Almost threw Garmin out the window

 

Last weekend I drove from eastern Maryland to western Kentucky. Have made the trip many times, but use my GPS for times and distances, as well as traffic reroutes. This last trip started out OK for the first 50 miles, until I took I97 toward Baltimore. The GPS wanted me to stay on US50. At every interchange I passed the GPS (Garmin 3490) instructed me to take it and head southward toward Washington. After a couple of hours of this, I had developed a considerable frustration with the GPS and considered tossing it. As a last ditch effort, I re-entered my destination (a favorite), and the GPS began behaving itself--finally.

Upon checking, it seems I had accidentally entered the next-in-line favorite, Atlanta, GA. Thus the constant direction to change westerly direction to southerly direction.

GPS:1, me:0

--
Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

Most all

Ain't most all of us done that before?

--
Nuvi 2460LMT

Been There

Done that. I had to turn off my 1490 to straighten Jill out.

--
1490LMT 1450LMT 295w

So I'm not alone

mmullins98 wrote:

Ain't most all of us done that before?

Thanks. Thought maybe it hadn't been done before! LOL

--
Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

Funny!

It happen to me too. smile

--
Val - Nuvi 785t and Streetpilot C340

Yep, been there, done that

I too am part of this this temporary frustrated group wondering what happened to all the BITs in the Garmin before realizing it was the fat digits on the end of your hand that are the problem.

But if you do try and throw it out the window remember to lower it first. Otherwise you will really become frustrated. mad surprised redface

--
Harley BOOM GTS, Zumo 665, (2) Nuvi 765Ts, 1450LMT, 1350LM & others | 2019 Harley Ultra Limited Shrine - Peace Officer Dark Blue

DC

Tuckahoemike wrote:

head southward toward Washington.

Had to reread to see whether this was my home state. But now knowing that this is DC....

You know that a GPS unit pulling you toward DC is a fodder for all sorts of political jokes, right? Regardless of which side of the aisle you're in.

I can just hear it now. "Come to the dark side. You don't know the power of the dark side."

--
nüvi 750 & 760

Did worry me some...

spider_elliott wrote:
Tuckahoemike wrote:

head southward toward Washington.

Had to reread to see whether this was my home state. But now knowing that this is DC....

You know that a GPS unit pulling you toward DC is a fodder for all sorts of political jokes, right? Regardless of which side of the aisle you're in.

I can just hear it now. "Come to the dark side. You don't know the power of the dark side."

Yes, I did consider briefly that some political hacker was attempting to deliver me into the bottomless pit...

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Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

Seems as if

... many problems can be traced to the region between the chair and the device.

Thataboy!!

Thataboy!!

--
Go Dawgs!!!

Sometimes it happens...

FPichon wrote:

... many problems can be traced to the region between the chair and the device.

This does happen sometimes, but there are also some odd bugs that do occur once in a while.

You could always resort to

You could always resort to that ancient scroll called a paper map. +1 on fat fingered operator error.

...

You sound like my father who has little patience with electronics.

--
Michael (Nuvi 2639LMT)

Pedestrian

I have left mine in Pedestrian mode and it tells me to get off at every off ramp.

My brother-in-law left his in bike mode and got us onto a trial in Italy.

--
It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes Nothing remains quite the same With all of our running and all of our cunning If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Gets Stupid

I find that sometimes a route just doesn't quite work out the way I want it to and need to stop it. I travel a little further down the road and then re-run it again for it to get back on track to the most logical route. I have this issue with both the Garmin and my in dash Pioneer as well. The nature of the beast I guess.

--
Garmin: GPSIII / StreetPilot / StreetPilot Color Map / StreetPilot III / StreetPilot 2610 / GPSMAP 60CSx / Nuvi 770 / Nuvi 765T / Nuvi 3490LMT / Drivesmart 55 / GPSMAP 66st * Pioneer: AVIC-80 / N3 / X950BH / W8600NEX

Indeed!

TnPapa wrote:

You could always resort to that ancient scroll called a paper map. +1 on fat fingered operator error.

We carry a paper map for backup, and use it, but it doesn't give "Miles to Go" or "ETA". Nor does it tell you where you actually are at any given time. These are the main reasons I use a GPS.

I will say that the new HD traffic service Garmin provides isn't worth very much. Of the 780 miles we traveled (most all on Interstates) I was able to receive traffic reports for only about 50 miles.

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Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

Indeed!

TnPapa wrote:

You could always resort to that ancient scroll called a paper map. +1 on fat fingered operator error.

We carry a paper map for backup, and use it, but it doesn't give "Miles to Go" or "ETA". Nor does it tell you where you actually are at any given time. These are the main reasons I use a GPS.

