Garmin camper 895 again, I'm afraid (1 Viewer)

[Joie de vivre]

I've posted about this thing before and your answers were all very helpful. I then gave it and my brain a rest for a bit but tried using it again yesterday in familiar surroundings but in a different direction to test it.
1 in the outward journey i wanted it to give me cafes. It gave me one or two and missed all the ones in a small town half a kilometer to the west of the bypass we were on!
Two of the options it gave were on the otherside of a firth where the low mileage to them was obvious it thought the ferry was running. It only does so in June July and August! If I hadn't known I'd have gone more than ten miles out of my way instead of to a selection of cafes in the small town.
2 it said the only street leading to a beach carpark and a campsite was unknown for campervans even though there is campervan parking down there. i couldn't get it to route me to it.
3 on the way home I tried to put in cafes. It missed one that's been existent for 20years right at the roadside.
4 it came up with narrow road alerts when there weren't or which were side roads that were of no relevance anyway.
5 it said things like 'turn right then turn left' which was misleading as it should have said 2nd left or in half a mile turn left. I'd have gone all the way to an industrial estate had I not known.

If Garmin hasn't got access to the same level of information as Google what on earth are the benefits of this £500 machine. How on earth can I trust it outside my home area?

I didn't think i was a complete idiot with computers but I'm not finding it at all intuitive and the instructions are very thin. And more to the point, how do I sort the issues examples above?

Any help appreciated!
Thanks

 

[JRT]

I've posted about this thing before and your answers were all very helpful. I then gave it and my brain a rest for a bit but tried using it again yesterday in familiar surroundings but in a different direction to test it.
1 in the outward journey i wanted it to give me cafes. It gave me one or two and missed all the ones in a small town half a kilometer to the west of the bypass we were on!
Two of the options it gave were on the otherside of a firth where the low mileage to them was obvious it thought the ferry was running. It only does so in June July and August! If I hadn't known I'd have gone more than ten miles out of my way instead of to a selection of cafes in the small town.
2 it said the only street leading to a beach carpark and a campsite was unknown for campervans even though there is campervan parking down there. i couldn't get it to route me to it.
3 on the way home I tried to put in cafes. It missed one that's been existent for 20years right at the roadside.
4 it came up with narrow road alerts when there weren't or which were side roads that were of no relevance anyway.
5 it said things like 'turn right then turn left' which was misleading as it should have said 2nd left or in half a mile turn left. I'd have gone all the way to an industrial estate had I not known.

If Garmin hasn't got access to the same level of information as Google what on earth are the benefits of this £500 machine. How on earth can I trust it outside my home area?

I didn't think i was a complete idiot with computers but I'm not finding it at all intuitive and the instructions are very thin. And more to the point, how do I sort the issues examples above?

Any help appreciated!
Thanks

You now know why I sold mine on eBay.....

Sorry I do know that isn't much help but I find Google Maps supplemented with a truckers atlas for certain situations far superior, even when towing the 'van.

 

[bigtwin]

1 in the outward journey i wanted it to give me cafes. It gave me one or two and missed all the ones in a small town half a kilometer to the west of the bypass we were on!

Perhaps some of them are categorised as Restaurants.

Two of the options it gave were on the otherside of a firth where the low mileage to them was obvious it thought the ferry was running. It only does so in June July and August! If I hadn't known I'd have gone more than ten miles out of my way instead of to a selection of cafes in the small town.

It didn’t think the ferry was running. It will identify POIs by distance as the crow flies. Only if you select a POI will it plot a route that will then show you the distance required to drive to that location.

2 it said the only street leading to a beach carpark and a campsite was unknown for campervans even though there is campervan parking down there. i couldn't get it to route me to it.

The ‘roads’ that it recognises as being suitable depends on the user defined preferences. If the road wasn’t adopted or is categorised as ‘unmade’ then it’s entirely possible that it couldn’t plot a route for you. You have to ensure that YOU set your ‘User preferences’ appropriately.

