Does Anyone Trust Their GPS/Nav System?

[Mike]

Yesterday, I took a 100-mile drive (each way) to meet my brother for lunch. Most of the drive was on an interstate and I entered the restaurant into my BMW's nav system as my destination, since the last time I had been there was years ago.

 

At about the halfway point, I got a "Traffic Alert" popup, telling me that there was a traffic problem ahead, with an anticipated delay of 1 hr. 14 minutes. I suspected that it would have had to have been a pretty catastrophic event, noted that there were no mushroom clouds on the horizon, and just continued on. When I got to the site of the "incident," as displayed on my screen, there was absolutely nothing going on. As you'd expect on a rural interstate on a Sunday morning, traffic was moving right along . . . about 10-20 mph above the limit.

 

I used to have more confidence in my GPS/Nav systems, but over the years I've been mis-routed, send to the wrong location, and gotten bad info about traffic conditions so often that I now just treat it them as an adjunct to navigating the old-fashioned way, looking at a map.

 

How 'bout you?

[RodB]

I used to have more confidence in my GPS/Nav systems, but over the years I've been mis-routed, send to the wrong location, and gotten bad info about traffic conditions so often that I now just treat it them as an adjunct to navigating the old-fashioned way, looking at a map.

 

I've just purchased a new Nuvi that has 'the never used by me before traffic condition option', but for the rest (mis-routed, wrong or non-existant locations), I've experienced it often enough to get me screaming at the little voice in there.

Part of life now, I suppose; but at least the GPS will most times find it's way back home.

[Kitsap]

After the run around from Hell my GPS gave me in Paris last year I swore to never use the traffic option again. I also find some of the voices sound snotty when you make a wrong turn, mostly the female ones.

[russell_bynum]

My car was built when Culture Club was singing Karma Chameleon....none of those fancy newfangled in-car GPS nav systems for me.

 

I've been very underwhelmed when using them in other people's cars and in rental cars.

 

I believe that we should navigate the old-fashioned way...the way our forefathers did back in the day...by going to Google Maps and printing out directions.

 

As for traffic...since I've got a long commute, I hit several online traffic sources....though I'm not sure why because they're often hilariously inaccurate. My favorite is when I'm sitting at a dead stop along with the rest of the freeway as far as the eye can see...and all of the traffic sites show normal speeds and everything hunkydory. At this point I just look at the sites for my own amusement. And to give me something to do now that I can't text while I drive anymore. :smirk:

[Mike]

There is something to be said for maps. A couple of years ago I was helping a colleague out with a criminal investigation in Florida. Most of our interviews were done in two-person teams, but we merged three to deal with a scenario that we thought might be dicey and headed off the home in question in a three-car caravan.

 

The lead car's GPS took us to the entrance to a gated community. We tried the usual tricks to get past the gate, and, after about a half hour of futzing around found a resident who, upon the flashing of badges, let us through the gate. The caravan continued through the gate, all the way through the gated community . . . until the GPS lead us out the gate at the opposite side of the development . . . where we picked up the public roads, bringing us back to a point just outside where we had originally entered.

[Kitsap]

[Lawman]

I too have a problem with trust..I would trust the directions of my GPS a lot more if the voice was that of a man..

[Alan D]

My car came with a 90 free trial for the weather and traffic conditions on the GPS. After 90 days I determined I could look out the window and see what the weather was and the traffic reporting was just about as reliable at the CB guys 30 years ago. I did not opt-in for the extra service.

[Quinn]

I like it when the gps tells me to take the exit, cross over the road and get on the entrance ramp so I can continue on the same highway I was on. At least I didn't have to go all the way around that nasty curve on the interstate. Sometimes it will let me go a mile or so down the access road before getting back on. I wonder if somebody's cousin has a store on the access road.

 

----

 

 

[Mister Tee]

For me it's just like online maps - I never print out trip directions, I always want a printout of the map. With the GPS, I'll use the routing for planning purposes but I go off the map, not the directions.

 

But I don't even have a dedicated car or motorcycle GPS. I've used my Iphone a handful of times to help with the nav but I've never relied on it. I think that for road use, a GPS is of marginal necessity. For aviation on the other hand, a GPS is the total shizz.

[Linz]

I trust my $99 TomTom app in my iPhone a damn sight more than the useless $4500 POS built in to my VW.

 

The $4500 waste of space denies that whole country roads exist (which have existed since before I was born).

 

Linz

[bakerzdosen]

Personally, I haven't had any major issues with either of my Garmins. They have current maps (well, maybe a rev or two old as I haven't updated them in a few months, but that's a good reminder to do so...) so maybe that's part of it.

 

I do remember crossing the country (Utah to D.C.) and having to cross the Mississippi 3 times because of the Microsoft maps (whatever it was back then, but it was an MS product) directions we printed out.

 

However, traffic is indeed an issue with my 775T. About 80% of the time, the "traffic ahead" voice means 1 of 2 things: 1) I'm already slowing down for traffic or 2) It's smooth sailing ahead.

