to think there should be a Satnav that allows you to choose the easiest, safest route (rather than just the quickest)

[ArtistBaptist]

Particularly for new or learner drivers?
This would help them to avoid the really narrow, single lane roads which might require reversing etc.

Maybe such a Satnav does already exists?

Definitely.

Yanbu! It needs to be a thing. Sending you so you turn out of blind corner rather than taking you 1 minutes further along so you meet a roundabout and it's a safer turn. I know this as I know the road but the first time ..never again!

You should look at the map, on your display, that'll show you things like that, if using a phone and just following voice prompts, then yes, its an issue.

But people just follow Sat Navs blindly, just had a 44t lorry stuck in a single track lane nr me...

You should look at the map, on your display, that'll show you things like that

It depends on how far away the better junction is, doesn’t it? Exactly how big is your map display and how much time do you spend looking at it rather than the road ahead?

Well, thats an entirely different matter though isn't it? i personally would always stop if unsure.
However, i've a 10yo car and even that has 3 routes to chose from and a whole series of filters to rule out minor lanes, plus count downs in miles to next junction etc.

It never ceases to amaze me that pick up your phone to glance at a text will get you 6pts and big fine but perfectly ok to spend 10mins trying to turn your heating on/off on that ipad sized screen in front of you.

Absolutely no need to be so condescending. I live within a couple of miles of a motorway but I don't need to use it on a regular or even occasional basis.

And A roads exist for when I need to do longer journeys and would prefer to avoid a lorry-clogged motorway.

And being able to drive and have a car doesn't mean that you use the most polluting form of transport (aside from flying) just because you can. I walk to the shops/railway station, I cycle to parkrun, I get the train to work. I use the car when I need to or it is safer, eg not cycling in the dark.

My point was merely that you don't have to need to love motorways or country lanes to be a competent driver for your circumstances.

I use maps to plan my journey and then just use Google Maps for the last mile or so when I eg need to find a location in a town I don't know very well. It can be reassuring if you think you know where you are going, or just gets you there if you don't have a clue! You can normally work out what's going to be a complex junction when you look at the map, but sometimes things don't look anything like they did on the map and it's easy to go the wrong way - so that's where satnav is helpful. Or when the powers that be want you to use a particular road but a different one is more efficient (eg the roadsigns took me all the way round the Lincoln ring road once when I only needed to go straight on ;) )

How is it a different matter?

Sometimes a Satnav will direct you down a small country road and you won’t know it’s a small country road till you’re right on top of it. Sometimes you do actually have to go down that road and sometimes it’s your Satnav cutting a corner where staying on the main road would be fine but maybe a couple of minutes longer.

If your satnav never does this, rest assured that other people’s do and it’s really annoying. And no you can’t always just stop.