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If you breakdown (What3Words)


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A good mobile app I've used which is great for breakdown or emergancy is What3Words (https://what3words.com/products/what3words-app/).

If you download the app which is free, it will generate 3 words which is within 3m x 3m area. and share it for anyone to locate you.

Here is the start point https://w3w.co/useful.letter.beast

Magic and may be a good note for anyone during the RBRR

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It's useful, but not infallible. 

 

I only say this as I've spoken to rescuers who have been sent to wrong locations trying to get the people who relied on it as an excuse to be ill prepared. Of course, if you need mountain rescue this weekend and you're entered in the event, you've gone very wrong!

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22 minutes ago, ferny said:

It's useful, but not infallible.

As I understand it, the algorithm they use has been assessed as inadequate for emergency purposes. It fails to guarantee that no two locations sound the same, nor could be easily mistaken for each other due to spelling. And it doesn't adequately separate similar word-triples geographically to allow filtering by common sense.

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Interesting, in my last job I worked with several constabularies in south Wales and they were absolutely dead set on using it - especially after our call centre failed to understand Welsh place names a few times and sent vehicle recovery to the wrong place. The Scottish police services were pretty keen too, I wonder if they've officially u-turned since then?

 

 

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A propos of not very much, having happened on this thread... 

My breakdown cover is provided by Liverpool Victoria/Britannia, and they advocated it. I haven't downloaded the app though, awaiting opinions/feedback etc.

As an occasional mountain-trekker and a former soldier and rally driver/navigator - and a bit of a Luddite - I default to 'proper' map-reading and generally stay away from systems like Satellite navigation and what3words. They are totally dependent on fallible technology, and on a signal that will inevitably let you down when you need it most!

That said, I do acknowledge that I am being rapidly left behind by the rest of the world...

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We used W3W to define our location when a broken rear wheel bearing put us out of the event this year. When I gave the breakdown controller the words, I had to spell one of them, but she then told me exactly where we were, and I was able to confirm that from our map reading (two rally navigators on board helps!). So in this case, W3W worked very well!

Loading onto flat!.jpeg

Edited by mole42
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