Routing and POIs

I don't have my Nuvi here, so I am going by memory, but when searching for POIs there are options for where to search, including near your current location, near a different location, near your destination and along your route. The last two are only available when navigating a route.

When searching along the route, I would like to limit its search to within 2500 feet of the road I'm on (or something like that). $treets and Trips will allow me to do just that. I guess I just think the POI search is a little dated. It's helpful, but doesn't seem terribly intelligent.

Yeah, Garmins are not very configurable. They are designed for ease of use, not user control. This also applies to things like detours, avoidances, and routing preferences, especially on the basic models. They do what they do. TomToms give more user control over the interface and routing decisions.

You could always pre-plan your stops in Streets and Trips and then either create a route to download to your Garmin or create a POI file using GPS Babel. If pre-planning isn't an option, you can always display the location of the gas station or restaurant on your GPS using the Map button. You should be able to estimate the distance from the exit somewhat.

Good suggestions! Thanks! I will use these in the mean time, while I wait for Garmin to make it better for a power user.