Picking out a waypoint to influence routing

I haven't used my new Garmin map 60csx for a road trip yet but had wondered the same thing as you. . . what if you don't like the route it shows you by default.

Thanks for the tip on how you did it! I'll have to see if that works on my model, too.

I use that method also, works great most of the time. Only wish my 660 had more than one waypoint

That's a good idea, I'll use it next time.
Thanks for the tip.

Myself?
I just drive where I want or think is a better route.
I let the nuvi recalc. If I 'really' screw up the nuvi will put me back on the right track.

Great info, thanks-

Sweet, I'll have to try using a waypoint on my next trip.

I generally use Mapsource to plan trips, and I can plan for any route I want, then set as many waypoints as I need to force my Nuvi 260 to drive the route I want. I just save the Waypoints as a .gpx file and load it as a custom POI file. I can drive as complex a route as I want this way by just navigating the waypoints in order.

Do you have to select each waypoint as the next destination in order? Does it calculate the entire list with arrival time at final destination?

It can't calculate the entire route as the unit isn't capable of that, but it CAN be done in Mapsource before the trip. From the route properties window the driving directions can be printed out, the drive time for the full trip, as well as for each turn segment, and the distance for the full trip as well as for each turn segment. It also prints the mean compass bearing and the geographic coordinates for each leg.

But to navigate it with a GPS which doesn't support routes, you have to select waypoints in drive sequence. You can select the second waypoint, then when the unit has calculated the route, pick the first waypoint and add it as a via point, that way you can navigate through the first to to the second, but at that point you have to start another sequence with the 4th and 3rd waypoints. I haven't really found it to be that big a deal.... unless one needs to navigate significant numbers of multiple waypoints often, it isn't worth the extra coast of a GPS that will handle it. It takes me all of 10 seconds to pick the next waypoint from my Custom POI folder and hit the GO button.

Even for a relatively long trip from Colorado to Florida, I only needed 4 extra waypoints for 3 days of driving. If you take a few side trips, then the number can be higher, but it still works ok for me.

what sucks with this idea is if a main highway or interstate is nearby even with way point, itll keep redirecting back to the interstate. It will only go off local to the way point then back on, no matter what.

the 760 has up to 10 way points, so put that in your pipe and smoke it

What I have found is the Garmin is very persistent, Karen works very hard to get us back to her preferred route even when we have chosen another (this for the local part of our drive, where I know which streets are often blocked by trucks, etc.) While I could imagine a lot more AI in the unit to guess when you really want to do something else as opposed to being lost, I am sure I would not pay for this research and implementation. And, of course, one typically overrides the Garmin when one knows (or thinks one knows) what is doing. Though yesterday I overrode the Garmin about a mile from my apt., and, in retrospect, the Garmin was right! What I like most about gps's is that no matter how much I screw up, Karen just says recalculating in her charming Ozzie accent. Has added years to my marriage.

Neal

This is why I spent the extra money to get a 760 for my first GPS. I'm a compulsive planner/tour guide and would never be happy without multiple waypoints. I put in my destination and look at the route. If its not what I want I add a waypoint. If that doesn't work I add another until I have my desired route. That's worked pretty well around town (Atlanta is a big testing ground) but we have our first road trip the first of August. I'll have more to report then.

Next time I'm in Washington DC, I'm going to have a GPSr loaded with waypoints to get off that Beltway and get me to my real destination.

I can see in the Google Maps Traffic feature when and where the Beltway gets impossibly clogged. I'm sure the locals have sussed this all out, and I'm no Roadway Einstein. So, I accept even my alternate route isn't going to be a walk in the breeze.

Is my assumption about Google Maps right? Would you rely on it?

Thanks! and best wishes.

GregPaul