Trust Your GPS?

[ArdraF]

Yes, we've had a few cases where the road has been realigned and the GPS thinks we're off roading and tries to keep recalculating.  It looks like we're going across fields.

ArdraF

 

[blueblood]

My problem is city/town names. I live in Bluffton SC but you won't find me unless you put in Okatie, SC. My son lives in Charleston, SC but you can't find him unless you put in Johns Island, SC. The problem is that the USPS never changes a postal address to reflect changes in growth. For example, my son's home is a plantation that was in the middle of nowhere until a few years ago and so the Post Office delivered his mail via the Johns Island Post Office. Growth reached out over last decade and the plantation is now part of Charleston but USPS refuses to change.

 

[jim and di]

blueblood,
We have the Okatie zip and live in Hardeeville go figure

 

[DiGiacomo]

My tomtom tells me that i live in 'Buckskin Joe' colorado.........Buckskin Joe is a tourist attraction near the Royal Gorge Bridge.........[about 10 miles west of me in Canon City] ...Buckskin Joe has never been incorporated and the area has the same zip as canon............Worse yet.....a wealthy Texan bought the western town last year and it is going to be dismantled and moved to his ranch ....... [i hope somewhere in Colorado].....so what will tomtom do then  ???

 

[gwcowgill]

Jim and Di,  used to hunt not to far up the road in Ulmer. Love the area.

 

[Marc L]

As a user there are 2 things we can do to help make them more accurate:
- report any errors to your GPS vendor
- frequently update your GPS with latest software and maps

I'm as guilty as anybody else for not doing it.

 

[Alfa38User]

Update often???  At the price Garmin charges for updates for those not having lifetime updates, that's not going to happen too often, at least in my case. The price of 2 updates will buy a new GPS and will include 1 update for it.

I updated mine with a new map two years ago. After the install and re-booting, the first screen announced "Your maps are more than one year old, please update" !!!! That screen has appeared once or twice since then  but is ignored.

 

[Jim Godward]

I got a lifetime update subscription for a little more than 1 update about 18 months to 2 years ago.  Google is my friend!  4 updates a year so it has paid for itself.  I will be getting a new GPS for the MH When we go back east next spring or sooner, BD or Christmas(?).

 

[schoolsout2]

Our first trip out was through the mountains.  The GPS took us off the freeway and down narrow and steep mountain roads.  I said never again will I follow the GPS without checking at least 2 other maps and the DROID GPS.

 

[Honest John]

I agree, I've had my Garmin Nuvi give me a few curve balls.  Generally I recognize that it is wrong.  Most of the time it is OK.


Alfa38User - Now Garmin offers lifetime updates for your unit at a very reasonable rate.

 

[Alfa38User]

Thanks for that John....... but I WANT a new 5" screen model . Heh,Heh!! Will be looking at models with both free updates for maps, traffic and route setup, (traffic is not  much of a requirement though).

 

[Ole Man Dan]

George, that's an Alabama freeway

That we plan to pave after 'Boss Hog' is re-elected. 

 

[Jeff Brown]

I have a Tom Tom but generally we use our phones for GPS, it is usually much more accurate.

Jeff

 

[ArdraF]

The GPS took us off the freeway and down narrow and steep mountain roads.

It will definitely do that if you have it set for Shorter instead of Faster, although it sometimes does it with Faster too if there's a big difference.  Also, with some you can set it for truck routes which will keep you on bigger roads.  Your settings can be very important, especially when you're in an RV! 

ArdraF

 

[John From Detroit]

I learned about "Shortest route" IN 2006.. Oh, we made it.. just.

Now I choose "Preferred roads" and keep that setting.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Ardra

>>We use it a lot and can't live without it, but still don't trust it completely.  Sorry, Terry B.!<<


You're still mad because "Hilda" got me to Sweet Tomatoes 5 minutes before you.<G>

 

[blueblood]

blueblood,
We have the Okatie zip and live in Hardeeville go figure

You appear to be living on North side of SCHH which was just annexed into Hardeeville; the whole area is in the mythical Okatie, SC Not a chance of being given Hardeeville zip LOL 

 

[donandmax]

We trust ours, but not that much!  When making a reservations, we always ask about GPS.  Many campgrounds do not have the  "right" routing, and the camp ground office will usually know about it and let you know of any special conditions.

In general, we DO NOT allow the GPS to bring us down a dirt road or narrow asphalt.  We just pass by and let the GPS re calculate.

Remember the Kim family debacle in Oregon.. Where they were stranded for almost 2 weeks ? And the husband was found dead, Well our gps took us down the same road only in the summer. We almost could not turn around to get out. Never never trust any gps. Have Mapquest and road atlas handy. Trust me your gps can get you into one hell of a jam. "And you can take that to the bank"

 

[vermilye]

It will definitely do that if you have it set for Shorter instead of Faster, although it sometimes does it with Faster too if there's a big difference.  Also, with some you can set it for truck routes which will keep you on bigger roads.  Your settings can be very important, especially when you're in an RV! 

Sometimes even a small difference in mileage, even when set on "faster" will get you in trouble.  I ended up on a dirt road in West Virginia that was a "learning experience."  The story is at the bottom of this page: Interesting Road

 

[ArdraF]

Terry B - Tee hee!  Hilda and Jill will be getting together to plot against us both if we're not careful!  :

ArdraF