Is my Garmin always right?

 

Just came back from Florida with my new nuvi 750 travel ling up I95 to Baltimore. As I was approaching Richmond VA. my 750 told me to take I295, which I, of course, did. It took me around Richmond and back onto I95 just north of the city.
I just looked at Google maps and notice that I95 seems to be a more direct route to Baltimore and taking I295 seems to be a longer (distance, time) then straight through on I95.
Can anybody living in that area tell me if my 750 picked the right route or did I waste a bit of time? I'd like to know for the next trip back from Florida if I can still afford the gas prices.

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Wanted -Woman with GPS -send picture of GPS

Is my Garmin always right?

Most major cities have "local" Interstates that go around, rather than through, them. They are identifiable by their three-digit Interstate number: I-295 vs. I-95 in your case.
If you had gone to AAA for a triptik, they probably would have directed you the same way your GPSr did, the logic being that traffic is lighter going around a city rather than through it.
Having said that, it's been my practice that unless it's during the height of rush hour, I'm sticking to the more direct route.

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"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."

RECENT TRAVEL THRU VA

I RECENTLY TRAVELED THRU THAT AREA ON MY WAY TO FT. EUSTIS AND MY NUVI 350 DIRECTED ME THE SAME ROUTE. APPARENTLY TO AVOID HEAVY TRAFFIC THRU THE AREA - OF COURSE I WAS DRIVING A LARGE TOUR BUS - WHAT I TRY TO DO IS READ THE TRAFFIC AND IF IT LOOKS TO BE HEAVY OR CONGESTED I TRAVEL THE ROUTE SUGGESTED BY MY GPS BUT IF NOT THEN I TO WILL TAKE THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE - I ALSO HAVE THE GTM12 TRAFFIC RECIEVER WHICH IN THIS CASE REALLY CAME IN HANDY - HAPPY TRAILS FROM TEXAS

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CW -------Please Remember Those Who Are Serving & Those Who Have Perished Defending Our Freedom-------1Sgt(Ret)

Always rightf

You gps is like a woman right or wrong their always right. That is if you want to stay happily married. (just kidding ladies not a male chauvinist) The subject was just to good to pass up/

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johnm405 660 & MSS&T

The speed limit on Rt. 95

The speed limit on Rt. 95 through Richmont VA is 55MPH since it goes directly through the city. I295 goes around and the speed limit is 65MPH. From what I can remember, It saved me a couple of minutes even though it goes around. The road is a lot wider and less stressful driving on I295 too.

I have noticed that my Nuvi

I have noticed that my Nuvi 200 likes to avoid the interstate a lot. For a test, once, I was sitting at a gas station just off an interstate onramp and plotted a route to another business three exits down, also just off the interstate. I had the unit set for fastest route. Insted of directing me onto the interstate, it told me to go the other way and turn down a side road. I took the interstate insted and at each exit between me and my destination, Garmin tried to get me to take the exit.

I know you can tell garmin to avoid the interstate but I wish there was an option telling it to use it as much as possible.

Onother time, I was traveling back home from Florida and rather than take the interstate, Garmin wanted me to take backroads for 150 miles.

This is my only complaint about Garmin.

Straight Through Atlanta

I just came through Atlanta a few days ago, heading north. My nuvi 660 routed me straight through downtown on I-75 rather than the I-285 beltway.

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Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

I95 or I295 Richmond

Per MS Streets and Trips, going through on I95 is 4 miles shorter but 6 minutes longer, which is why the GPS will select I295 on the fastest route setting. We do it at least twice a year and, for a while, we always went around on I295 after it was built, but now we will go through on I95 in off-peak hours if we don't hear about any problems on the CB. When not congested, the speed limit on I95 seems to be not much more than a suggestion so you can make good time just keeping up with the flow. The lanes are narrower on I95 and you encounter more lane changing friction.

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larelr2003

These Things Are Amazing

Gary A wrote:

I just came through Atlanta a few days ago, heading north. My nuvi 660 routed me straight through downtown on I-75 rather than the I-285 beltway.

Since we've been told that each street has an average speed associated with it in the map database (maybe even avg speed at specific times), it sounds like the avg speed associated with I-75 through Atlanta is fairly close to that of I-285 and thus the unit is smart enough to calculate that it is quicker to stay on I-75 through the city. Likewise, if, as Joop says, the speed limit on I-95 is lower and the lanes are narrower, the avg speed of I-95 through the city is probably a lot less than that of I-295. About half the time I ignore my traffic warnings I end up in a mess; I'm gradually learning to believe Jill knows best.

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Nuvi 660 -- and not upgrading it or maps until Garmin fixes long-standing bugs/problems, and get maps to where they are much more current, AND corrected on a more timely basis when advised of mistakes.

looked at mapsource

When i run that on the mapsource with the new 2009 maps, the difference wasnt much. going from jacksonville to baltimore using I295 around richmond it shows 751 mi and 10.0 time. if i go directly up I95 it shows 748 miles and 10:24 min.
soooooooo it is faster by using I295

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Jerry...Jacksonville,Fl Nüvi1450,Nuvi650,Nuvi 2495 and Mapsource.

Learning to trust Jill

Thank you for all your comments. Sounds like Jill knows what she is doing. The more I use this thing the more I learn. I will continue to follow her directions until she lets me down. I can hear her now saying "see I told you so", or was that my wife?

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Wanted -Woman with GPS -send picture of GPS

Trust Gps

I was in arkansas last year and because I moved to a different highway than was originally planned the gps would recaculate at every side road trying to get me back on to the original highway I just had to ignore it as I was driving a mh towing a jeep..

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johnm405 660 & MSS&T

Trust GPSr

I have found that since I have set my Garmin c340 to the fastest route, it works better than the shorter way. I set it the other day and it wanted to take me over one bridge, but I wanted the other. Coming home, I followed Jill and she was right about the bridge and I was wrong. Go figure. If someone gives you directions in a womens voice-THEN FOLLOW IT.

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Alan-Garmin c340

It would be nice if there

It would be nice if there was an option to avoid routes. I have a lowly V7 700 that cost only $119 that allows route avoidance.

Inter and outerbelts! Is my Garmin always right?

It's really simple, if your traveling off peak hours ignore the the GPSr's Commands and let it reroute, pay close attention to the time, if it's rush hour you had better listen up and take the bypass, same goes if your GPSr gets traffic reports and it suggests the bypass.

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Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.