Who uses Traffic Sat Nav?
Discussion
Satnav with traffic? Yes, I use a Tomtom Live, currently a Via125 Europe after a 740 Live.
They do work very well, to the point that mine is on even on my daily commute where of course I know the way, I just have the route guidance silenced so I still get warning of traffic and cameras. I've been all around Europe with them, a great help, especially lane guidance for junctions, it makes driving in Europe really easy when you know where you're going.
They do work very well, to the point that mine is on even on my daily commute where of course I know the way, I just have the route guidance silenced so I still get warning of traffic and cameras. I've been all around Europe with them, a great help, especially lane guidance for junctions, it makes driving in Europe really easy when you know where you're going.
markmullen said:
They do work very well, to the point that mine is on even on my daily commute where of course I know the way, I just have the route guidance silenced so I still get warning of traffic and cameras. I've been all around Europe with them, a great help, especially lane guidance for junctions, it makes driving in Europe really easy when you know where you're going.
+1.Tomtom Go 740 here too.
Generally very reliable traffic info, although the data for the M62 eastbound around Bradford has recently been diabolical.
Mike...
Big thumbs up from me. TomTom 1005 with the big screen, 'cos I'm an old fart..
Savee me a huge amount of time.
Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
Savee me a huge amount of time.
mike_knott said:
Generally very reliable traffic info, although the data for the M62 eastbound around Bradford has recently been diabolical.
That's probably because they're getting information from the Highways Agency now, which is absolutely useless and often hours out of date. Bad move.Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
In the very busy areas (M62, M60, M25, etc) it is suprising how long a delay you have to be in for an alternative route to be any quicker, but it generally works as well as it probably can. Occasionally, it has saved me hours when large accidents have closed motorways or reduced them to one lane open.
My main gripes are the data around Bradford (which seems to have recently got worse so it might just need a firmware update) and the length of time it takes to get the first traffic data (which can be several minutes, by which time you could be already sitting in the congestion. Again, an update may be the solution.
Despite these issues I am still happy to pay the £45 a year it costs, and 99% of my travel is from home to a fixed place of work and back at similar times each day, so I am effectively using the sat nav as a congestion avoidance device.
Mike...
ETA:
Mike...
My main gripes are the data around Bradford (which seems to have recently got worse so it might just need a firmware update) and the length of time it takes to get the first traffic data (which can be several minutes, by which time you could be already sitting in the congestion. Again, an update may be the solution.
Despite these issues I am still happy to pay the £45 a year it costs, and 99% of my travel is from home to a fixed place of work and back at similar times each day, so I am effectively using the sat nav as a congestion avoidance device.
Mike...
ETA:
mybrainhurts said:
That's probably because they're getting information from the Highways Agency now, which is absolutely useless and often hours out of date. Bad move.
Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
Ah, that would explain it.Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
Mike...
Edited by mike_knott on Sunday 11th December 22:06
mybrainhurts said:
That's probably because they're getting information from the Highways Agency now, which is absolutely useless and often hours out of date. Bad move.
Indeed, the number of phantom traffic jams has gone up, and roadworks now show weeks after they've finished.mybrainhurts said:
Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
They reset it to 160km (100 miles) recently after a campaign online to get the horizon extended. They do however reserve the right to limit it in bad weather.markmullen said:
mybrainhurts said:
Traffic isn't as good as it used to be. The system was overwhelmed during the last snow, so they reduced the range over which it looked. Trouble is, they've not switched it back on, so it only checks something like 45 miles ahead now.
They reset it to 160km (100 miles) recently after a campaign online to get the horizon extended. They do however reserve the right to limit it in bad weather.One other point. TomTom gives you the option to reroute around problems.
Someone who uses a Garmin says his unit just does a reroute without telling you. It once dropped him unexpectedly into rush hour traffic through Leicester. He knew a better way, but didn't know where it was taking him, so he stuck with it and wasted a lot of time.
Someone who uses a Garmin says his unit just does a reroute without telling you. It once dropped him unexpectedly into rush hour traffic through Leicester. He knew a better way, but didn't know where it was taking him, so he stuck with it and wasted a lot of time.
mmm-five said:
If you get a model with HD traffic, then it also uses data from other HD traffic users to plot live traffic data to supplement the 'semi static' highways agency data.
The HD traffic has historically been pretty good IME, it is this recent highways agency stuff which I am not confident in.markmullen said:
mybrainhurts said:
That's not good enough for me. I regularly do 200 mile runs, so might not be alerted to problems until I'm well on the way.
I agree but IIRC it has never been more than 100 miles, even before last year. mybrainhurts said:
One other point. TomTom gives you the option to reroute around problems.
Someone who uses a Garmin says his unit just does a reroute without telling you. It once dropped him unexpectedly into rush hour traffic through Leicester. He knew a better way, but didn't know where it was taking him, so he stuck with it and wasted a lot of time.
Someone who uses a Garmin says his unit just does a reroute without telling you. It once dropped him unexpectedly into rush hour traffic through Leicester. He knew a better way, but didn't know where it was taking him, so he stuck with it and wasted a lot of time.
My Garmin asks you, it shows a little icon of any delays on the route and how long the expected delay is and whether you want to reroute.
It is rubbish in other areas, but the traffic bit works very well.
I would say HD traffic from Tomtom, I think that's what people are talking about when they refer to tom-tom live, since it's one of the suite of 'live' services, including speed cameras etc.
HD traffic uses data from users (anonymously collected data from cellphones), to give realtime info on delays, hence much less dependence on the rubbish the highways agency provide. It also enables intelligent routing, whereby it takes into account typical speeds for the time and day.
I tried a Garmin prior to the tom-tom and found it useless, it took me on pointless country routes to avoid phantom delays. Money no object go for the Tomtom 1005! Otherwise any tom-tom with live services including HD traffic!
HD traffic uses data from users (anonymously collected data from cellphones), to give realtime info on delays, hence much less dependence on the rubbish the highways agency provide. It also enables intelligent routing, whereby it takes into account typical speeds for the time and day.
I tried a Garmin prior to the tom-tom and found it useless, it took me on pointless country routes to avoid phantom delays. Money no object go for the Tomtom 1005! Otherwise any tom-tom with live services including HD traffic!
Gassing Station | In-Car Electronics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff