Shortest route is not always the best

 

I like the Sherrif's quote

"You certainly get the shortest route. But it may not be a safe route."

Thread covering the same incident:

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

I got a 'short detour' as well

While going to Montreal on a road I knew well I let my GPS direct me on a detour that left the main route and then reconnected to it after 15 miles. My GPS is also set for shortest route, I was surprised it took me off the main road. It saved me an estimated 3 minutes, and added 1 mile. But,,,,,the roads were in the middle of nowhere !!!!!

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The shortest route (in my experience) is almost never the best route. The fastest route is almost always a better choice.

Yes, fastest is definitely

Yes, fastest is definitely the way to go. Who would use shortest?

agreed

agreed

GPS/Map Companies Should Do More.....

An active GPS will know the date, your current location and the coordinates of a suggested route, I can't understand why a warning (i.e. WARNING!! This route may be impassable during winter months due to snow and/or ice!!!) can't be set to appear on the screen when a route is selected during the winter months on higher elevation roads subject to be closed by snow......

They can tell us where the nearest McDonald's is but they can't warn us about a potentially life-threatening route over a remote mtn pass in the winter??? Maybe we/they should think about getting our priorities straight.......It's only a matter of time before they get sued for NOT providing adequate warnings.....

NP

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In times of profound change, the learners will inherit the earth while the "learned" find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists...

shortest rt.

Usually the shortest route tgakes longer.

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FJM

i heard about that. anyone

i heard about that. anyone know what kind of GPS they were using?

Mine has a setting

ORnonprophet wrote:

An active GPS will know the date, your current location and the coordinates of a suggested route, I can't understand why a warning (i.e. WARNING!! This route may be impassable during winter months due to snow and/or ice!!!) can't be set to appear on the screen when a route is selected during the winter months on higher elevation roads subject to be closed by snow......

They can tell us where the nearest McDonald's is but they can't warn us about a potentially life-threatening route over a remote mtn pass in the winter??? Maybe we/they should think about getting our priorities straight.......It's only a matter of time before they get sued for NOT providing adequate warnings.....

NP

Mine has a setting to avoid roads with seasonal closures.

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ɐ‾nsǝɹ Just one click away from the end of the Internet

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Bug293 wrote:

i heard about that. anyone know what kind of GPS they were using?

Based on the wording of the story, I suspect that it was a factory system in their vehicle. Having had one (in a Honda), they will not provide you with coordinates. The story indicates that they got the coordinates from their cell phone....

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"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I wish I had remained a virgin". Lillian Carter (Mother of Jimmy Carter)

I see at least two other...

... threads on this same story, but the theme remains the same. One would imagine that the obvious solution is to not have your GPS set to shortest route and unpaved roads.

But I guess that is too much to ask of people who blindly obey their units directions.

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Drivesmart 66, Nuvi 2595LMT (Died), Nuvi 1490T (Died), Nuvi 260 (Died), GPSMAP 195

Bad decisions.

This really has nothing to do with GPS technology. People have made bad driving choices, gone on roads they shouldn't be driving on and been stuck and stranded ever since there have been cars. The GPS is one way to make a bad routing choice, but it is really not much different from all the other ways.

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Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Having a GPS does not allow

Having a GPS does not allow you to cease using your brain.

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Galaxy NoteII, nüvi® 680

Wow

Q wrote:

Having a GPS does not allow you to cease using your brain.

You must have the shortest username on this site smile

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Garmin Nüvi 855 & 760, iPhone, Magellan RM860T

Shortest route is not always the best

The fast route is always the best one to use. I always seem to get into trouble using the shortest route.

ohwogo nuvi 750

I tend to use the fastest if

I tend to use the fastest if I am going somewhere I don't know. It has always worked for me anyhow

your route

fastest it is!

Now my friend will listen

I forwarded the story to my friend who always believed that the shortest route is the best .. hopefully this will change his mind.

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Q wrote:

Off-Topic question: Q, is that a Wheaten Terrier in your picture?

Lost

I got messed up using my GPS- wound up in on a forest road in central Arkansas, at night, and then a locked gate. Lucky some hunters guided me out. My bad. I had been driving all day and was tired, but that was no still excuse for following the GPS and not knowing where I was.

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NUVI 680, NUVI 5000, MS S&T,

shortest route

I will flip the GPS between shortest and longest. I also use my brain. I won't go where there could possibly be a problem. I also like to be adventurous and will travel on unpaved roads and back country roads. Of course I am prepared in case of a problem. I once explored a back road with my son while on vacation and came across a "open ford ahead". Being curious, we explored and found the road crossed a creek that was about 2 feet under water. We turned around.

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Nuvi 2460LMT.

Fastest Route ...

... is usually the best route (keeping you on main roads). Accordingly, this may not be the most interesting route (for the discoverer/adventurous types).

Depends where you live

In a city usually shortest route is faster but in a rural area it tends to be longer. I live in NY and when I do fastest route it is usually terrible. I wish there were avoidance's for stop lights. That would be awesome.

Winter is NOT the Time to Try Unknown Shortcuts

The story repeatedly indicates that the couple were prepared for winter emergencies and actually fared relatively well. To me, that indicates they had some idea of the hazards. So I cannot understand how or why they would put complete "trust" in the GPS - as the road conditions got worse and worse!

Because it makes for a more spectacular headline.

DanielT wrote:

The story repeatedly indicates that the couple were prepared for winter emergencies and actually fared relatively well. To me, that indicates they had some idea of the hazards. So I cannot understand how or why they would put complete "trust" in the GPS - as the road conditions got worse and worse!

A typical liberty taken by the press. . . .

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

Another GPS story from Oregon

http://www.katu.com/news/local/80252852.html

This story was included on a local tv news report along with the OP's story.

This couple, however had a small child in the car and no food or water. I found it odd that they video taped the ordeal and were miraculously found by an uncle using his GPS. Sounds like copycats to me.

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Jan ~ Nuvi 255W

Here is what the Air Force

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Politicians and Diapers must be changed often for the exact same reason...

Follow-up story: 2 more Oregon GPS rescues

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34611651/

I love this quote:
"Did everybody just get these for Christmas?" asked Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger, leader of one rescue effort.

Yes, you should always check the planned route against a map, but unlike some here I would not be too harsh on people not always having the best judgment. Use these things long enough out in lightly settled areas, which of course, geographically, by far *most* of the USA is, and you *will* almost surely have a trip where your GPS leads you down a road you do not want to be on. If you've gone 30 miles and one hour out after a leaving a main road, I can understand being reluctant to turn around.

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JMoo On

In a nut shell

Q wrote:

Having a GPS does not allow you to cease using your brain.

/thread