Vehicle Position on Garmin maps

My sp7200 is the same way.

I don't think so. I think it's a Garmin thing.

I always assume that the center of the arrow or vehicle represents the position.

I have paid close attention to this because I use my GPS on a motorcycle. Your actual location is NOT at the tip or middle of the default arrow but the bottom edge. It would seem to make more sense if the leading tip was your actual location, but for some reason they use the bottom edge.

I also use the default arrow because I find the custom vehicles are just too big in relation to the map.

i think its the center

Joe,

I also have a Nuvi 370.

How did you find the mapping for Italy? My daughter is in there now with her new 370 and I plan to RV in the British Isles in June.

Since the best position accuracy I've personally seen on my two units and the best I've read on this website is in the 9 to 12 foot range (typically a bit higher, though), my thought has always been that the icon is an approximation anyway. This means that the icon position will be slightly off from your actual position and you'll need to be cautious in those congested areas.

Something to keep in mind is the nuvi350 (and many others) update the display every second. At 60 mph this equates to approximately 88 feet. That means the total display error just prior to the display update will be 88 feet plus the GPS error. If you're zoomed into 120 feet and use the arrow, the length of the arrow is about the same length as the total display error. Depending on when you glance at the GPS, the actual location at that instant could be anywhere on the arrow (or possibly even off of the arrow).

RT

I always wondered what part of the arrow was the pinpoint. I don,t have the option of using the car symbol on my Garmin #7200 all I have is the arrow,and I always wondered especially when crossing state lines why the state line sign was always at the bottom of the arrow. I always figured the point of the arrow was the pinpoint. Wrong Again!

Absolutely correct! Thanks.

That's what I thought too. I only use the arrow as an approximate location given the fact that my GPSr tells me my accuratecy is around 10+ ft.

Sorry for not responding to all the helpful post. The company I work for is have an electronics recycling day in about a week and I spent the weekend going through all of my computer goods and cleaning house. Got rid of three computers, two tube monitors a bunch of power supplies, motherboards and other miscellaneous outdated junk (even found some 5.25 inch floppies), and don't forget a stack of dated manual, documents and empty packing boxes. I guess I am a bit of a pack rat.

When I was in Italy, I rarely had less than a 10 meter (30 ft) accuracy, wheres in the states I usually have 16 ft. With 30 ft accuracy, full zoom and the speed factor that RT pointed out, ( I use the arrow also) there definitely was a confusion factor on the tight roads in Italy. I think for me it just points out the need to review the route before you leave, particularly in a place where the roads are "different" from those to which you are accoustomed. I also now agree that the icon position is only an approximation, and caution is advised.

maybe we could make a custom symbol thats just a dot so its centered on the exact position

Sorry for a late response. See my earlier post.

There are two ways (at least) to get to the Europe maps for where you are:
1) zoom way out, then pan to Europe. And yes you can pan across the Atlantic Ocean.
2) another way is to select "Where to?", "Street Address". Change the country to Italy (for example), set the city to the desired city. After this I,m a little fuzzy on the menu options. I'm doing this from work. When I get home tonight I fill in the rest.

But for sure zooming way out and panning works just fine.

Has anyone tried to disect garmin vehicles files. With that info, maybe we could do a custom icon?

But you must take into account the 1 second display interval. Even if the GPS was dead on, that still wouldn't be accurate unless you weren't moving.

RT

Hi, everyone,

I was about to ask about this very subject, then I did a "search", and ended up here. It's confusing to look at the 660, note your vehicles position in relation to the map, then look at the actual road in front of you and note that the two do not agree. I've noted on many occasions that I've gone past an intersection when Nuvi shows I'm still approaching it.

To be honest, I'd never given any consideration to the time delay of the Nuvi, or of the speed to distance ratio. Thanks, RT, for your logical explanation.

Miki