And you're right, paper maps don't have any fat finger sensitivity.

I will say that the new HD traffic service Garmin provides isn't worth very much. Of the 780 miles we traveled (most all on Interstates) I was able to receive traffic reports for only about 50 miles.

--
Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

reenter destination

I had few times this sort of problem as OP. And it was always wrong destination set for GPS. Sometimes I didn't know that it happened. From what I observed it may happen if you look at map and "scroll" map with your finger. Sometimes GPS takes point that was touched and treat it as destination.

Now, before I start driving to new place I turn on map with whole road on it and check, if it goes where I want. And if during driving I got weird directions I simply reenter destination again. Usually helps.

Tuckahoemike you are lucky that you still keep yours brain working, otherwise you can end in lake of something worse wink

You are a bold man to

You are a bold man to publically reveal that! smile

Something that is done often but never mentioned (unless your wife, etc.) is a witness and then all bets are off!

Rob

--
Maps -> Wife -> Garmin 12XL -> StreetPilot 2610 -> Nuvi 660 (blown speaker) -> Nuvi 3790LMT

Apologize

I hope you apologized to Jill.

--
When you are dead, you don’t know that you are dead. It is only difficult for the others. It is the same when you are stupid.

Sometimes It Happens

There is no substitute for a real map. I always keep a real map available and view my trip on paper before making my venture. GPS is good, but not always reliable.

Backup Map

Tuckahoemike wrote:
TnPapa wrote:

You could always resort to that ancient scroll called a paper map. +1 on fat fingered operator error.

We carry a paper map for backup, and use it, but it doesn't give "Miles to Go" or "ETA". Nor does it tell you where you actually are at any given time. These are the main reasons I use a GPS.

And you're right, paper maps don't have any fat finger sensitivity.

I will say that the new HD traffic service Garmin provides isn't worth very much. Of the 780 miles we traveled (most all on Interstates) I was able to receive traffic reports for only about 50 miles.

I also carry a paper map. My GPS tells me where I am now, but some times I want to know where I'm going to be around lunch or dinner time (some hours down the road) and I can scan the map for cities where I'll be at those times. Then I use my GPS to find the way to a place in that city. So I have a back up even if I don't think of it as one.

Me too

I had selected a favorite just above or below the one I wanted. Funny thing was they both were about the same distance from the exit I used, I didn't know I had the wrong destination until it told me to turn right when I knew I had to go left.

I double check before leaving now.
smile

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

back up plan

I confess for a long trip I use streets and trips and print out strip maps with directions and use my garmin for finding motels and hotels and rest stops restrants one backs up the other and in tight areas in towns it helps you make the right turns, on long trips this combo works great. locally I just use the garmin.

Just In Reverse

Funny...I use it in reverse. Plan the long trips on the Garmin and then look up motels and hotels on my smartphone like Google Maps since I find the POI's in the Garmin to be out of date, missing, or just inaccurate.

Whatever works for ya... grin

--
Garmin: GPSIII / StreetPilot / StreetPilot Color Map / StreetPilot III / StreetPilot 2610 / GPSMAP 60CSx / Nuvi 770 / Nuvi 765T / Nuvi 3490LMT / Drivesmart 55 / GPSMAP 66st * Pioneer: AVIC-80 / N3 / X950BH / W8600NEX

I purchased an RV specific

I purchased an RV specific Rand McNally after my last Garmin sent me down a narrow single lane city street. Throwing it in anger to the back of the motorhome I heard nothing for 30 seconds and then out of the back of the coach I hear "recalculating".

Ditto here, with a small variant

The "bug" came from the fact I'd used the Nuvi on a hike a few months earlier, and it was still in pedestrian mode. You guys shoulda seen the roads it wanted me to take... Even my Wrangler JKU wasn't appropriate !

--
Ain't nuthin' never just right to do the things you wanna do when you wanna do them, so you best just go ahead and do them anyway ! (Rancid Crabtree, from Pat F McManus fame)

Been there, done that before.

Been there, done that before.

Hmm!

Do as I think, not as I say.

It's that the GPS talking, or is that me?

Done that too.

Done that too. It's very easy to relax & let the GPS make all the decisions but it's not a good idea.

I double check things after using a friends Garmin 370 in Germany & it routed me onto a bike path. It took me close enough to a cliff & I had to back up some distance. I now operate with a suspicious attitude towards routing & always double check with maps to see that the proposed route is sensible.

Fred

Wrong Way

I often get misguided directions thru my own neighborhood. I wish that it had the ability to learn my favorite route through my own subdivision. I ignore it so often, I'm surprised that the 'voice' doesn't get pissed at me.