GPS route planning help

[GreyGoose]

I took at trip last weekend to eastern ohio and mapped out a intracite route to follow through the . i borrows a friends tom tom and download my route plan into it. i had to get pretty detailed for the gps to follow my exact plan. Heres the problem. if i decided (or mistakenly missed one of the point along the route, the GPS would conitually try to get me back to the point that i missed. i didnt have the points set up as destinations, i just had them as points along the way. if i wasnt paying close attention, and just following the GPS instructions, i would end out going in a circle untill i got to the defined point. this is escpecially true if you pick a town to stop into. If you just pick the town, the GPS decides on a point in the town that it considers "the center of town". if you dont hit that point, and go on your merry way, the GPS will spend the rest of its useless life directing you back to town.

Can anyone make any recommendations on how to map out a long trip along a very specific set of roads without constantly having to manipulate the GPS unit to delete a point that was missed? even when i attempted that function, the GPS would recalculate the trip and try to send me back to my starting point of the trip.

as you can imagine, this turned into a mess since i didnt know if the GPS was sending me on my merry way, or trying to reroute me back to a point that i got close to, but didnt hit.

Please advise. I plan on purchasing my own unit soon (probably a garmin 770 now that i've got a firstgear gps laguna tank bag) , but this is definitly a show stopping problem. i dont want a GPS to tell me the quickest way to get somewhere. i want to set my route and blindly follow the instructions.

Thanks,

GreyGoose

 

[jwhite518]

i borrows a friends tom tom
<snip>

Please advise. I plan on purchasing my own unit soon (probably a garmin 770

You're talking apples and oranges here. The Tom Tom you used didn't work the way you wanted. Unfortunately I can't advise you how to operate it. I can tell you that if you purchase a Garmin you'll be able to transfer turn-by-turn routes from your computer to the unit, and it will follow. If you go off route it will give you the option to recalculate or not. Most motorcyclists use Garmin. However a Nuvi 770 is a car GPS and is not suitable for motorcycle use. You sound like a guy who needs a Zumo 660.

 

[Big-D]

I have been using a Garmin Nuvi 760 for over a year now and it has worked perfectly. If I recall, the only difference between the 760 and 770 is the 770 comes with the Europe maps also.

As long as you don't get the Nuvi wet, it will serve you just as good as any of the Zumo series GPS. The problem with the Zumo is the price. When comparing the features, the only advantage the Zumo has is being weather proof. But I believe the Nuvi has more features and higher pixel screen and cost only 25% what the Zumo cost. For the cost of the 660, I could buy a Nuvi every other year and never have to pay to upgrade my maps for eight years.

If you miss a destination or get off track, the Nuvi will offer two opportunities to retrace your steps, then it will recalculate and move on. You also have the option to just hit the recalculate button immediately.

 

[Bungie]

I've had similar things happen with my Garmin 2820. Case in point, the Dragon route at EOM. Kept trying to route me back to Douglas Dam until I got far enough away from it for it to give up and move on to the next point. Actually, the same ride, when we left the hotel, we stopped on the 'other' side of the road for gas leaving the hotel. The unit assumed I was returning from the route and gave AWESOME directions directly back to the hotel.

 

[fjrrider]

Oh what fun a GPS is. I got a 550, and me and that chick (Jill) have had more than a few arguments going down the road. :lol:

The only thing I know for sure is you have to set way points on the highway you want to travel on, if you just pick a city, she will take you to the downtown area (dumb woman)

There are roads in Arkansas that I have to set way points every 1/2 mile or so, just to take that road. Otherwise it will take me to the road then another route around it. (dumb woman)

I know this doesnt help any, just thought I'd let you know your not the only dummy who has trouble with a GPS, everybody does!

 

[jwhite518]

The GPS is just a machine. If you tell it "take me to Denver", it will take you to the center of Denver. You don't really expect it to read your mind, do you? If you have a more specific place you want to go, tell it to take you there.

Regarding long, complicated routes: The GPS will automatically calculate the "fastest" or the "shortest" route between waypoints, depending on your preference. If you don't happen to like what the GPS decides, you need to set intermediate waypoints that force it to take the roads you want. A really fun route between Point A and Point B might need you to put in 10 intermediate points. It's just a fact of life - GPSs aren't yet able to automatically use "most fun motorcycle route" or "read my mind" modes.

If you want to skip a pre-programmed waypoint, you can either a) delete the waypoint from the route inside the GPS, or B) get on the route that the GPS calculated, at a point beyond the waypoint. In other words. The route goes from A to B to C. Once you're on the road from B to C, it will stop routing you to B.

To be a proficient GPS user, you should be good at pre-planning routes on your PC and transferring them to the unit, and also at creating and modifying routes in the unit while you're on the road. Yeah, many people never bother doing the PC thing, and that's fine. But the OP wants to pre-plan his routes, so he needs to learn both.

