Comparing Routes
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  16 years
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We're planning a trip to Northern California (Dublin) this weekend, and we decided to dine in Benihana Restaurant (Concord) once we're there. Prior to using my gpsr, I decided to compare routes using Google, Yahoo, and Mapquest to see which one would give me the best route, assuming they would all be giving different ones. For the most part of my life, I've often preferred Google, but this time it gave me an unacceptable route. Both Google and Mapquest gave similar results. To my surprise, Yahoo's route was more direct and shorter. Then it was time to test my unit (1490T) using the simulation mode and for the life of me, it followed the footsteps of Google and Mapquest! Coming from Dublin and taking the I-680 north, except for Yahoo, all of them wants to take the Burnett Avenue exit instead of Willow Pass Road which would be more direct and shorter.
Btw, the address of the restaurant is 1989 Diamond Blvd, Concord CA 94520, using the coordinates downloaded and given by the link http://www.poi-factory.com/node/23354. The actual restaurant is about 200-250 yards southwest along Willow Way. I'm beginning to hate Garmin, or at least this model. This is not the first time it gave me unacceptable routes. No amount of resets, map and firmware updates seem to cure it. Maybe these latest models with the Guidance 2.0 and 3.0 would give better routing algorithms.
Make sure you check what you
Make sure you check what you have set in your avoidance's. Change your route preferences from "faster" to "shortest" to see if you get your preferred route.
Being a long-time Garmin user this What I have noticed;
Routing changes slightly when you update to the latest maps. I guess it takes into account updated map data to alter your routes slightly. So far I have been please with Garmin's Algorithms on my 3790 and 3490
As some say...
I'm beginning to hate Garmin, or at least this model. This is not the first time it gave me unacceptable routes. No amount of resets, map and firmware updates seem to cure it.
"No matter how expensive a GPS device is, when it comes to getting where you want to go, it's really only as good as the satellite network and its map data. "
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/gps-...
Ron
Strange
all of them wants to take the Burnett Avenue exit instead of Willow Pass Road which would be more direct and shorter.
That does seem odd. FWIW, TomTom's Trip Planner
http://www.routes.tomtom.com
chooses the route you'd prefer (Willow Pass Rd exit).
What's even more strange is that if you modify the default route in Google Maps by dragging the blue line onto Willow Pass Rd the distance and time values *decrease* from (22.4 mi, 27 mins) to (21.6 mi, 26 mins). Weird.
Maybe
Right turns vs Left turns?
I think it's been pointed out in other threads that Garmin likes right turns over lefts.
It's about the Line- If a line can be drawn between the powers granted and the rights retained, it would seem to be the same thing, whether the latter be secured by declaring that they shall not be abridged, or that the former shall not be extended.
Re: Right Turns Preferred?
Right turns vs Left turns?
I think it's been pointed out in other threads that Garmin likes right turns over lefts.
It could be, particularly since that is the one significant difference between the two routes. I recently saw a posting that talked about "Great Circular" right-turn routes, but I wasn't sure whether it was serious or not.
TomTom Is Right!
all of them wants to take the Burnett Avenue exit instead of Willow Pass Road which would be more direct and shorter.
That does seem odd. FWIW, TomTom's Trip Planner
http://www.routes.tomtom.com
chooses the route you'd prefer (Willow Pass Rd exit).
What's even more strange is that if you modify the default route in Google Maps by dragging the blue line onto Willow Pass Rd the distance and time values *decrease* from (22.4 mi, 27 mins) to (21.6 mi, 26 mins). Weird.
Right, that's the route I'd prefer! Ok, I've experimented with all the route preferences and avoidances, and the only one that chooses the same route as the Yahoo's and the TomTom's is when I pick "shorter distance." However, it still wants to make a u-turn on Galaxy Way instead of just making a left on that alley past Willow Way. That alley is actually the extension of Willow Way, and the restaurant is actually at the end of it as shown on the TomTom map. I've disabled u-turns and it still wants to make them no matter what! It could have just said that the destination is on left when reaching the intersection of Diamond Blvd and Willow Way. I've owned a dozen gpsr's--Garmin, Magellan, TomTom, and I know each has it's own quirks, but this one is simply unforgiving. Come to think of it, I still have my old TomTom One XLS and a couple of older Garmins and Magellans to try out, but the maps are way outdated. Oh well, need more experimenting with my Garmin Nuvi 1490T.
FWIW, I have the latest map and firmware updates, done the resets hard and soft, experimented with all possible combination of route preferences and avoidances, it still wants to follow its course. Maybe, this route would be a great experiment for whatever unit and model you may have. You can start anywhere on the northbound I-680 just before reaching 242 Hwy, and the destination is 1989 Diamond Blvd, Concord CA 94520. It's actually the Benihana Restaurant. Go figure.