Using a car to measure a mile, is it reliable?

[Nocturnal]

I have a 93 Honda and am trying to measure a mile to walk/run.

Is it feasible to use my car to measure out a mile or do you think 15 years has pretty much thrown off the mileage counter to where it is no longer accurate?

 

[BeauJangles]

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

 

[Scouzer]

If your speedometer is accurate, so is the odometer. It's accurate enough.

 

[Drakkon]

Take 5,280 steps - chances are you've walked at least a mile - and it goes faster than you think

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

I will cross check my results that I got with this program and my car. Thank you very much!

 

[JakwoW]

I would hope so. I'm pretty sure odometers are made to measure distance. Not sure. Haven't looked into it for a while.

 

[mwmorph]

Depends on the car but it should be between 0-5% off depending on the speedoeter, assuming you're using the correct size OEM tires. The 5% off is for the high end and it's always going to be 5% short not 5% long, as in instead of 1 mile, you're car's only traveled 0.95 miles. For example my Mazda was about 1% off, My Toyota was about 4% off and my Mercedes is spot on as verified by GPS.

Now if you're using a motorcycle, all bets are off, motorcycles are usually 7-11% off. My Kawasaki Ninja was consistently 8% optimistic about how fast/far I was going/gone.

 

[Legendary]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

/thread

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Use Google Earth to make a path of what you are walking.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
Take 5,280 steps - chances are you've walked at least a mile - and it goes faster than you think

Who, other than a toddler, takes ONE foot steps?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Based on the short distance, any error by your odometer will be insignificant.

 

[FleshLight]

Use ARCGIS with the correct datum set

 

[newmachineoverlord]

My 1989 oldsmobile measures 37.6 miles for every 30.1 miles traveled. This is unimportant since the digital display usually goes blank anyhow, leaving my mileage, speed, and fuel remaining shrouded in mystery.

 

[imported_Imp]

IIRC, there was something about speedometers always being off, but odometers being accurate. Logically, I would assume one worked off the other, but there was something about manufacturers being afraid of lawsuits from customers for 'short-changing' warranties based on milage. I'd just use runningmaps.com, you can map out personal routes by clicking on a scaled map. According to my cheapo bike computer, it's pretty accurate.

 

[Specop 007]

I weep for our future. Do you *really* have to run a fucking mile? I mean....What if you run 5,100 feet instead? What if....*gasp*....You run 5,300 feet?

I mean really. Your car will be sufficiently accurate.

 

[mjrpes3]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Use Google Earth to make a path of what you are walking.

Yup, I use google earth path tool and it's been very accurate.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Pedometer eh? I wonder what uhohs would rate.

Just kiddin uhohs!

 

[Lonyo]

Use local.live.com and draw a line of your route.
I did that for a local run, then drove round in my car and the distances were pretty much exactly the same.

 

[El Guaraguao]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Use Google Earth to make a path of what you are walking.

Amen to that. Using Google Earth I created a path around my work place to find out how many laps equates to a mile. 3 laps later, google earth has done its job.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
I weep for our future. Do you *really* have to run a fucking mile? I mean....What if you run 5,100 feet instead? What if....*gasp*....You run 5,300 feet?

I mean really. Your car will be sufficiently accurate.

Exactly what I was thinking this whole time.

 

[RossGr]

Can you count to 1000? Count every time your right foot hits the ground, 1000 paces will get you very close to a mile. Also that gives you something to do while running.

 

[Colt45]

Get a yard measuring wheel thing and measure it out. You can even do it while running!