Traffic lights and stop signs taken into consideration when mapping a route?

Try setting it to avoid highways.

Sorry...Let me clarify major roadway. I didn't mean highway. In my area, it would tell me to take a major roadway that has 2 lanes or more as opposed to taking the single lane road where it's more residential. The major roadway would be a major avenue or boulevard.

Even if I don't set it to avoid highways, it already knows not to go on a highway. It's just that I would like to avoid roadways where there are a lot of traffic lights and stop signs.

Sometimes there is a route which is one block away running parallel to the big road with a lot less traffic lights and stop signs.

How does it know this?

Try the bicycle setting, just watch out for the one way streets.

I believe that the answer is that it doesn't know about locations of traffic lights and stop signs. I does know about types of roads.

That's too much to ask for such little gadget. Human brain is about 200 times faster than the fastest computer in the world. No wonder you find a better route.

Being a New Yorker, I understand what you are asking but I think the answer is no. Using a GPS in NYC can frequently be a hassle as traffic, lights, and other numerous issues are always going to be around more than in many other cities. The GPS is a great device if you don't know more than it knows, but the minute you know more than it does, then it is almost usless.

It really is a very simple machine and will never compete with a person that has lived in NYC for many years and knows the local traffic patterns. Especially in NYC, a town that was built before cars existed. I believe another issue is that your GPS, if it is set to "fastest," will choose routes based on speed limit average on those "major" roads but it doesn't know that traffic, stop signs, and lights may be more frequent on those "major" roads.

That said, when I visit places like LA and Florida and use my GPS, friends will frequently tell me that the route my GPS picks is slower or longer than their route. However, once they have taken the GPS's route they usually reconsider and say, "Wow! That was fast! I never considered going that route!" LOL.

As for the traffic receiver, I think it is a huge waist of money in NYC. Too many roads here to keep track of and the service only shows issues on the larger roads and highways like the BQE. The news barely keeps up with traffic issues here in the big city. Your best bet is to go the way you want to go and turn 1010 wins on the radio if you feel you need traffic info.

Thanks! It seems that every time I pick a route, it knows to get back on a major road and go the long way. I just wondering why it wouldn't stay on the same small road and continue until I'm near it's destination.

In any case, it's good to know. Although including traffic lights and stop signs would be a good feature, I guess it wouldn't be feasible.

Thanks again!

Considering that one cannot predict traffic, all things being equal I still find that for the most part these units provide, faster and better alternative routes. Most people tend to be locked into and swear by their favorite routes, as being the fastest.