If you go to Zumoforums.com, there is a program there called PONI Killer. It will work on Nuvi's too. PONI means Point Of No Interest. This program is really helpful if you create very specific routes with many intermediate waypoints. It cleans up the routes and removes the PONIs, but keeps the complicated route.

 

[Bungie]

Another tip: Do NOT put your waypoint ON the turn. Do them just after the turn. Audible prompts give waypoints priority over directions.

It's no fun coming up to a turn, not knowing which way to go, and having to listen to that ***** announce your waypoint name instead of saying which way to go.

 

[Fred W]

Another tip: Do NOT put your waypoint ON the turn. Do them just after the turn. Audible prompts give waypoints priority over directions.
It's no fun coming up to a turn, not knowing which way to go, and having to listen to that ***** announce your waypoint name instead of saying which way to go.

Here's another little tip: When you place the waypoints just after the turn, change the screen resolution to the tightest (80 ft) and then just barely nudge the waypoint off the side of the road. This will change the waypoints name from the street number and name to the name of the town you're in, which is usually shorter and less bothersome. It will never says the route number if it knows the road name.

 

[Texan]

I had the same problem when transferring a detailed route from Google to the Tomtom. I don't think any of the recommendations in this thread have addressed a solution to the problem you found.

 

[Fred W]

I believe that is because this is how TomTom navigates routes. Garmins navigate routes differently. If you turn auto recalculate off on a Garmin it will let you continue merrily along your way until you decide to return to the route. Also, if you enter a route midway between its start and finish it will just pick up where you are and continue along. The only time you get into big trouble is with an out and back route because the GPS doesn't always know which way you are going. In that case you should make it 2 routes, one going out and a reverse route coming back.

 

[wfooshee]

I've never used a Tomtom, but my son got a cheap one for his car, and I was not impressed with its setup. I never followed a route with it, but I can see a logic flaw existing where it wants to get through the waypoint, by God! and if you miss it, it will keep insisting.

I have a Garmin 2610, and it resumes the route if you either recalc from your current location, or just get back on the route yourself.

Good tip above about using a point just past the intersection as a waypoint. I've seen it tell me to do a u-turn and turn left or even three lefts instead of a simple right turn when I used an intersection in Mapsource. My unit is old enough it doesn't speak street names so I've never encountered the problem described above with street names vs. place names.

If you have one of those older units like mine, where you download detail maps into the unit, make sure you get all of them. A recent trip to Virgina carried us on I-85 through Atlanta, up into the Caronlinas, then finally Virgina. I-85 passes through the tiniest corner of the detail map for the western half on North Carolina, about 15 miles of highway, but I didn't notice that when I was picking maps (and I didn't use the menu option to pick maps along the route.) When I changed my route in Atlanta and used the circle because the downtown corridor showed delays, every recalc after that tried to take me back to Atlanta and across on I-20 to I-95, or some similar roundabout route, because the device can't route through an area with no detail map loaded onto its memory card. I hadn't done the 2-GB card and keep all the maps loaded all the time yet.

 

[HaulinAshe]

It's very important to remember that when you transfer routes from one brand device or application to another, the only thing in common are the GPS coordinates of the waypoint. Smallville KS in Tom Tom is not Smallville KS in Garmin. Smallville KS in Google Maps is not Smallville KS in Garmin MapSucks. You get the picture...

Never expect a waypoint chosen from a known item in one database to translate to the same known database item in another application or device. Choose your waypoints carefully and at a very tightly-zoomed level, to make certain the waypoints are exactly where you want to travel.

Building truly portable GPX routes takes hours and hours of work per route. That's why I have so many people lined up, ready and waiting, volunteering to take over EOM route construction.

:blink:

 

[FJRMGM]

However a Nuvi 770 is a car GPS and is not suitable for motorcycle use.

Damn, I wish I had known that before I started using this unit a year and a half ago.

It has worked perfectly for me right up until the time you just said it wasn't suitable.

Damn..

 

[GreyGoose]

The GPS is just a machine. If you tell it "take me to Denver", it will take you to the center of Denver. You don't really expect it to read your mind, do you? If you have a more specific place you want to go, tell it to take you there.
Regarding long, complicated routes: The GPS will automatically calculate the "fastest" or the "shortest" route between waypoints, depending on your preference. If you don't happen to like what the GPS decides, you need to set intermediate waypoints that force it to take the roads you want. A really fun route between Point A and Point B might need you to put in 10 intermediate points. It's just a fact of life - GPSs aren't yet able to automatically use "most fun motorcycle route" or "read my mind" modes.

If you want to skip a pre-programmed waypoint, you can either a) delete the waypoint from the route inside the GPS, or B) get on the route that the GPS calculated, at a point beyond the waypoint. In other words. The route goes from A to B to C. Once you're on the road from B to C, it will stop routing you to B.

To be a proficient GPS user, you should be good at pre-planning routes on your PC and transferring them to the unit, and also at creating and modifying routes in the unit while you're on the road. Yeah, many people never bother doing the PC thing, and that's fine. But the OP wants to pre-plan his routes, so he needs to learn both.

