Weird GPS behaviour; anyone else seen this?

[Dangfool]

Hello all...

I just returned from a road trip, and over this past weekend (May 17 - 18), my GPS began acting strangely. It seemed to be almost consciously trying to steer me around urban areas, even when I plotted a course right into an urban destination. It also tried quite hard to keep me off interstates and on secondary roads, at one point even trying to keep me on a small country road that neatly paralleled I-24, and when I pulled off and pulled out again, actually tried to direct me *away* from the interstate!

And before anyone asks, I checked the "avoidances", to make sure it hadn't been told to avoid interstates, carpool lanes, and such. And the clincher is, my friend's GPS, a different brand (Garmin/Tomtom), took on exactly the same behavior for the same period (both returned to normal after the weekend). Did anyone else experience any such odd behavior this past weekend? Anybody out there have any juicy conspiracy theories about the guv'mint monkeying around with the navigation satellites?

 

[akrvbob]

That's what they do if they are set to find the shortest route. It only wants to find the shortest way, not the best. If paralleling the freeway saves .2 miles, that's what it will do.

Could that setting have got reset wrong somehow?
Bob

 

[Dangfool]

Well, thanks for the suggestion, but we tried both shortest route and fastest route settings. Changing this setting didn't cause either unit to change the routes it planned, which seemed all the more funny.

 

[caseyc]

Whenever I'm driving to an unknown location, I always have at least 2 different GPS devices running simultaneously, plus a 3rd GPS via my Rydeen backup camera mirror. One is a standalone Garmin GPS, the other is an Android smartphone running Google Navigation via Verizon signal. Both devices quite often will tell me to use different routes. Anytime there is a discrepancy, which is often, I simply choose whichever one is more convenient to follow. What is more exasperating is when a GPS device will suddenly tell me something stupid like make a U-Turn now and go elsewhere, then seconds later only to change its "mind" and tell me to continue on its original path. This happens every so often, and is truly a mystery to me. I like GPS units that can tell me alternate paths to take that are color coded for me to choose. My Garmin offers me that option, plus a 3rd party app on my smartphone does the same.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Whenever I'm driving to an unknown location, I always have at least 2 different GPS devices running simultaneously, plus a 3rd GPS via my Rydeen backup camera mirror. One is a standalone Garmin GPS, the other is an Android smartphone running Google Navigation via Verizon signal. Both devices quite often will tell me to use different routes. Anytime there is a discrepancy, which is often, I simply choose whichever one is more convenient to follow. What is more exasperating is when a GPS device will suddenly tell me something stupid like make a U-Turn now and go elsewhere, then seconds later only to change its "mind" and tell me to continue on its original path. This happens every so often, and is truly a mystery to me. I like GPS units that can tell me alternate paths to take that are color coded for me to choose. My Garmin offers me that option, plus a 3rd party app on my smartphone does the same.

You only use 3 GPS'? I thought the standard was to use 5.
: )

 

[caseyc]

Yes, I use 3 different GPS devices. But I don't believe any of them!

 

[Luisafernandes]

Yes, I use 3 different GPS devices. But I don't believe any of them!

Sometimes they are pretty darn stupid. But remember the days we had to have a million different road maps?

 

[caseyc]

During the ancient dark prehistoric days, I used to print out physical paper map directions from at least 3 different sources. Why 3 sources? Cuz again, I didn't believe any one of them! At one point, I used to have reams and reams and reams of map directions stored away. Sick, I know.

Worst part of missing an exit from paper directions was that there was no gosh darn automatic rerouting! So I would do a huge u-turn around the freeway in order to get back on track with the original route. Doubly sick, I know!

 

[Zil]

that is why it is always better to have more than 3 GPS devices, plus a google print out, and a Exxon road map backed up with the AAA atlas. I also keep a globe handy. Then I am sure that I am always where I am.

 

[LeeRevell]

I keep a GPS in my van and still use printed maps from Google Earth or Mapquest - sometimes both! And my trusty Delorme Atlases.
My fairly newish Magellan Roadmate never shows my proper vehicle direction at home. It will also try to route me through my privacy fence into the back neighbor's yard......
Everywhere else it works fine.
Since my property generally is four to eight degrees warmer than the weather guessers say, I tell people I live on a rare north Florida volcanic ridge. Hmmm..... might be true and throwing the danged gadget off? :dodgy:
At least it's better than my late lamented xPlorist 200 handheld - it always showed me driving through the middle of the local lake. Or paralleling the highway by about 100 yards!

 

[Reducto]

Was it telling you to exit and take the other road or did it think you were already on it? The gps in my phone sometimes glitches and thinks I'm on a frontage road or something when I'm actually on the highway.

 

[decodancer]

I had the opposite problem with my GPS. I prefer secondary roads and it insists I take the interstate. I used to bring along a printed mapquest map and just shut the darned thing off. Then it burned up in my truck fire, now I miss it. Recalculating....

 

[Lucky mike]

I love my GPS......it gives me someone to argue with while driving and keeps me alert!!!!

 

[Iggy]

GPSs are awesome.... when they work properly. My phone GPS is way more accurate but needs good cell reception. Plus it doesn't tell you what lane to be in on an 8 lane CA freeway. My Garmin has many more features. But you have to type everything on a very balky keyboard, no voice recognition program. And it frequently tells me I'm off the route. Not to mention the elevation reading goes haywire all the time. Piss-poor quality, if you want my opinion. I only keep using it because I can't afford to ditch it and get a better one. BTW, I still use my US atlas often for general planning.

 

[caseyc]

The newer Garmin standalone GPS units have Bluetooth built-in, whereby you can install their free companion Android/Apple app to your phone. You can then click on an address in your smartphone contacts, or find an address on your phone via Google search, then send the address information wirelessly from your phone to your Garmin GPS. That means no typing needed on your Garmin, just tap okay to accept the received information and start navigating. Yes, lane assistance on the Garmin is quite helpful. Too bad Google Navigation on my phone doesn't have lane assistance...maybe one day.

Here's the smartphone app you can install to your phone:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.garmin.android.apps.phonelink