Does anyone have a GPS that doesn't give stupid directions

[golfgal]

DH's siblings want to give their parents a GPS for their anniversary. I know that at times my GPS gives really stupid directions-like exit the highway, turn right, make a u-turn, go back to the highway. I am sure it is a map issue but even so. Sometimes it picks the strangest routes to go places. I know that if this happens to them they will never use the thing. Any suggestions?

 

[Hoodie]

Ours isn't bad, but sometimes gets confused on new construction/highway ramps. Overall, the directions part is OK.

On a side note, Google maps eliminated Route 66 in the DC area last week for some unknown reason. It's a pretty major highway but last week Google ignored it for all directions. The joys of technology.

 

[DrCavin]

GPS will get you to your destination, but isnt always the "best" route.

 

[clutter]

Ours isn't bad, but sometimes gets confused on new construction/highway ramps. Overall, the directions part is OK.

On a side note, Google maps eliminated Route 66 in the DC area last week for some unknown reason. It's a pretty major highway but last week Google ignored it for all directions. The joys of technology.

Oh, so THAT'S why my iPhone map sent me down 50 to get from Fairfax to Mt Vernon on Saturday! I thought it was traffic.... Too funny.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Ours isn't bad, but sometimes gets confused on new construction/highway ramps. Overall, the directions part is OK.

On a side note, Google maps eliminated Route 66 in the DC area last week for some unknown reason. It's a pretty major highway but last week Google ignored it for all directions. The joys of technology.

I wonder if it's because of all the road construction out there.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've got an older Garmin Nuvi. If it was a human, I'd be calling it dumber than a rock.

The worst instructions we got were in the GA mountains. It tells us to turn right - right now. Um, that right would've taken us off the edge of a cliff. Stupid thing.

Good luck finding a good one.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

A lot of times, the directions are very different depending on which mode you chose to be routed.

"most use of freeways, least use of freeways, shortest distance or quickest time" may all route you slightly different. especially if you have the kind that gets updates from various traffic sites and will change the route according to congestion.

I know that I had to change the default on my wifes GPS in her car so that it would stay off the freeway for most small (local) trips.

The magellan roadmate series has some pretty good ones, and they even have several models that have a larger screen, to make it easier for quick glances.

 

[golfgal]

My GPS still thinks that the 35W bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis is out so it routes me funny places in Minneapolis but last week we went to St. Louis. I know how to get there but use the GPS mainly to keep track of how much time it takes to get there, or rather, how much time is left. It started out with some goofy route through Illinois-St. Louis is pretty much south of us and it had me going 4 hours out of my way .

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I've got an older Garmin Nuvi. If it was a human, I'd be calling it dumber than a rock.

The worst instructions we got were in the GA mountains. It tells us to turn right - right now. Um, that right would've taken us off the edge of a cliff. Stupid thing.

Good luck finding a good one.

This made me laugh! I have my mothers old one and I think it's a piece of crap because it's always losing the satellite, telling me to make u turns or to go in a direction opposite of where I need to go. She has a new one that I used last week and it worked real well. She just bought it off of QVC a few weeks ago. It's some kind of Tom Tom thing I think. We had both of them going at the same time and it was WAY better than the old one. It never lost the signal and took us right to the place we were going.

 

[torinsmom]

Well, when I was trying to get back to my condo in Kissimmee this past summer, mine too me to Animal Kingdom, LOL. The attendant said that happens quite a bit. I guess the GPS doesn't realize you have to pay to get to Sherbeth road that way.

 

[scrapquitler]

DH's siblings want to give their parents a GPS for their anniversary. I know that at times my GPS gives really stupid directions-like exit the highway, turn right, make a u-turn, go back to the highway. I am sure it is a map issue but even so. Sometimes it picks the strangest routes to go places. I know that if this happens to them they will never use the thing. Any suggestions?

Maybe it has something to do with the options you have selected? Things like
"map the shortest route" "avoid toll roads" etc. Perhaps fiddling with the options can get you a better, more logical route.

 

[Kathi OD]

While it doesn't account for all of the "stupid directions" a GPS units gives, it certainly doesn't help that at by the time we actually purchase the unit, many of the maps are out of date. It's really important to check for software updates to help diminish the amount of "stupid directions" your unit gives you.

 

[erincon23]

My GPS still thinks that the 35W bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis is out so it routes me funny places in Minneapolis but last week we went to St. Louis. I know how to get there but use the GPS mainly to keep track of how much time it takes to get there, or rather, how much time is left. It started out with some goofy route through Illinois-St. Louis is pretty much south of us and it had me going 4 hours out of my way .