4 it came up with narrow road alerts when there weren't or which were side roads that were of no relevance anyway.

Presumably you defined your vehicle dimensions correctly (using the correct units)?

5 it said things like 'turn right then turn left' which was misleading as it should have said 2nd left or in half a mile turn left. I'd have gone all the way to an industrial estate had I not known.

It’s instructions in terms of turns is dependent on road priorities. For example a right angle bend is not a right turn. If that right hand bend has a minor road going straight ahead and you wish to take that minor road directly in front of you as you approach that right hand bend, the sat nav will instruct you to ‘left turn ahead’ even though the minor road is straight in front of you. That’s because the major road has priority and you are leaving the road and joining the minor road to the left of the major road.

The sat nav operates based on a set of logical rules. You need to understand that principle and recognise where your ‘intelligent’ interpretation of the real world is at odds with those rules.

A common reason for routing issues arises when the user sets their route planning preferences to ‘shortest route’ and they're then surprised when it takes them down ‘unsuitable’ lanes. Had they set their route planning preference to ‘fastest route’ the sat nav wouldn’t have taken them down that ‘unsuitable’ lane.

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Spriddler]

A common reason for routing issues arises when the user sets their route planning preferences to ‘shortest route’ and they're then surprised when it takes them down ‘unsuitable’ lanes. Had they set their route planning preference to ‘fastest route’ the sat nav wouldn’t have taken them down that ‘unsuitable’ lane.

How true! I soon gave up that 'Shortest Route' option after several times sending me through twisting housing estate roads and numerous urban and suburban streets stuffed with parked cars and roadworks, aaargh!

 

[suavecarve]

Perhaps some of them are categorised as Restaurants.



It didn’t think the ferry was running. It will identify POIs by distance as the crow flies. Only if you select a POI will it plot a route that will then show you the distance required to drive to that location.



The ‘roads’ that it recognises as being suitable depends on the user defined preferences. If the road wasn’t adopted or is categorised as ‘unmade’ then it’s entirely possible that it couldn’t plot a route for you. You have to ensure that YOU set your ‘User preferences’ appropriately.



Presumably you defined your vehicle dimensions correctly (using the correct units)?



It’s instructions in terms of turns is dependent on road priorities. For example a right angle bend is not a right turn. If that right hand bend has a minor road going straight ahead and you wish to take that minor road directly in front of you as you approach that right hand bend, the sat nav will instruct you to ‘left turn ahead’ even though the minor road is straight in front of you. That’s because the major road has priority and you are leaving the road and joining the minor road to the left of the major road.

The sat nav operates based on a set of logical rules. You need to understand that principle and recognise where your ‘intelligent’ interpretation of the real world is at odds with those rules.

A common reason for routing issues arises when the user sets their route planning preferences to ‘shortest route’ and they're then surprised when it takes them down ‘unsuitable’ lanes. Had they set their route planning preference to ‘fastest route’ the sat nav wouldn’t have taken them down that ‘unsuitable’ lane.

Ian

Ian

Agree with Ian, one of the things you might want to try is the different voices, I noticed that when I got a sexy young lady I would be told of the turn 800m in advance, then I tried another sexy young lady and it was 400m for the warning.
I cant say what the male voices alert you to.

 

[Joie de vivre]

You now know why I sold mine on eBay.....

Sorry I do know that isn't much help but I find Google Maps supplemented with a truckers atlas for certain situations far superior, even when towing the 'van.

Very interesting. Do you find lane indications, especially on the continent easy to navigate in Google? That is my biggest apprehension.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[CAB96]

There are a couple of places where our Garmin advises us to exit left on motorways.

About 5 miles and at least two junctions before the actual junction it is routing us to.

Fortunately one of these is just after we leave home so we now expect it.

 

[Joie de vivre]

Perhaps some of them are categorised as Restaurants.



It didn’t think the ferry was running. It will identify POIs by distance as the crow flies. Only if you select a POI will it plot a route that will then show you the distance required to drive to that location.



