on a GPS...

Aderaba, if you have some fullproof tips to never end up in Arabland please share as I am IYH going there in a few months (as of now I'm considering not renting for the above mentioned reason)...

[Moishebatchy]

Nothing to do. For a guy like me who never drove from TLV to Neve Yaakov, or never drove in Yerushalayim (ended up right near Al-Aqsa), or drove back from the north and for some (extremely) odd reason didn't get directed via Kvish 6 (did on the way there).. One minute you're in the heart of Jewish Israel and a minute later your surrounded by Abduls..

Actually, I would be surprised if it DID route you through the 6. The 6 is less efficient in some ways, and costs money to use. The road you were probably routed on is called the Kvish Habik'a (Jordan Valley Road), which is route 90. This road does, indeed, pass through some Arab areas - but is under Israeli control and considered to be quite safe. There aren't more incidents on that specific road than other roads in Israel - it's just as safe as any other road.
 

I don't understand where seichel comes into the equation when driving around unknows roads, especially when relying on a GPS...

My comment wasn't directed at you specifically, but at GPS users in general. I have heard too many "horror" stories from tourists who did not use seichel along with their GPS. I.e. if you see signs on the highway that says "Ramallah, next right", "Shechem, next right", "WeHateJewsville, next right", etc, and the GPS says "exit on right", don't just assume that the GPS knows what it's doing, just because it's set to avoid bad areas! Rather miss your exit on purpose, and let the GPS redirect you! Yet so many people just follow the GPS, without even looking at road signs altogether, counting on the little machine's intuition. That's where seichel is required...
 

Aderaba, if you have some fullproof tips to never end up in Arabland please share as I am IYH going there in a few months (as of now I'm considering not renting for the above mentioned reason)...

No problem, we'll have a mini-DO, you'll tell me which places you want to visit, and I'll tell you what to look out for.

Definitely not a reason to avoid driving here. You just need to take proper precautions. Like I always tell guys, if my wife can drive the Kvish Habik'a at night, you can do it too.

[SuperFlyer]

Did you not mention somewhere that your wife a seals training?

[L'Chaim]

Actually, I would be surprised if it DID route you through the 6. The 6 is less efficient in some ways, and costs money to use. The road you were probably routed on is called the Kvish Habik'a (Jordan Valley Road), which is route 90. This road does, indeed, pass through some Arab areas - but is under Israeli control and considered to be quite safe. There aren't more incidents on that specific road than other roads in Israel - it's just as safe as any other road.

- 6 is a highway, 90 is a road
- I've heard stories about arabs stopping a jewish car...

[Moishebatchy]

Did you not mention somewhere that your wife a seals training?

Shhhhh....

[Moishebatchy]

- I've heard stories about arabs stopping a jewish car...

Yeah, and I've heard stories of people getting mugged and/or murdered in Boro Park.

My point is, I'm not saying nothing ever happens; I'm just saying that it doesn't happen on the 90 more frequently or more severely than anywhere else in the country.

And besides, more people are lo aleinu seriously injured or killed in car crashes than by Arab attackers. So if one wants to rely on statistics or "I've heard stories...", then one can make a case not to drive a car altogether.

BTW, if an Arab tries to stop your car... just run 'em over.

[L'Chaim]

I meant to say that i have friends who got blocked by an arab car and had 4 of 'em coming out towards them, the driver was lucky hand he managed to get around them.

[Yitz]

I meant to say that i have friends who got blocked by an arab car and had 4 of 'em coming out towards them, the driver was lucky hand he managed to get around them.

I drive on this road once a year and B"H never had or saw any incident

[txtmax4]

No problem, we'll have a mini-DO, you'll tell me which places you want to visit, and I'll tell you what to look out for.

Thanx very much for that offer, the first thing my wife said when I told her we have tickets to IL (got the fare mistake tix) was: "We're not renting, we'll take a sheirut wherever we need to go".
We are going to spend most of our time in Jlem anyways, MAYBE go to TZFAT one day that's it (last time we were in Israel we were staying in Jlem and we went everywhere and the last day we felt like we hadn't spent enough time in Jlem itself..)
Do you believe I need a car even based on the above?

Whatever the answer is, I wouldn't mind discussing driving in Israel at length, you sure you don't want to write about it on the forums?

[Moishebatchy]

Do you believe I need a car even based on the above?

Not so much, especially since parking can be a hassle. Unless you're the type who likes the freedom of driving yourself, and not dealing with taxis.

You can always rent for just a day or two if you decide to go up north.
 

Whatever the answer is, I wouldn't mind discussing driving in Israel at length, you sure you don't want to write about it on the forums?

No problem... start a thread, or point me to an existing one.