Have you updated the maps? On mine (Garmin Nuvi), it doesn't get any updated info unless we pay for an update once a year, so if it was made when the bridge was out, the bridge will always be out unless we we hook it up to the computer and pay $99 for an update.

Ours has a bad habit of telling us to get off the expressway and take the access road, then get right back on the highway. I did this once going to a place I had never been before, thinking I was coming up to an exit, but quickly found out that I just had to get right back on. Another time, trying to get to a location right off the exit, it told us to go right, go a while, go right, go right, go right... we ended up going through some little tiny church's gravel parking lot...and the place we wanted to go was nearly visible -- to the left -- just as soon as we got off the highway. But we didn't know that.

 

[golfgal]

Maybe it has something to do with the options you have selected? Things like
"map the shortest route" "avoid toll roads" etc. Perhaps fiddling with the options can get you a better, more logical route.

It is just some quirk on my unit. If I go into the options and select the standard route (which is the preset option so just reslecting that) it reroutes it to a more logical route. This will drive my inlaws nuts though.

While it doesn't account for all of the "stupid directions" a GPS units gives, it certainly doesn't help that at by the time we actually purchase the unit, many of the maps are out of date. It's really important to check for software updates to help diminish the amount of "stupid directions" your unit gives you.

I know my maps are out of date now but it has always given bizarre directions. I am not upgrading my maps because it costs as much as a new unit to do so and I can make it work when I need to, my in-laws, however, are not going to mess with this and I wanted to see if there is a good option to look into for them.

 

[golfgal]

Have you updated the maps? On mine (Garmin Nuvi), it doesn't get any updated info unless we pay for an update once a year, so if it was made when the bridge was out, the bridge will always be out unless we we hook it up to the computer and pay $99 for an update.

Ours has a bad habit of telling us to get off the expressway and take the access road, then get right back on the highway. I did this once going to a place I had never been before, thinking I was coming up to an exit, but quickly found out that I just had to get right back on. Another time, trying to get to a location right off the exit, it told us to go right, go a while, go right, go right, go right... we ended up going through some little tiny church's gravel parking lot...and the place we wanted to go was nearly visible -- to the left -- just as soon as we got off the highway. But we didn't know that.

These are the kinds of things I am talking about by "stupid" directions.

 

[egile]

Ours isn't bad, but sometimes gets confused on new construction/highway ramps. Overall, the directions part is OK.

On a side note, Google maps eliminated Route 66 in the DC area last week for some unknown reason. It's a pretty major highway but last week Google ignored it for all directions. The joys of technology.

I think I read somewhere that Google was avoiding 66 inside the Beltway because of the HOV restrictions???

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Stupidest Mapping Ever

It helps to know the New York City area.

From South of New Jersey to get to the area of LaGuardia Airport in Queens

Take the New Jersey Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel.

Cross Midtown Manhattan to the Queens Midtown Tunnel (Most fun on a Friday afternoon)

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to Grand Central Parkway to LaGuardia Airport.

 

[bigmerle1966]

I think I read somewhere that Google was avoiding 66 inside the Beltway because of the HOV restrictions???

I don't know about inside the beltway but it doesn't show outside and that is a major highway through Northern, VA. I did directions from my house near Baltimore to my sisters out past Manassas, it usually takes an hour and 10 to 20 minutes, these directions were almost 2 hours.

 

[SandrA9810]

Well, when I was trying to get back to my condo in Kissimmee this past summer, mine too me to Animal Kingdom, LOL. The attendant said that happens quite a bit. I guess the GPS doesn't realize you have to pay to get to Sherbeth road that way.

If you're on Osceola Pkwy, headed to Sherbeth RD, stay to the far left lane when approaching the Animal Kingdom Toll plaza. The signs will actually say to Animal Kingdom Lodge, this is also the way the buses go for drop off into DAK. Take the ramp up and over, and at the bottom will be the sherbeth rd light, hang a left and you'll be out to 192 in no time.
I love using Osceola PKWY over 192, since there's fewer lights. There's no need to enter the parking lot area.

I hate the GPS on my phone. I tried looking up McDonalds on my phone in Indiana, and had me on a street with no McD's. I wound up doing another search and selecting the next location, which there was an actual McD's.

 

[Northstar]

My GPS is convinced that we live across the street. She always sounds really ticked off when I turn into my driveway... like this....

(sigh) Recalculating. (sigh)