 

With that said, the thing(s) are invaluable when traveling someplace you've never been before (something I do frequently.)

[Selden]

I've just purchased a new Nuvi that has 'the never used by me before traffic condition option', but for the rest (mis-routed, wrong or non-existant locations), I've experienced it often enough to get me screaming at the little voice in there.

Part of life now, I suppose; but at least the GPS will most times find it's way back home.

I just purchased my first GPS (also a Nuvi) about 10 days ago; unfortunately, the mount didn't arrive until after I hit the road for my current trip, so I have yet to really bond with it. Initially, while reading the manual, and playing with it sitting in a stationary location, I was extremely frustrated by the damned thing, since I was trying to set routes between known destinations based on my knowledge. The Garmin user interface has improved since the last time I touched a GPS in 2005, but could still stand a lot of improvement.

 

However, the main problem was that I was approaching the GPS with Google Maps as my reference point. Google maps is great (despite occasional misdirection) at telling you how to get from point A to point B. My conceptual breakthrough with the GPS was that point A is always "here," and with a new outlook, it started to look a little more useful.

 

If I am truly, truly lost, and have no idea how to get from where I am to where I want to be, I might not know enough to override its (bad) recommendations, but for other cases, I can just override it, and let it recalculate the route based on where I have decided to be. So, I guess I trust a GPS about as much as the weather forecast -- which means always pack rain gear, no matter what the forecast.

 

I now realize that, compared to a good map, a GPS is probably inferior for detailed information and route planning, but points of interest, cumulative trip data, and the fact that I don't have to stop every few miles for a map check seem like features that will make it useful. And, in a car, I can use it as a hands-free telephone, thanks to blue tooth.

[moshe_levy]

My moto-GPS Adventure... http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/bmwmoautah.pdf

 

-MKL

[chrisd]

In the last few years, I've driven around 10-12,00 miles on the mainland. For all of them, I've used (free) Google maps on my T-Mobile G1 phone, and with three exceptions it's been spot on each time. (It got me really lost in Dallas- the other two were minor.) I've come to rely on that mechanical voice getting me to where I want to go. I don't suppose it would be of much help to a biker, but in a car it beats my Garmin GPS.

[Kathy R]

I've encountered the usual glitches with my TomTom and my Zumo 550, but there is no upgrade or patch for the glitch sitting on the seat.

[Mike]

Of the systems I've used, the TomTom app on my iPhone seems to be the best. Good--though I wouldn't claim perfect--routing, and accurate info regarding traffic conditions. I'm not sure why this is, but the app has a means of reporting map errors and downloading corrections, so it may be that it's just not dealing with as many map issues.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

My GPS doesn't have that fancy traffic stuff, and I only trust it so far as I've programmed it unless I'm planning on running interstate. Otherwise, in my personal opinion and taste, Garmin ALWAYS gets it wrong.

[Tank]

I'm sitting in a motel in Ely with a paper map in front of me... it has precisely showed me a good route to a place called

Torrey AND I believe it

[4wheeldog]

About 3 miles from my home, my GPS always tries to take me on a short cut off that does not exist. We have been here long enough to have taken the "Road" when it was actually there.....It was only passable by 4wd vehicles. So, I take what it says with grain of salt, and carry a map when I am in unfamiliar terrain.

 

When I was still flying little airplanes, I used GPS extensively. But I always backed it up with charts.........Trusting your life to electrons that can fail at any given time is unwise.

[Phil50]

However, the main problem was that I was approaching the GPS with Google Maps as my reference point. Google maps is great (despite occasional misdirection) at telling you how to get from point A to point B. My conceptual breakthrough with the GPS was that point A is always "here," and with a new outlook, it started to look a little more useful.

 

There's an excellent itinerary generator for TomTom written by a Dutch biker here: http://eelcov.home.xs4all.nl/itgen/ If you take a look the map you see is centred over his home town but you can easily hit the "-" sign and make the map smaller then move it to where you want in the World.

 

To start a route your just double click on the starting point, then double click on the next place etc. As you build up your route the TomTom itinerary is built in a text area box and you can paste this into a text file and save that onto your TomTom. A simple idea well implemented.

 

I would like to find the same for my Garmin GPSmap 62s.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Added: Did a bit of research and HD have a ride planner that is said to work with Garmin GPSs. http://bit.ly/c6VAqN

[leikam]

I trust my gps system and my traffic reports are always accurate. Of course dead reckoning and squinting into the distance do have other downsides.

[russell_bynum]

I trust my gps system and my traffic reports are always accurate. Of course dead reckoning and squinting into the distance do have other downsides.

 

[g_frey]

Well twice my GPS has directed me wrong. Not just wrong but really wrong. On my own I have directed myself wrong maybe 25 times. Once I went in a circle about 30 miles in diameter to end up at the same intersection. Dead reckoning was my thing back then. No maps, just use the sun to head in a generally right direction. Still do that ocasionally. It can be entertaining.