If you go to Zumoforums.com, there is a program there called PONI Killer. It will work on Nuvi's too. PONI means Point Of No Interest. This program is really helpful if you create very specific routes with many intermediate waypoints. It cleans up the routes and removes the PONIs, but keeps the complicated route.

when i try to make adjustments along the way, i would let me delete points, but it would never let me delete my first point (or starting point). i would then ask it to recalculate the route. It would do so , but include the starting point. At that point, all it would do from that point forward was tell me to turn around and go back to the starting point.

sounds like some of the problems i encountered are general GPS issues, while others are probably tom tom related. i never clicked directly on turns when mapping out the route and i would set as few way points as possible to get routed correctly. I did make the mistake of clicking on a town once (and ended out going around the block 3 times to get to my waypoint).

There is also alot of sense to how each GPS device will interpret waypoints differently. i was useing microsoft street and trips to map out my routes, then using a converter to get it into tom tom format. Overall i think that process worked really well, but i need to double check and see if the converter converted correctly.

This idea of missing a point and screwing up the rest of the route is not acceptable. The route that i mapped out for last weekend throught the wayne national forest was really complicated. i would have never attempted it without a GPS device. I like the idea of a unit that will ask it you want to recalcuate, then let you continue unscathed. that sounds like the best option. Will the Garmin do that? also, what does most GPS devices consider to be " unpaved roads"? The tom tom told us that the route had unpaved roads and wanted to know if it should reroute around them. I didnt remember picking any unpaved roads so i told it to include them. Low and behold, we did not come in contact with any gravel roads during the trip but did encounter some roads that were not in the best of shape. Of course there were a couple of times when i missed my way point and the gps decided to reroute me back to that point on a gravel road..... :angry2: .....What road condition would be considered "unpaved"?

BTW....Great feedback from everyone....thanx

GreyGoose

 

[wfooshee]

My 2610 seems to know if a missed waypoint is the wrong direction and skips it. It appears the Tomtom doesn't check it off until you hit it or delete it.

 

[saltywheels]

Grey, I use a TomTom in my car & a Garmin 2720 on the bike. The TT has this pecularity..it will insist on taking you back to a missed waypoint. At least for a while. I switch it off so as not to murder her voice. Then when I feel I am far enough along the route, I switch it back on. She recalculates & keeps going. The Garmin, on the other hand, is a pre-planned computer route with waypoints set up similar to all the advise in this thread. If I wander off the planned route, I am given the option to recalculate or accept the diversion. Sorry cant be of better help.

 

[GreyGoose]

I had the same problem when transferring a detailed route from Google to the Tomtom. I don't think any of the recommendations in this thread have addressed a solution to the problem you found.

i agree with you if the conversation involves the tom tom, but i think the following recommendation would resolve the issue if you use the garmin:

If you go to Zumoforums.com, there is a program there called PONI Killer. It will work on Nuvi's too. PONI means Point Of No Interest. This program is really helpful if you create very specific routes with many intermediate waypoints. It cleans up the routes and removes the PONIs, but keeps the complicated route.

I'd have to see the real world application in action, but in theory, this should work. the GPS should redirect you back to your "route" vs back to your "waypoint. Theres definitly a lesson to be learned here. Dont use a tom tom for this type of route planning.

GreyGoose

 

[Cigar Mike]

Unfortunately the problem is you get what you pay for. A GPS that only auto routes always causes problems. A good tracking GPS like the Garmin 276C, does not have any off these problems if you know how to use it. You can load the route and the track for a ride. This allows you to follow the track which will not make auto corrections or use the route which will. This really came to head when I missed a turn on a route that I looped back to the starting point. After I missed a turn it just wanted to take me the shortest way to my end point. Following the track gives me turn by turn directions and notifies me when I am off track, but will not reroute. Of course none of this is important if you just want to get to your destination. It is only beneficial if you want to take a particular route with little hassles. I use the non-tracking GPS in my cars because I am only concerned with getting to the destination.

I use the unit for both on and off road and it is great for both uses. I think the 376 has more of the additional features that many here would enjoy. They are expensive but well worth the money to me. Especially when I am offroad. The track back feature of the active log is a real bonus when you become lost in the middle of no where. It is funny that the only other unit that I have really liked is the discontinued GPS V. The only problem was its lack of memory.

And don't forget to carry the maps for when the GPS deicdes to fail. I hate when that happens.

Cigar Mike

 

[f1fan]

Another tip: Do NOT put your waypoint ON the turn. Do them just after the turn. Audible prompts give waypoints priority over directions.
It's no fun coming up to a turn, not knowing which way to go, and having to listen to that ***** announce your waypoint name instead of saying which way to go.

Here is another tip. When you place the waypoint (in Mapsource) directly on an intersection it will make it a map intersection aka "shaping point." These points are not announced when you driving down the road. Very useful if you don't want to be bothered with useless info and just want the turn information.