Garmin GPS - My new Nuvi 350 (longish)

Author

My new Nuvi 350 (longish)

Howard Lester

2007-12-21, 10:33 pm

I bought it two days ago at Circuit City for $300 less a 10% AAA coupon. I'm
having a lot of fun with it, driving around town, but today's test of its
navigation skills from work to home disturbed me. It kept trying to route me
to one of the main 8-mile east-west routes through town. I almost always
take a parallel route south of that that, in actual practice, is faster
because of less traffic. The "problem" is presumably because its posted
speed is 30, whereas the Nuvi's recommended route is posted at 35. The worst
part occurred when I left work and drove south to pick up my desired
easterly route. (I.e., turn left.) Instead, it tried to get me to turn
right, (the opposite direction!) and then north to get to its aforementioned
recommended route east. Sure, it'd get me home, but in a lot more time.

On a positive note, Wednesday night I had it direct me to a place I'd not
been before, and to save me the danger of making a U-turn in 50 mph traffic
at night, it routed me through a 25 mph residential area for about 1/2
mile -- a route I'd never have thought of taking -- where it allowed me to
safely turn right onto the 50 mph road.

I think the thing is amazing, and I'm very pleased with it. I'm glad I made
sure I got a model with text-to-speech. I like that she calls out the street
names -- and I'm amazed she can pronounce my street name; most humans can't.

Oh yeah -- it can (usually) pick up satellites inside a multi-level concrete
parking garage.

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-12-21, 10:33 pm

"Howard Lester" <heylester@dakotacom.net> wrote in message
>. I'm having a lot of fun with it, driving around town, but today's test of
>its navigation skills from work to home disturbed me. It kept trying to
>route me to one of the main 8-mile east-west routes through town. I almost
>always take a parallel route south of that that, in actual practice, is
>faster because of less traffic. The "problem" is presumably because its
>posted speed is 30, whereas the Nuvi's recommended route is posted at 35.
>The worst part occurred when I left work and drove south to pick up my
>desired easterly route. (I.e., turn left.) Instead, it tried to get me to
>turn right, (the opposite direction!) and then north to get to its
>aforementioned recommended route east. Sure, it'd get me home, but in a lot
>more time.

Computers can't think, nor do they know how much traffic is on a given road.
As you can see, they do have quirks. Check what settings you have for your
prefferences also. shortest/fastest may change the suggested route.

>
> On a positive note, Wednesday night I had it direct me to a place I'd not
> been before, and to save me the danger of making a U-turn in 50 mph
> traffic at night, it routed me through a 25 mph residential area for about
> 1/2 mile -- a route I'd never have thought of taking -- where it allowed
> me to safely turn right onto the 50 mph road.

IMO, that is where GPS navigation shines. My 5th grade geography taught me
enough about locations of cities and states that by using the highway signs
I can get to any major city in the US. What I can't do is find 29 Park
Street in Chicago or 3450 Main Street in Houston without some assistance.
The Nuvi will get me there from the highway.

>
> I think the thing is amazing, and I'm very pleased with it. I'm glad I
> made sure I got a model with text-to-speech. I like that she calls out the
> street names -- and I'm amazed she can pronounce my street name; most
> humans can't.

Try the different languages too. The Austrailian voice and Great Britain
voice have different ways of calling out the name of numbered streets
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Jim Beachy

2007-12-22, 10:33 am

I think your experience (where your unit doesn't generate what you know to
be a "best local route") is a common one. A GPSR may not always give you
the best local route because it doesn't know all the things you know about
your local area; in addition, it may have errors in the highway algorithms
and thus generate what it thinks is a "best route" over highways that may in
practice be slower than those in its algorithm. Also, I've found that if it
is sensitive to HOV (High-Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, it may refuse to use
them during the hours it recognizes as HOV-restricted even though I set it
to ignore HOV.

However, this does point out why I always use mine around home, to the
amusement of my wife and the ridicule of some on this list who say "why in
the world would you need to use it around home?" Well, here's one reason:
So I can learn its "routing personality" and be aware of some of its
foibles. Then, when I'm in a strange place and it generates a questionable
route, I can make an educated decision as to whether to wander off on my own
and let it recalculate, or just follow the route it has generated.