The ‘roads’ that it recognises as being suitable depends on the user defined preferences. If the road wasn’t adopted or is categorised as ‘unmade’ then it’s entirely possible that it couldn’t plot a route for you. You have to ensure that YOU set your ‘User preferences’ appropriately.



Presumably you defined your vehicle dimensions correctly (using the correct units)?



It’s instructions in terms of turns is dependent on road priorities. For example a right angle bend is not a right turn. If that right hand bend has a minor road going straight ahead and you wish to take that minor road directly in front of you as you approach that right hand bend, the sat nav will instruct you to ‘left turn ahead’ even though the minor road is straight in front of you. That’s because the major road has priority and you are leaving the road and joining the minor road to the left of the major road.

The sat nav operates based on a set of logical rules. You need to understand that principle and recognise where your ‘intelligent’ interpretation of the real world is at odds with those rules.

A common reason for routing issues arises when the user sets their route planning preferences to ‘shortest route’ and they're then surprised when it takes them down ‘unsuitable’ lanes. Had they set their route planning preference to ‘fastest route’ the sat nav wouldn’t have taken them down that ‘unsuitable’ lane.

Ian

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my points. I'll check them all out!

 

[JRT]

Very interesting. Do you find lane indications, especially on the continent easy to navigate in Google? That is my biggest apprehension.

Not really a problem but like most sat navs I find in very busy areas it sometimes lags a bit and Ms. Google calls out directions a bit too late but it's never caused me a major problem. And it re routes incredibly quickly anyway if you go wrong.

I also find very occasionally when you set off on a journey the direction you are facing doesn't always correspond with what Google Maps thinks.

But my Garmin used to do that too.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Joie de vivre]

How true! I soon gave up that 'Shortest Route' option after several times sending me through twisting housing estate roads and numerous urban and suburban streets stuffed with parked cars and roadworks, aaargh!

I'll check that out too. I saw a slider at one point where you could set length of time to a destination. Thinking about it, I haven't seen it since!

 

[Joie de vivre]

Not really but like most sat navs I find in very busy areas it sometimes lags a bit and Ms. Google calls out directions a bit too late but it's never caused me a major problem. And it re routes incredibly quickly anyway if you go wrong.

Ah, my idea of a nightmare. We find England hard coming from the sticks up north!

 

[bigtwin]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my points. I'll check them all out!

You’re welcome. Most sat nav ‘issues’ are usually down to user error/lack of understanding of the available ‘features’.

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Joie de vivre]

Agree with Ian, one of the things you might want to try is the different voices, I noticed that when I got a sexy young lady I would be told of the turn 800m in advance, then I tried another sexy young lady and it was 400m for the warning.
I cant say what the male voices alert you to.

Never thought of that. I'll give that a go!

 

[Joie de vivre]

You’re welcome. Most sat nav ‘issues’ are usually down to user error/lack of understanding of the available ‘features’.

Ian

I assumed that too so am trying to get to grips with its logic.

 

[bigtwin]

I assumed that too so am trying to get to grips with its logic.

The main setting that I’d advocate that you get right is setting the default route planning preference to ‘Fastest’ and not ‘Shortest’ (or any of the other alternatives).

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Joie de vivre]

Not really a problem but like most sat navs I find in very busy areas it sometimes lags a bit and Ms. Google calls out directions a bit too late but it's never caused me a major problem. And it re routes incredibly quickly anyway if you go wrong.

I also find very occasionally when you set off on a journey the direction you are facing doesn't always correspond with what Google Maps thinks.

But my Garmin used to do that too.

Haven't tested the Garmin yet in a busy urban area as there aren't any for 150 miles!

 

[Joie de vivre]

The main setting that I’d advocate that you get right is setting the default route planning preference to ‘Fastest’ and not ‘Shortest’ (or any of the other alternatives).

Ian

Right. Will try that. Thanks.

