TomTom Traffic
Discussion
I have not used it for over 1 year, but I tried to use it regularly for 1 year, and I dont think its worth it.
It would frequently take me down a closed road as the diversion.
Traffic and road closures information were only on the main roads, so if the diversion went down a closed A road, you were stuffed.
Always ended up taking me extra time.
Plus, if you set it to automatically updated and replan every few mins, every replan seemed to exclude all roads already avoided, which meant the journey time and route increased every 10 mins.
Hence I dont reckon it is.
Most of the time its still quicker just to sit through it, and if it is worth avoiding, just listen for traffic reports then use TomTom "find alternative - avoid part of the route" menu.
I grant you it may have improved in the last year...
It would frequently take me down a closed road as the diversion.
Traffic and road closures information were only on the main roads, so if the diversion went down a closed A road, you were stuffed.
Always ended up taking me extra time.
Plus, if you set it to automatically updated and replan every few mins, every replan seemed to exclude all roads already avoided, which meant the journey time and route increased every 10 mins.
Hence I dont reckon it is.
Most of the time its still quicker just to sit through it, and if it is worth avoiding, just listen for traffic reports then use TomTom "find alternative - avoid part of the route" menu.
I grant you it may have improved in the last year...
Slightly OT.
Does anyone know how to turn off the annoying "Did you know you can upgrade to our traffic warning service?" 'tip' that regularly pops up when I 'm trying to plot a route?
It strikes me as being less a 'tip', and more an 'advert'.
I have normal tips turned off, but this seems to be an especially important tip that TomTom insists you know about.
Does anyone know how to turn off the annoying "Did you know you can upgrade to our traffic warning service?" 'tip' that regularly pops up when I 'm trying to plot a route?
It strikes me as being less a 'tip', and more an 'advert'.
I have normal tips turned off, but this seems to be an especially important tip that TomTom insists you know about.
I had it but didn't renew when the subscription ran out.
They are often late removing holdups long after they have cleared.
For example, crossing London it told me of lots of hold ups that are there every rush hour. I ignored it because it was about 2am and even in London the traffic isn't that bad at 2am. Sure enough all the queues had gone.
In the end you don't trust it because you think the hold up will have already gone, so you go what should be the quickest route. Only to find the road is still stuffed.
For it to be any good it must be trustworthy.
Same for speed cameras. Loads in the database that were there a couple of years back, but they finished the long term roadworks and never took them out.
They are often late removing holdups long after they have cleared.
For example, crossing London it told me of lots of hold ups that are there every rush hour. I ignored it because it was about 2am and even in London the traffic isn't that bad at 2am. Sure enough all the queues had gone.
In the end you don't trust it because you think the hold up will have already gone, so you go what should be the quickest route. Only to find the road is still stuffed.
For it to be any good it must be trustworthy.
Same for speed cameras. Loads in the database that were there a couple of years back, but they finished the long term roadworks and never took them out.
I run Traffic-i http://www.traffic-i.com/main/main_page_start.asp in conjunction with TTN6.
Far more useful at seeing the whole picture, rather than just your route. Have not found TT Traffic to be that great.
Far more useful at seeing the whole picture, rather than just your route. Have not found TT Traffic to be that great.
Noger said:
I run Traffic-i http://www.traffic-i.com/main/main_page_start.asp in conjunction with TTN6.
Far more useful at seeing the whole picture, rather than just your route. Have not found TT Traffic to be that great.
Excellent Far more useful at seeing the whole picture, rather than just your route. Have not found TT Traffic to be that great.
Well I think it is fecking fantastic and driving some 60,000m per year has saved me HOURS and MILES of frustration.
But it does have to be used with a reasonable amount of intelligence (
) and I find updates every ten mins in heavy traffic crucial.....
However, you still need to listen out for RDS traffic reports from local stations AND use a bit of intelligence on a map to locate best routes.
One additional feature I would like to see on Tom Tom though is an 'Avoid Town Centres' facility as I have often been re-routed thru a topn which appears to have no traffic sensors....you learn....
But it does have to be used with a reasonable amount of intelligence (
) and I find updates every ten mins in heavy traffic crucial.....However, you still need to listen out for RDS traffic reports from local stations AND use a bit of intelligence on a map to locate best routes.
One additional feature I would like to see on Tom Tom though is an 'Avoid Town Centres' facility as I have often been re-routed thru a topn which appears to have no traffic sensors....you learn....
I was referring, in my earlier post, to Tom Tom traffic, the tomtom plus service.
However, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
However, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
Edited by Dimski on Saturday 17th November 17:47
Dimski said:
I was referring, in my earlier post, to Tom Tom traffic, the tomtom plus service.
However, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
BumpHowever, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
Edited by Dimski on Saturday 17th November 17:47
Has anyone got this version
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=419&...
It is the Tom Tom One Traffic Version. Comes with an RDS traffic receiver.
In the market for a replacement Tom Tom and wondered if the extra £30 was worth it.
Dimski said:
I was referring, in my earlier post, to Tom Tom traffic, the tomtom plus service.
However, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
I've been using a TT 520 Traffic over the last week or so (done about 1500 miles with it, so not conclusive but not a bad estimate of it's quality) - it seemed very good to me, although a few times it would re-route me, then in 2 mins re-route me back - which i figure was it's way of saying "your guess is as good as mine mate"! However, just got a replacement for my recently deceased tom tom one, and I got a 720 Traffic which instead of a subscription, is a one off extra charge when you buy the unit. (No subscription fee)
Instead of being a Tom tom service, it is based on a radio system, I think its an RDS system of some sort. You plug an aerial into the tomtom, and it scans FM radio waves.
So there is even a disclaimer in the tom tom manual saying they are not responsible for the traffic data accuracy. Personally, having used tomtoms own traffic service, I thought this was probably a plus.
Took a while to connect and get the data, but once it started getting them, seemed ok. Also for the one journey so far, it was accurate.
Edited by Dimski on Saturday 17th November 17:47
Probably worth having if you're in the market for one i'd say...
Rob.
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