The good news is: While the route may not be the absolute "best" route by
your way of thinking, it always gets you to your destination! That in
itself is a wonderful thing! Let's not get too hung up about the exact
route it might generate :-)

--
Jim Beachy

"Howard Lester" <heylester@dakotacom.net> wrote in message
news:13moipcrbedun8d
@corp.supernews.com...
>I bought it two days ago at Circuit City for $300 less a 10% AAA coupon.
>I'm having a lot of fun with it, driving around town, but today's test of
>its navigation skills from work to home disturbed me. It kept trying to
>route me to one of the main 8-mile east-west routes through town. I almost
>always take a parallel route south of that that, in actual practice, is
>faster because of less traffic. The "problem" is presumably because its
>posted speed is 30, whereas the Nuvi's recommended route is posted at 35.
>The worst part occurred when I left work and drove south to pick up my
>desired easterly route. (I.e., turn left.) Instead, it tried to get me to
>turn right, (the opposite direction!) and then north to get to its
>aforementioned recommended route east. Sure, it'd get me home, but in a lot
>more time.
>
> On a positive note, Wednesday night I had it direct me to a place I'd not
> been before, and to save me the danger of making a U-turn in 50 mph
> traffic at night, it routed me through a 25 mph residential area for about
> 1/2 mile -- a route I'd never have thought of taking -- where it allowed
> me to safely turn right onto the 50 mph road.
>
> I think the thing is amazing, and I'm very pleased with it. I'm glad I
> made sure I got a model with text-to-speech. I like that she calls out the
> street names -- and I'm amazed she can pronounce my street name; most
> humans can't.
>
> Oh yeah -- it can (usually) pick up satellites inside a multi-level
> concrete parking garage.
>

Elmo P. Shagnasty

2007-12-22, 10:33 am

In article <0g9bj.8189$3b7.5791@newsfe23.lga>,
"Jim Beachy" <jbeachy@cox.net> wrote:

> However, this does point out why I always use mine around home, to the
> amusement of my wife and the ridicule of some on this list who say "why in
> the world would you need to use it around home?" Well, here's one reason:
> So I can learn its "routing personality" and be aware of some of its
> foibles.

Jesus Christ, how long can that take?

It takes about one or two trips to know its "routing foibles". After
that, you're just making excuses for playing with a toy in the car
instead of paying attention to your driving.

Howard Lester

2007-12-22, 10:33 am

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote

[color=darkred]
> Jesus Christ, how long can that take?
>
> It takes about one or two trips to know its "routing foibles". After
> that, you're just making excuses for playing with a toy in the car
> instead of paying attention to your driving.

You always crack me up; I love your replies. Like Jim, what I'm doing with
mine around town, as well as simulating routes, is to also find out just
what it will do under various circumstances. I want to know what kinds of
odd directions I might encounter when I'm in unfamiliar territory. As a
test, I tried a simulated route from LaGuardia to a relative's house, both
by shortest route and by fastest route, and it turned out the fastest route
was the most sane one (i.e., the one that is really the most direct and
simplest), so now I've learned to leave it on that setting. What was really
weird during that simulation is that the thing actually got off track and
went through several recalculations! It was as if I mysteriously drove off
the interstate, and it had to get me back on.

But what you also say is true for me: while testing it out in the car along
otherwise familiar, it's sometimes a real distraction in traffic, as I'm
concentrating more on waiting for Jill's voice than on the cars around me.
Oops. I think I'll leave it home for now... until I actually need it.

