google maps

[davejmobile]

Does anyone use just google maps to get around France and Spain in there Motorhome Not a stay nav

 

[monzer]

It's faster, has more real time updates like accidents etc and has a better user interface....

But at the start of my trip I decided to try my old sat nav and Google maps at the same time.

Gotta say I prefer the satnav. I like the detailed instructions that pop up at the bigger interchanges.

Saying that I use Google maps for planning trips. Satellite view is handy then just take the co-ordinates from there and put them in my satnav.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

We were in France 8 weeks ago travelling through some forest, sat nav on Google maps as well miles from anywhere the Google maps dropped out no signal sat nav was fine.

 

[Brains]

Hopefully your sat nav as some limits of size and weight entered, which may reduce the number of silly routes (Landrover single tracks over mountain passes etc.)
Google maps will simply send you the quickest way, so it needs close inspection to insure the rouse does not include 'silly routes'

Until such time as Google introduce a size/weight feature, I'd use it as a quick guide.
(It's traffic density update is quite good though)

 

[Figaro]

I like google maps but I also use Sygic which has better lane direction at interchanges, which I find useful on unfamiliar motorways especially when there are three exits in half a kilometer.
But all my planning is on google maps, so it'll probably be a combination of both with a streetview review to make sure it's not chosen to take me down drainage ditches

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[Itsmcb]

We were in France 8 weeks ago travelling through some forest, sat nav on Google maps as well miles from anywhere the Google maps dropped out no signal sat nav was fine.

You can download map areas in Google maps, it will still work with no signal then.

 

[davejmobile]

Thank you all

 

[mikebeaches]

Mainly use sat-nav, but Google maps certainly has its uses.

Frequently easier to identify obscure locations on Google. Generally use it for short journeys abroad - eg just say "navigate to Lidl at xxx" and it gets you there in a flash.

 

[Holly's mum]

We used a combination of Google maps and the satnav in France this year.

As others have already mentioned, the downside of Google maps, is that it doesn't know your size and can end up trying to take you down some very dubious roads.

Google is good for planning though and a combination of Google maps and satnav is perhaps best.

 

[Grasmere9]

We are currently in France and using Google maps as our Snooper decided not to work. It has been really good but we have had to watch when it has wanted to turn us off a main road sooner than expected.
We also downloaded some areas before we left the UK to use offline.

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[jumar]

Google maps in Spain work well for us in the MH....TomTom. in built in the car is good...live.

 

[dunnah01]

Google sets the most bizarre routes compared to my old Garmin so use the old skool sat nav with a couple of manual corrections if I get the time.

 

[Diabalo]

Google maps for planning and satnag when driving.

 

[chaser]

We have used nothing but Google for about ten years ,APART from also haveing a paper map, that Julie has useually got on her knee because she likes looking where we are going, and if she sees something or somewhere she likes the look of we just follow that and switch Google off.
But for getting around somewhere when we get into a town it's always Google and apart from that you can just take it with you when you are walking.

 

[Guigsy]

I used Google maps for 6 months going around Europe in 2019. Only one time did it seems me into a Spanish town centre with a low bridge, and there were signs before, so I just ignored the turning and it took me to the next junction.

North Norfolk and Cornwall have some nasty single track that I avoid if possible. I tried Sygic Truck, TomTom and Road Lords. I also tested my abandoned Zenec head unit. They all had mistakes in their mapping which took me through signed restrictions in Norfolk. I only found one instance where Sygic Truck would avoid a country lane that I knew was sketchy and had an easy alternative, and only then if I said my van was 2.6m wide. All of them made the same mistake in Bicester stating a width restriction was in the incorrect location, so they couldn't route me to my destination. None of them suggested the easier approach to my camp site in Cornwall that was only 2 mins longer.

So Google maps is reliable, accurate and has the best traffic info. But it doesn't know about restrictions. But size restrictions are rarely an issue and they are easy to deal with the majority of the time. Then the specialist satnavs seen to have pretty poor mapping for restrictions anyway. And their narrow lane routing doesn't seem to be any better. I just keep going back to Google maps.

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[Sleuth-Hound]

Has anyone experience with Co-pilot? I’ve had some nasty experiences with Google maps, and as we prepare for our French invasion, was hoping to pin my hopes on Co-pilot getting us from baguette to baguette

 

[Wonders]

Google or viamichelin to plan route.
Satnav for convenience and clarity of route detail. Atlas map in hands of co-pilot to look out for obviously stupid route suggestions made by the tech aides. E.g narrow particularly bendy or steep roads when looking for progress not adventure.
Had some right howlers over the years.
5 miles of single track, banked road in the Loire during harvest time. B nightmare when meeting farm traffic . Still more favourable than meeting a Fiesta on a similar road in Devon when the driver refused to manoeuvre bit of a standoff for a while. What a pain some folks are so stubborn. ( me for one perhaps on occasions)

 

[cyberyacht]

A motorhome with three days food and water always trumps a car. That's unless he has a trebuchet handy.

 

[Stealaway]

We have used nothing but Google for about ten years ,APART from also haveing a paper map, that Julie has useually got on her knee because she likes looking where we are going, and if she sees something or somewhere she likes the look of we just follow that and switch Google off.
But for getting around somewhere when we get into a town it's always Google and apart from that you can just take it with you when you are walking.

