Avoiding tolls when routing

You have to go to the wrench/navigation/avoidances and then check toll roads.

This is a setting that is not asked on each route, so know that if you are going to take a toll road it will try and get you off until you change this setting.

Daniel

On the nuvi 650 it's Tools > Navigation > Avoidances > and Toll Roads is one of several options. Not sure if 750 has same menu structure but might be similar.

To be honest, I like the Garmin method better. I don't have to specify my desires each time I route. I always want to avoid tolls (unless I am traveling) because I never carry money. I don't want to be asked that each time I route.

As the subject says, setting no tolls can lead to some very odd results. I am driving from Greenwich Village to Hoboken, the Holland Tunnel is a toll only from NJ to NY. The trip is about 5 miles. When I checked it going back with avoid tolls, I ended up with a trip of over 3500 miles - I was impressed it could be done at all. One had to drive half way across the country, then back thru Canada, where one could then navigate a toll-free route back to the city. So I would say the setting of avoid toll roads is to be avoided, and hence the tom tom solution is better. Of course some artificial (small amount of) intelligence might allow a program to, say, not add more than 5 miles to avoid a toll. But that would require computing power not avialable in the 1950's. Neal

Or else the user could employ some (small amount of) actual intelligence.

: )

touche! But how true, always remember that a GPSr (just like anything else ie. radar detector, computer, parents) is just a tool to guide you through your journey more effecient then being alone, but you still need to use common sense and a bit of thinking to add with it.

There are so many little annoying things in the Garmin interface that would be easy to improve - beyond the toll thing, changing symbols so you know you are in car, motorcycle or other mode, listing of problematic avoidances on the screen, etc.

But yeah, when I hit Kansas later this afternoon I should realize that the Garmin mislead me!

neal

Sometimes using toll road are faster than going around it.

Totally agree. Went to Kohls in Amherst, NY from St.Catharines, Ontario. On the way back I had toll route avoidance selected. Ended by driving almost 100 kms (and still counting) before I remembered to change the option and got the border within 20 mins.

When I am using the garmin for routes, I always check it before I start to make sure it looks right. Touch the top of the screen and then at the bottom "show route." It is something like that - I am away from mine right now.

Daniel

As gas gets more expensive it may be cheaper to pay the toll and go the most direct route. I know that here in Richmond, if I take the toll road in some cases, it will save me 10 miles or so (and no stop and go), so that is about 1/2 gal for me and that would be like $1.50 savings. The toll is only 75 cents for total savings of 75 cents. Not a lot, but it is faster and cheaper, so why not?

If you need a symbol to know if you're in a car or on a motorcycle... think there are more important things to worry about than how a GPS is working. LOL!

If you know you have to pay at least one toll (eg. to go over a bridge to another state) change the avoidence setting to avoid tolls after you cross the bridge. If that is what you want. It will recaculate your directions.

I thought the same thing (and LOL'd at the thought) when I first read the post... but he meant car/motorcyle mode... which makes sense...

Thanks for the answer and the suggestions! I missed the option in the settings.

I kept my settings to avoid toll route and my nuvi routed me a few hundred kms off route to save that few cents
Now I'm making sure to avoid toll route for local communting but keeping it checked for long distance.

Dear RS,

"Keeping it checked" would continue the toll avoidance you have for local trips.

david

I don't bother trying to avoid tolls anymore as the consequences can be a few hours of extra driving for the cost of a few cents in tolls. Still, just out of sheer curiosity, before setting off, I do click on the avoid tolls and check the route it comes up with. If there's less than a 5 mile difference then I might be tempted but to this day, the savings in tolls has never been worth the lost time and extra mileage. I just feed the kids on less slurpy per trip and channel the savings towards the cost of the tolls! In the end, everyone, including the environment, is healthier!

Are you saying I shouldn't turn down those railroad tracks - it's not a short cut?