Garmin Trip Planner Exception?

 

Hi guys ... I need some help to understand the quarks that are present when we use the Trip Planner (2555LMT) to plan a route.

Specifically, if we start out in Jacksonville FL and want to go to Albany NY, the trip planner traces a route around Washington DC which is desirable. Then, if a waypoint is added prior to Washington, then the route changes to going thru Washington which is undesirable (traffic, lights, congestion etc.). All navigation settings and preferences are the same in both instances.

I appreciate that I can add more waypoints to force a route, but it seems to defeat the purpose of buying my GPS in the first place...

Can anyone offer some info/comments that could help me understand this?

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If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)

if it was me

If I were planning the trip, I would take I-95 to I-26, then west on I-26 to I-77 N and then I-81 N. Pick up I-78 in PA and go east to I-287 and then N on I-87 into Albany. You bypass the bulk of I-95 with its congestion and poor repair. All-in-all, it's about 75 miles further but a lot less stressful. I-81 is a heavy truck route, but excellent road with only a few trouble spots. Most of I-81 through VA is posted at 70 and you can do it easily. VA state police seem to like the 8's great, 9 you're mine speed tolerance, but I wouldn't push it. 5 over won't cause any trouble except in the slower speed areas. There, because of congestion, you need to be more cognizant of your speed.

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Illiterate? Write for free help.

Waypoints are your friend - Custom Avoidances also for some

pb46 wrote:

...I appreciate that I can add more waypoints to force a route, but it seems to defeat the purpose of buying my GPS in the first place...
...

Given the gazillion possible routes from one point to another over a 1000+ mile route, you would be very unhappy if your nuvi took 90 minutes to compute the very best possible route for you, so the nuvi probably makes some assumptions that in this case put you into major traffic slowdowns. (I'm assuming you have chosen Shortest Time.) As routes get longer, the more likely it is that with your knowledge of the areas, you will want to add a further waypoint or waypoints to direct you in what you've found to be the fastest route to use and avoid areas with major traffic delays.

I just did a round trip from northern Arizona to Tampa FL, about 2100 miles one way, and found that in each direction, the nuvi would route me through Dallas / Fort Worth and having done this 3 times now trying different times of day, I'll do anything to avoid voluntarily traveling through DFW again at any time of day. I needed to add a single extra waypoint (Paris TX) to route myself around DFW.

You are wise, especially on long routes, to always check the overall route before driving it to avoid exactly the issue you and I describe.

On some nuvi models, there's yet another option. On some nuvis, a Custom Avoidance can be created, either specific roads or a rectangle, and if your 2555 offers Custom Avoidances, you could rectangle out the DC area. If you do this, be sure to disable this Custom Avoidance before you plan a trip to DC or want to travel through DC.

when i created the route i showed

When I created the route using I-81 it was with a single waypoint. I put the waypoint in Wytheville, VA where I-77 and I-81 intersect.

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Illiterate? Write for free help.

Custom Avoidances

the 2555 seems to have the Custom Avoidances capability per page 63 of the manual.
which says"

Quote:

Custom Avoidances—allows you to avoid
specific roads or areas.

Comments

My comments are that Trip Planner stinks to high heaven!!! Garming loused things up when they got rid of "Routes" and replaced it with Trip Planner. Expect nothing more than "crap" from Garmin going forward; now they have given us "Garmin Express". What a joke!!!

Been there .. done that....

Thanks Box Car... but the "scenic" route has not been kind to me. But that's another story.

But I'm still curious about Garmin's switching to a "shortest" route for no apparent reason.

--
If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)

Not quite ...

Quote:

...
so the nuvi probably makes some assumptions that in this case put you into major traffic slowdowns. (I'm assuming you have chosen Shortest Time.) As routes get longer, the more likely it is that with your knowledge of the areas, you will want to add a further waypoint or waypoints to direct you in what you've found to be the fastest route to use and avoid areas with major traffic delays..

I always use "Fastest time". But it appears that after a waypoint is added, Garmin seems to assume a "Shortest route" criteria. Is this possible? If so, it probably indicates a gap in the programming where the original criteria is lost? I wonder??????????????

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If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)

Thanks Ed!

edserrano wrote:

My comments are that Trip Planner stinks to high heaven!!! Garming loused things up when they got rid of "Routes" and replaced it with Trip Planner. Expect nothing more than "crap" from Garmin going forward; now they have given us "Garmin Express". What a joke!!!

Thanks Ed.... but why don't you tell us how you really feel! .....LOL ....ROFLMAO

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If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)

I agree.

jgermann wrote:

the 2555 seems to have the Custom Avoidances capability per page 63 of the manual.
which says"

Quote:

Custom Avoidances—allows you to avoid
specific roads or areas.

The same thing can be achieved with waypoints.

But I thought that when we request a "Fastest route" this is automatically considered in the re-programming of the route.

I'm beginning to suspect that the original navigational criteria is lost in the re-programming of an original route when waypoints are added.

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If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)

.

edserrano wrote:

My comments are that Trip Planner stinks to high heaven!!! Garming loused things up when they got rid of "Routes" and replaced it with Trip Planner. Expect nothing more than "crap" from Garmin going forward; now they have given us "Garmin Express". What a joke!!!

Don't like the product? Don't use it. Why rant like a child, when you can vote with your wallet.

Maybe TomTom, or Magellan is better suited for you.

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nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK

What non Garmin unit...

edserrano wrote:

My comments are that Trip Planner stinks to high heaven!!! Garming loused things up when they got rid of "Routes" and replaced it with Trip Planner. Expect nothing more than "crap" from Garmin going forward; now they have given us "Garmin Express". What a joke!!!

What non Garmin unit are you planning to buy?

Ed makes some good points

edserrano wrote:

My comments are that Trip Planner stinks to high heaven!!! Garming loused things up when they got rid of "Routes" and replaced it with Trip Planner. Expect nothing more than "crap" from Garmin going forward; now they have given us "Garmin Express". What a joke!!!

We have had many threads discussing Trip Planner. I'm convinced that there are new problems that did not exist with routes... Lately, many people had problems with GE, and of course many did not. I think Ed will figure it out. I don't blame him for bitchin tho.

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1490LMT 1450LMT 295w

.

And, many people actually read two different posts giving the work-around with the map updater program.

I guess we need to hold people's hands here in these self-entitled days. rolleyes

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nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK

C'mon guys.....

Maybe there are problems with the Trip Planner but I'm surprised that there are so few solutions.

Is it because not many have/use the Trip Planner?

My concern is that unless you are familiar with the route you want to take, you cannot use waypoints and/or Avoidances efficiently because ....you are not familiar with the route. This leads me back to my original rationale as to why I bought a GPS unit. I would like to rely on the equipment to find the best route possible within the selected criteria. If not, why bother with the navigational options/preferences at all?

It surely is curious to request the "Fastest route" and then review the entire route to be sure it's not the "Shortest route" ... based on my best guess of which will be faster or shorter?????

I guess the end justifies the means .... as long as I get there .....http://www.poi-factory.com/sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/netstyle/icon_confused.gif

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If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem quickly resembles a nail. (Maslow's Hammer)