Frank Tabor

2007-12-22, 10:33 am

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 09:34:25 -0500, "Jim Beachy" <jbeachy@cox.net>
wrote:

>I think your experience (where your unit doesn't generate what you know to
>be a "best local route") is a common one. A GPSR may not always give you
>the best local route because it doesn't know all the things you know about
>your local area; in addition, it may have errors in the highway algorithms
>and thus generate what it thinks is a "best route" over highways that may in
>practice be slower than those in its algorithm. Also, I've found that if it
>is sensitive to HOV (High-Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, it may refuse to use
>them during the hours it recognizes as HOV-restricted even though I set it
>to ignore HOV.
>
>However, this does point out why I always use mine around home, to the
>amusement of my wife and the ridicule of some on this list who say "why in
>the world would you need to use it around home?" Well, here's one reason:
>So I can learn its "routing personality" and be aware of some of its
>foibles. Then, when I'm in a strange place and it generates a questionable
>route, I can make an educated decision as to whether to wander off on my own
>and let it recalculate, or just follow the route it has generated.
>
>The good news is: While the route may not be the absolute "best" route by
>your way of thinking, it always gets you to your destination! That in
>itself is a wonderful thing! Let's not get too hung up about the exact
>route it might generate :-)

I always feel like that if you are smart enough to know that the route
it computes is not the best, then start taking the route you think is
best and let it recalculate as you go.

If you don't know whether it is the best or not, then as you said, it
WILL get you there
--
Frank Tabor

Howard Lester

2007-12-22, 10:33 am

"Frank Tabor" wrote

> If you don't know whether it is the best or not, then as you said, it
> WILL get you there

Right - and that's all I'm really asking for it to do. When I'm in a
"strange" place, I'll never know whether or not going back around in a
circle is the best or shortest, but I will get there.

Joel

2007-12-22, 12:33 pm

"Howard Lester" <heylester@dakotacom.net> wrote:

> I bought it two days ago at Circuit City for $300 less a 10% AAA coupon. I'm
> having a lot of fun with it, driving around town, but today's test of its
> navigation skills from work to home disturbed me. It kept trying to route me
> to one of the main 8-mile east-west routes through town. I almost always
> take a parallel route south of that that, in actual practice, is faster
> because of less traffic. The "problem" is presumably because its posted
> speed is 30, whereas the Nuvi's recommended route is posted at 35. The worst
> part occurred when I left work and drove south to pick up my desired
> easterly route. (I.e., turn left.) Instead, it tried to get me to turn
> right, (the opposite direction!) and then north to get to its aforementioned
> recommended route east. Sure, it'd get me home, but in a lot more time.

The GPS is nothing more than another type of computer which does whatever
best it's programmed to do. You are still a thinker to make your own
decision and judgement. And these are pretty much general what you may see
and do

- The GPS does a simplest calculation as possible (for speed) and draw the
route to screen.

- Operator.

- If you know a better route then lead the GPS to a newer route and it
will re-calculate to newer turn

- If you don't like its calculation then you can always look at the MAP on
screen to decide if you want to turn or skip to next turn etc.. then the
GPS will re-calculate from the newer pointer.

> On a positive note, Wednesday night I had it direct me to a place I'd not
> been before, and to save me the danger of making a U-turn in 50 mph traffic
> at night, it routed me through a 25 mph residential area for about 1/2
> mile -- a route I'd never have thought of taking -- where it allowed me to
> safely turn right onto the 50 mph road.
>
> I think the thing is amazing, and I'm very pleased with it. I'm glad I made
> sure I got a model with text-to-speech. I like that she calls out the street
> names -- and I'm amazed she can pronounce my street name; most humans can't.
>
> Oh yeah -- it can (usually) pick up satellites inside a multi-level concrete
> parking garage.

Just learn to enjoy the toy, and take time to know what it can and can't
not do.

Joel

2007-12-22, 12:33 pm

"Howard Lester" <heylester@dakotacom.net> wrote:

> "Frank Tabor" wrote
>
>
> Right - and that's all I'm really asking for it to do. When I'm in a
> "strange" place, I'll never know whether or not going back around in a
> circle is the best or shortest, but I will get there.

Pretty simple! if you are in strange place then you will know

1. The GPS will lead you to where you want to go.

2. The BIGGER MAP on LCD gives you the option to make your own opinion if
you want to follow the GPS instruction or tell it to go with your own.