For some reason I can't fathom, is my Google maps won't find satellites on the move.
It tells me where I am when I set off and tells me when I've arrived.
Standard android phone and working perfectly except as an satnav

 

[Guigsy]

For some reason I can't fathom, is my Google maps won't find satellites on the move.
It tells me where I am when I set off and tells me when I've arrived.
Standard android phone and working perfectly except as an satnav

Might be a permissions thing? If you go into general phone settings, apps, find Maps, then look at its permissions, I think it needs Location to be 'Allowed all the time'. Warning: this does change depending on what version of Android you are using and who supplied the phone.

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[Verteuil Man]

I use my Garmin Sat Nav which I update every few days. With having a bigger motorhome I do not want to get dragged down lanes with the hedgerows clattering my mirrors or coming across a low bridge or over weight.

If you have travel around areas where there have been old pits and quarries, some bridges are only 12 ft high.

Mrs B looks at Google Maps now and again whilst we are travelling and says there is a turning which the Garmin has not. When we get to it I say " I ain't going down there".

 

[Guigsy]

Problem is that narrow lanes with hedges that brush your mirrors aren't blocked as your campsite might be at the end of one. And if it was an hour detour, you'd probably just risk the lane. So satnavs can't block these links entirely, they just need to put an artificial penalty on their use. The other issue is that the mapping companies have poor data about which ones are narrow. It's not something their car 'street view' vehicles collects. Single track in Scotland are often easy to use because it's open glen, so you can see oncoming vehicles and the next passing spot, whereas narrow lanes in Norfolk, Cornwall and Wales often have hedges which severely limit visibility, making life much more difficult, so width isn't the only factor.

I haven't tried Garmin. But TomTom Camper, Roadlords, Sygic Truck/Camper and Zenec don't seem to care that much about narrow country lanes.

 

[chaser]

For some reason I can't fathom, is my Google maps won't find satellites on the move.
It tells me where I am when I set off and tells me when I've arrived.
Standard android phone and working perfectly except as an satnav

Have you got roaming enabled on your phone.

 

[Verteuil Man]

Problem is that narrow lanes with hedges that brush your mirrors aren't blocked as your campsite might be at the end of one. And if it was an hour detour, you'd probably just risk the lane. So satnavs can't block these links entirely, they just need to put an artificial penalty on their use. The other issue is that the mapping companies have poor data about which ones are narrow. It's not something their car 'street view' vehicles collects. Single track in Scotland are often easy to use because it's open glen, so you can see oncoming vehicles and the next passing spot, whereas narrow lanes in Norfolk, Cornwall and Wales often have hedges which severely limit visibility, making life much more difficult, so width isn't the only factor.

I haven't tried Garmin. But TomTom Camper, Roadlords, Sygic Truck/Camper and Zenec don't seem to care that much about narrow country lanes.

I have the CAMC Avtex Garmin mapped unit. Put in the dimensions and weight. If there is a road or lane it is not sure off it tells it is unsuitable. Lots of updates as well.

 

[chaser]

For some reason I can't fathom, is my Google maps won't find satellites on the move.
It tells me where I am when I set off and tells me when I've arrived.
Standard android phone and working perfectly except as an satnav

Can't really see how this can happen, as far as I know it doesn't use satilites as much as phone signal, have you got data switched off, or roaming, or on WiFi only, and does it show you the route before you set off or just the actual destination?
Very strange.

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[Guigsy]

I have the CAMC Avtex Garmin mapped unit. Put in the dimensions and weight. If there is a road or lane it is not sure off it tells it is unsuitable. Lots of updates as well.

I understand that they can do that when there's actually a signed limit. But what happens when it's just a narrow lane? It's perfectly drivable as farm machinery goes down there, but it's just a pain if someone comes the other way? The satnav can't block it from being used in the route planning. So how does it treat it?

Also, Google are amongst the most prolific when it comes to driving their streetview cars about. They frequently have historic streetviews in cities every few months. It's not hard to check and see that their vehicles haven't driven some country lanes in more than a decade. I can't imagine Garmin's data will be any better.

If you actually do some testing with your satnav and change the vehicle width, you'll find it has very little effect to routing on country lanes.

 

[125BEER]

Has anyone experience with Co-pilot? I’ve had some nasty experiences with Google maps, and as we prepare for our French invasion, was hoping to pin my hopes on Co-pilot getting us from baguette to baguette

Used Copilot GPS in France and Spain and liked the nav link in Search4sites directly to Copilot.

 

[chaser]

Used Copilot GPS in France and Spain and liked the nav link in Search4sites directly to Copilot.

S4s also connects to Google maps as well as does p4n

 

[Stealaway]

Can't really see how this can happen, as far as I know it doesn't use satilites as much as phone signal, have you got data switched off, or roaming, or on WiFi only, and does it show you the route before you set off or just the actual destination?
Very strange.

I know. A few others have had a look at the settings. I'm not sure if it uses satellites or phone mast's but it says - GPS signal lost ??
I always have everything switch on - roaming - location - data. It did it today in Wales.
Is this the correct program?

 

[Guigsy]

I know. A few others have had a look at the settings. I'm not sure if it uses satellites or phone mast's but it says - GPS signal lost ??
I always have everything switch on - roaming - location - data. It did it today in Wales.
Is this the correct program?

View attachment 655864

The other possiblity is in app permissions, you're not giving it access to your precise location.