 

[Joie de vivre]

The main setting that I’d advocate that you get right is setting the default route planning preference to ‘Fastest’ and not ‘Shortest’ (or any of the other alternatives).

Ian

Right. Will try that. Thanks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Joie de vivre]

There are a couple of places where our Garmin advises us to exit left on motorways.

About 5 miles and at least two junctions before the actual junction it is routing us to.

Fortunately one of these is just after we leave home so we now expect it.

That's a strange one too

 

[bigtwin]

Another thing to be aware of is that if your sat nav has built in traffic delay assessments it may ask you to take a local route that you know is not the fastest route. However, what you don't know, but the sat nav does know, is that their is a holdup ahead. If you have followed the sat nav directions you may be thinking ‘why the hell has it asked me to come this way, this is not the quickest way’ but what you don’t know is that the ‘normal ‘ route has a 10 minute delay on it hence why the sat nav diverted you onto the route that it did. Now, of course, you can never validate whether or not that 10 minute delay existed or not because you followed the sat nav’s directions but you should acknowledge that it is possible that the sat nav saved you 10 minutes.

I ALWAYS accept any diversionary route that the sat nav suggests, not only because it may have saved me being stuck in motorway traffic but also because it provided me with a variation to my default/normal route. I’m happy to place my trust in the technology and accept that, occasionally, I may be worse off but that’s a trade-off I’m prepared to make if it (even only once) saves me from being trapped in a motorway traffic jam that could last hours.

Ian

 

[Joie de vivre]

Another thing to be aware of is that if your sat nav has built in traffic delay assessments it may ask you to take a local route that you know is not the fastest route. However, what you don't know, but the sat nav does know, is that their is a holdup ahead. If you have followed the sat nav directions you may be thinking ‘why the hell has it asked me to come this way, this is not the quickest way’ but what you don’t know is that the ‘normal ‘ route has a 10 minute delay on it hence why the sat nav diverted you onto the route that it did. Now, of course, you can never validate whether or not that 10 minute delay existed or not because you followed the sat nav’s directions but you should acknowledge that it is possible that the sat nav saved you 10 minutes.

I ALWAYS accept any diversionary route that the sat nav suggests, not only because it may have saved me being stuck in motorway traffic but also because it provided me with a variation to my default/normal route. I’m happy to place my trust in the technology and accept that, occasionally, I may be worse off but that’s a trade-off I’m prepared to make if it (even only once) saves me from being trapped in a motorway traffic jam that could last hours.

Ian

Good points. So do you subscribe to the cyclops live traffic updates? Google maps does that pretty well for free, so I find having to pay a bit annoying, especially as we don't have easy access to the continent or England, living way up north.

Q

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[bigtwin]

Good points. So do you subscribe to the cyclops live traffic updates? Google maps does that pretty well for free, so I find having to pay a bit annoying, especially as we don't have easy access to the continent or England, living way up north.

Q

The Live Traffic service is included as part of my Tom Tom subscription.

Ian

 

[Joie de vivre]

Good points. So do you subscribe to the cyclops live traffic updates? Google maps does that pretty well for free, so I find having to pay a bit annoying, especially as we don't have easy access to the continent or England, living way up north.

Q

The Live Traffic service is included as part of my Tom Tom subscription.

Ian

Ah

 

[SpeedyDux]

Good points. So do you subscribe to the cyclops live traffic updates? Google maps does that pretty well for free, so I find having to pay a bit annoying, especially as we don't have easy access to the continent or England, living way up north.

Q

My older Garmin 760 has free lifetime Traffic. I had to buy a new power cable with a different Traffic receiver to continue to use this free service after the previous Traffic info provider ended its links to Garmin. Anyhow, it means that I still don't need an App on my phone with a subscription to get live traffic alerts. That App seems to be the current way Garmin expects users of later models to get live traffic info. By the time I reach a piece of road flagged up as a 10 minute delay it often will have cleared. I can live with that. It is more useful on motorways.

