GPS > Measuring wheel??

HardLoper wrote:

For example wrote:

But do you think you can pull it straight with only 2cm of wobble for 100m?

2 cm of wobble and 2 cm of added distance are totally different things

If you zig-zagged back and forth 2 meters over 100 meters distance you would add only 2 centimeters. Not that difficult.

HL,

Can you help further explain your last sentence? I read your statement and envision someone deviating badly from a straight line over a 100m,which I would assume would add to the wheel measurement using that process.

Mathematically Challenged wrote:

HardLoper wrote:

2 cm of wobble and 2 cm of added distance are totally different things

If you zig-zagged back and forth 2 meters over 100 meters distance you would add only 2 centimeters. Not that difficult.

HL,

Can you help further explain your last sentence? I read your statement and envision someone deviating badly from a straight line over a 100m,which I would assume would add to the wheel measurement using that process.

Also confused. Maybe it's just a language thing?

Where do you live? And what's the distance you want measured?

Maybe we can find a friendly road measurer to do it for you if he/she is in the area.

I would do it for you if the route was within an hours drive.

Mathematically Challenged wrote:

HardLoper wrote:

2 cm of wobble and 2 cm of added distance are totally different things

If you zig-zagged back and forth 2 meters over 100 meters distance you would add only 2 centimeters. Not that difficult.

HL,

Can you help further explain your last sentence? I read your statement and envision someone deviating badly from a straight line over a 100m,which I would assume would add to the wheel measurement using that process.

If you swerved 2 meters to the right over a distance of 100 meters your total distance would be sqrt(100^2 + 2^2) = 100.02 = 2 extra centimeters. Drifting from a straight line does not add as much distance as people think.

^ e.g. running from the 100m start line in lane 1 and finishing in lane 3 adds less than 2 cm

HardLoper wrote:

Mathematically Challenged wrote:

HL,

Can you help further explain your last sentence? I read your statement and envision someone deviating badly from a straight line over a 100m,which I would assume would add to the wheel measurement using that process.

If you swerved 2 meters to the right over a distance of 100 meters your total distance would be sqrt(100^2 + 2^2) = 100.02 = 2 extra centimeters. Drifting from a straight line does not add as much distance as people think.

You say "swerved" yet you describe a straight line...previously you mentioned "zig-zagged"...thinking different things with each of these words.

Language Barrier wrote:

HardLoper wrote:

If you swerved 2 meters to the right over a distance of 100 meters your total distance would be sqrt(100^2 + 2^2) = 100.02 = 2 extra centimeters. Drifting from a straight line does not add as much distance as people think.

You say "swerved" yet you describe a straight line...previously you mentioned "zig-zagged"...thinking different things with each of these words.

Okay, drift out to lane 2 over the first 50 meters and back to lane 1 the next 50... same thing

I hope people realize that GPS watches are not part of this discussion...by GPS they mean a total station or something similar.

I think the OP meant up-and-down with wobble, not side-to-side.

HardLoper wrote:

Language Barrier wrote:

You say "swerved" yet you describe a straight line...previously you mentioned "zig-zagged"...thinking different things with each of these words.

Okay, drift out to lane 2 over the first 50 meters and back to lane 1 the next 50... same thing

I wish I could draw lines to show what I think of when I see the words you use. Simply, a straight line such as a lane line of 100m should be just that, 100m. Any "drifting", "swerving", or "zig-zagging" will obviously create a distance longer than the straight line. How much longer is impossible to mathematically equate without being able to trace the exact amount of "drifting" or "swerving or zig-zagging. That being said, the OP was wondering about a device to measure his route and his accuracy needed hasn't really been determinded.