Satnav question (1 Viewer)

[Vlad The Impaler]

I've always been a maps and follow your feelings kind of driver and the odd few times I've used a satnav it seems ,that instead of taking the map route it takes me round the houses trying to save a mile or too but taking longer !
I know there are various settings but they tend to do irrational routes.
My question is if you plan your route from A to B knowing which roads and junctions you want to take is there a way to programme that info into a satnav and driving the route YOU want just being informed when and where to turn ?





Vlad

 

[RandallC]

Sometimes when planning routes and don't agree with the chosen sat nav route I tweak it by using way points or if severely off the mark have used the itinerary function to map the route.

Do when planning an unknown venture say through France check the route against a map. Had a couple of close ones with French spellings.

Thing I've found about sat navs is there're not much good at going where you know but invaluable at getting there if you don't or more important getting you out of a mess if lost.

 

[GJH]

Different manufacturers have different software but most units these days allow you to specify the route using Way points or Via points.

I've used Tom Tom, Garmin and (only received Monday) the iGo powered unit from Navibuzz which has been the subject of several threads. All allow route specification.

Fastest/shortest routes can win over another because of only a few seconds or a few feet. I recall and one unit even giving me different routes when I calculated it from different rooms in the house.

We also carry a Truckers Atlas and I tend to use that to check routes with which we are unfamiliar. One of the most useful features of sat navs (for us anyway) is lane assist on motorway junctions.

A sat nav is only a tool. Like any tool it can be useful if used properly but can be a disaster if used wrongly.

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[GJH]

Sometimes when planning routes and don't agree with the chosen sat nav route I tweak it by using way points or if severely off the mark have used the itinerary function to map the route.

Do when planning an unknown venture say through France check the route against a map. Had a couple of close ones with French spellings.

Thing I've found about sat navs is there're not much good at going where you know but invaluable at getting there if you don't or more important[HI] getting you out of a mess if lost.[/HI]

Depends on the reason though. Leaving Telford last August we came across road closures that the Tom Tom daily update system did not know of. Diversion signs were very confusing and the Tom Tom kept trying to take us down closed roads. Took us ages to work out where we were and a route past using the Truckers Atlas

 

[RandallC]

Agree entirely.

Also had the situation where it's just lost its marbles and hadn't got a clue where I/it was. Conversely have successfully avoided M5/M6 jams.

Have had Garmin & Tom-tom now about to try the cheap Chinese tablet nav.

Need to treat these things with caution, how people have followed them into fields & rivers defies belief. Common sense required.

The maps app on the ipad can be quite interesting as it generally maps 2 or 3 routes for consideration.

 

[DrRogerRam]

Have tried over the years a TomTom who wanted to charge me a fortune for update DVD's within its 1st year of life, a Garmin that was only OK & more recently a TomTom app for my iPhone that was cursed umpteen times with its short-cuts down narrow streets & narrow roads in France.

Now have an all-singing, all-dancing Snooper 8500 where I feed in my motorhome details & it's been perfect so far even warning of sharp bends. However, we've only done 2200 miles & not been to France with it. It hasn't been cursed yet & you can even watch the telly & listen to DAB radio. There are cheaper ones that just do the caravan/motorhome nav though.

Wonder whether you've tried Google or Apple maps on a smart-phone-they're a lot cheaper.

Our 2013 Hymer is the most expensive vehicle I've ever bought, hence the decent sat-nav, twin reversing cameras, parking sensors front & rear to try & preserve/protect it as carefully as possible. We're off to fit headlight protectors tomorrow since replacing the eye-shaped lens can cost a grand or more!!!

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[davidbaldam]

Different manufacturers have different software but most units these days allow you to specify the route using Way points or Via points.

I've used Tom Tom, Garmin and (only received Monday) the iGo powered unit from Navibuzz which has been the subject of several threads. All allow route specification.

Fastest/shortest routes can win over another because of only a few seconds or a few feet. I recall and one unit even giving me different routes when I calculated it from different rooms in the house.

We also carry a Truckers Atlas and I tend to use that to check routes with which we are unfamiliar. One of the most useful features of sat navs (for us anyway) is lane assist on motorway junctions.

A sat nav is only a tool. Like any tool it can be useful if used properly but can be a disaster if used wrongly.

Sat Navs are great, I use mine all the time, mostly I know the route and only use the Sat Nav to give an indication of arrival time but when it comes into its own is at the end of the route when you tired and unsure where your final destination is. But always remember its only another tool to help you arrive safely, so all ways check the route before setting off. :thumb:

 

[Gizmouk]

Doesn't matter whether I use the TomTom, my smartphone of tablet for navigation, the wife always seems to know a better way.

 

[Zains Pops]

Sat Nav is good for final 500 m. I use a map atlas or experience to find my way around and the sat Nav for final location. That said the unit fitted into my car comes with traffic master for life and I frequently refer to that to determine the traffic flows on the M25,Dartford Crossing etc and route around as far as possible.

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[SuperMike]

Doesn't matter whether I use the TomTom, my smartphone of tablet for navigation, the wife always seems to know a better way.

Indeed, according to Management our Sat Nav always takes us the long way around. When asked about this, how does she know, because we have never been to that destination, the usual reply is "cos it has".

 

[MitchandJenny]

Only our opinion BUT,, if you have an I-pad with gps, then buy the Tom-Tom "app" from apple..!!! You then have a full screen display for about £50 !!! And yes, you can travel past places you want to visit "on-route" by using the "Go Via" facility... Some of the places we have been through and round, I don't think we would have ever made it without it !! The bonus (we think) is that you are free to "rubber neck" and there is no stress for the passenger/navigator... Good luck and happy travels.....Mitch and Jenny...... :thumb:

 

[bernardfeay]

Before the days of satnav my wife would do the navigating in line with my initial directions. If I gave her a list of cities that we would pass through on the way I really needed to be prepared for her technique.

If I had said we are heading for London and will go via Birmingham, we would continue heading for Birmingham until we had got to the top of the town hall steps.

Once we had a satnav in place I had to make very sure that any city on our route had a unique name. Many is the time that our destination was about 80 miles away to the south and our satnav was urging us to turn round and head for our destination 350 miles away to the north.

Sometimes I tell her if I've made a comment on here, maybe I'll give it a miss today.

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