3. When you learn to be a thinker, decision maker etc. than the GPS will
learn to follow your command. And both YOU and GPS will be happy ever after
<bg>

Michael Barrett

2007-12-22, 12:33 pm

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-777935. 09385122122007@nntp1
.usenetserver.com...
>
> It takes about one or two trips to know its "routing foibles". After
> that, you're just making excuses for playing with a toy in the car
> instead of paying attention to your driving.
>

If I hadn't been "playing with a toy in the car" recently (See my post 'Nuvi
Impressive Under Fire' above) I might still be driving around the burbs
looking for a way home.
:> ) :> )

Now that I've got it, the Nuvi will be on and tracking whenever I'm anywhere
but my own neighborhood. I'm impressed that when I do take off on what I
consider a 'better' or 'faster' route due to local traffic quirks, the Nuvi
points me to what it considers the BEST route from where I NOW am to where I
want to go, without trying to force me back to its original calculated
route.

--
Commander Bob

Elmo P. Shagnasty

2007-12-22, 10:33 pm

In article <6ncbj.30951$UZ4.29548@edtnps89>,
"Michael Barrett" <kalu@telus.net> wrote:

> If I hadn't been "playing with a toy in the car" recently (See my post 'Nuvi
> Impressive Under Fire' above) I might still be driving around the burbs
> looking for a way home.

man, oh man. If you can't find your way to major thoroughfares in your
own city....

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-12-22, 10:33 pm

Dennis Mickey

2007-12-22, 10:33 pm

Yeah! Try that in Washington, D.C.
>
> I have a Nuvi and it is a neat gadget. OTOH, I've never gotten hopelessly
> lost at home or in any other country just using dead reckoning to get
> through a city. I admit though, I may be intimidated a bit in the Orient
> and the characters of their writing if I ever get to try driving there.
>

Michael Barrett

2007-12-23, 3:33 pm

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-AAFC5E. 18070022122007@nntp1
.usenetserver.com...
> In article <6ncbj.30951$UZ4.29548@edtnps89>,
> "Michael Barrett" <kalu@telus.net> wrote:
>
>
> man, oh man. If you can't find your way to major thoroughfares in your
> own city....
>

That's the point!!
It was NOT my own city. It was a conjested border of two suburbs of a major
city where streets, a former major highway, and a major freeway converge at
weird angles.
It was dark, it was raining/sleeting and I don't know the area.
I did have a full tank of gas, but unlike Jake and Elwood I was NOT wearing
sunglasses.
I was not trying to find my way to "major thoroughfares" (which are well
marked) but to a small neighborhood pub.

"man, oh man" did you ever (deliberately, for sake of being contrary?)
misread the tale.
--
Commander Bob

Michael Barrett

2007-12-23, 3:33 pm

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
news:gSjbj.25435$4V6.3625@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net...
>
>
> OTOH, I've never gotten hopelessly lost at home or in any other country
> just using dead reckoning to get through a city.

Uh huh.
Dead reckoning at night in a strange city where there are no visible
landmarks even if you knew them.
OK. I'll believe you. I've navigated that way in cities as diverse as Seoul,
Singapore and Istanbul. (And Philadelphia) In the daytime. When I could see.

But I sense I'm flogging a dead horse here. Curious at the negative
reactions on a "gps.garmin" newsgroup. I'll asume you are all trolls.

:.0 :> )

--
Commander Bob

Bob Gardner

2007-12-23, 3:33 pm

If I choose "Fastest Route," my 2730 will turn itself inside out to put me
on the freeway...so I seldom select that option. I go to a lot of places
where my familiar route and what the box thinks I should do are totally
different. The nice thing is that the lady inside the box never gets mad
when I ignore her directions and make her recalculate.