I've been using Garmin satnavs since 2007. You get used to their quirks even though they can sometimes be tiresome or annoying. I often override the directions it gives me when I think they make little sense. At present the Garmin keeps telling me that the A432 is closed (I know that, and it isn't on any of my local routes) and wants to send me on a totally unnecessary diversion. So I ignore that and carry on along the A4172 Ring Road instead of pointlessly looping through Bristol.

If I am going to use the Garmin to get me to a destination along unfamiliar roads I consult my road maps (sometimes the Trucker's Atlas) first so I have a general idea of the route without actually memorising it all. Then I know if I am being directed towards a silly shortcut or down narrower country lanes. My idea of the fastest route and Garmin's idea don't always match. Even if it adds 5 minutes to my journey time I will ignore its directions whenever I think I know better.

The upshot is that the Garmin is useful for finding new destinations and taking away stress, but having said that, I am still the one in charge of navigation. Garmin is my servant, not my master.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rob0114]

I would add do not rely on the automatic updates-connect via cable to the Garmin express application every now & then, sorted out a few issues with my unit

 

[SpeedyDux]

My current hire car has Navigation via its infotainment touchscreen. Software appears to be TomTom. Suffice it to say that I won't be swapping my old Garmin Camper for a newer TomTom.

 

[bigtwin]

My current hire car has Navigation via its infotainment touchscreen. Software appears to be TomTom. Suffice it to say that I won't be swapping my old Garmin Camper for a newer TomTom.

It’s surprising how you become used to the operating system of the device you have and how others, consequently, appear stupid. The reality is that they are just different. I’m sure if someone plonked a Garmin in front of me, I’d be frustrated by it but, given time, I’d become familiar with it.

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SpeedyDux]

It’s surprising how you become used to the operating system of the device you have and how others, consequently, appear stupid. The reality is that they are just different. I’m sure if someone plonked a Garmin in front of me, I’d be frustrated by it but, given time, I’d become familiar with it.

Ian

OK let me explain. Hire car, Peugeot, with no manuals in the glove box. I did find an online tutorial for recent TomTom GPS. Lacking the patience to delve into all the settings of this "Navigation" App before driving, I had to do without features supposed to be standard such as voice directions, "safety camera" alerts, POIs and so on. A bare map screen with a wiggly blue line to my destination is all I had to go on.

Maybe I should have used Android Auto + Google Maps. Which costs data.

In the past I have hired other cars such as BMWs with inbuilt GPS. I had no trouble with those.

With my Garmins such features are all there by default, as soon as you turn the unit on. It talks, yay!

 

[JRT]

OK let me explain. Hire car, Peugeot, with no manuals in the glove box. I did find an online tutorial for recent TomTom GPS. Lacking the patience to delve into all the settings of this "Navigation" App before driving, I had to do without features supposed to be standard such as voice directions, "safety camera" alerts, POIs and so on. A bare map screen with a wiggly blue line to my destination is all I had to go on.

Maybe I should have used Android Auto + Google Maps. Which costs data.

In the past I have hired other cars such as BMWs with inbuilt GPS. I had no trouble with those.

With my Garmins such features are all there by default, as soon as you turn the unit on. It talks, yay!

You can avoid using data on Google maps by downloading your journey(ies) on your wi-fi at home.

 

[bigtwin]

OK let me explain. Hire car, Peugeot, with no manuals in the glove box. I did find an online tutorial for recent TomTom GPS. Lacking the patience to delve into all the settings of this "Navigation" App before driving, I had to do without features supposed to be standard such as voice directions, "safety camera" alerts, POIs and so on. A bare map screen with a wiggly blue line to my destination is all I had to go on.

Maybe I should have used Android Auto + Google Maps. Which costs data.

In the past I have hired other cars such as BMWs with inbuilt GPS. I had no trouble with those.

With my Garmins such features are all there by default, as soon as you turn the unit on. It talks, yay!

Those features are there as standard, perhaps the previous hirer switched them off.

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}