Bob Gardner

"Howard Lester" <heylester@dakotacom.net> wrote in message
news:13moipcrbedun8d
@corp.supernews.com...
>I bought it two days ago at Circuit City for $300 less a 10% AAA coupon.
>I'm having a lot of fun with it, driving around town, but today's test of
>its navigation skills from work to home disturbed me. It kept trying to
>route me to one of the main 8-mile east-west routes through town. I almost
>always take a parallel route south of that that, in actual practice, is
>faster because of less traffic. The "problem" is presumably because its
>posted speed is 30, whereas the Nuvi's recommended route is posted at 35.
>The worst part occurred when I left work and drove south to pick up my
>desired easterly route. (I.e., turn left.) Instead, it tried to get me to
>turn right, (the opposite direction!) and then north to get to its
>aforementioned recommended route east. Sure, it'd get me home, but in a lot
>more time.
>
> On a positive note, Wednesday night I had it direct me to a place I'd not
> been before, and to save me the danger of making a U-turn in 50 mph
> traffic at night, it routed me through a 25 mph residential area for about
> 1/2 mile -- a route I'd never have thought of taking -- where it allowed
> me to safely turn right onto the 50 mph road.
>
> I think the thing is amazing, and I'm very pleased with it. I'm glad I
> made sure I got a model with text-to-speech. I like that she calls out the
> street names -- and I'm amazed she can pronounce my street name; most
> humans can't.
>
> Oh yeah -- it can (usually) pick up satellites inside a multi-level
> concrete parking garage.
>

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-12-23, 10:33 pm

"Michael Barrett" <kalu@telus.net> wrote in message
> Uh huh.
> Dead reckoning at night in a strange city where there are no visible
> landmarks even if you knew them.
> OK. I'll believe you. I've navigated that way in cities as diverse as
> Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul. (And Philadelphia) In the daytime. When I
> could see.
>
> But I sense I'm flogging a dead horse here. Curious at the negative
> reactions on a "gps.garmin" newsgroup. I'll asume you are all trolls.
>
> :.0 :> )

Maybe just a good sense of direction. Sure, finding a particular address
can be difficult, but I've just never found it very hard to find my way
across town in any city. Especially downtown Philly where the streets are
numbered in one direction and Broad Street is the longest straight street in
any US city. Just a PITA to get around city hall at busy times. Oh, and
there are two Jackson Streets. IMO, Worcester MA is worse than
Philadelphia.

In your original post you gave the impression it was your town, not a
strange city. That would be different.

Elmo P. Shagnasty

2007-12-23, 10:33 pm

In article <xSAbj.32421$JD.23221@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net>,
"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote:

> "Michael Barrett" <kalu@telus.net> wrote in message
>
> Maybe just a good sense of direction. Sure, finding a particular address
> can be difficult, but I've just never found it very hard to find my way
> across town in any city. Especially downtown Philly where the streets are
> numbered in one direction and Broad Street is the longest straight street in
> any US city. Just a PITA to get around city hall at busy times. Oh, and
> there are two Jackson Streets. IMO, Worcester MA is worse than
> Philadelphia.
>
> In your original post you gave the impression it was your town, not a
> strange city. That would be different.

Yes, he did. In his post "Nuvi Impressive Under Fire," Michael Barrett
said:

> Got stuck in a bad traffic jam last evening -a multi vehicle crash had
> closed the road I was travelling and all the traffic ended up funnelled down
> a ramp onto a freeway. It was dark, raining and I was in an unfamiliar part
> of a suburb I didn't know, even in daylight.

So he was in town, but in a suburb he "didn't know".

Regardless, he was in his own town. So I said, "man, oh man. If you
can't find your way to major thoroughfares in your own city..." I hold
to that statement. There are plenty of suburbs I don't hang out in, but
I can certainly find my way to the major thoroughfares. I don't need a
map or a talking gadget. Nobody should.

Of course, Michael Barrett then came back with:

> Uh huh.
> Dead reckoning at night in a strange city where there are no visible
> landmarks even if you knew them.

which had nothing to do with his being in his own town.

M eebers

2007-12-23, 10:33 pm

"Bob Gardner" <bobmrg@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:9bOdnecAKqLmWvP
anZ2dnUVZ_sytnZ2d@co
mcast.com...
>. The nice thing is that the lady inside the box never gets mad when I
>ignore her directions and make her recalculate.

But sometimes I swear I notice a bit of sarcasm in her voice when she says
"recalculating" :-)
>
>

Howard Lester

2007-12-23, 10:33 pm

"M eebers" wrote

> But sometimes I swear I notice a bit of sarcasm in her voice when she
says
> "recalculating" :-)

It's more of a "hands on hips" admonishment. She sounds very frustrated that
I would dare to disobey her wisdom. It's all kind of fun.

larry@fishing.net

2007-12-24, 4:33 am

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 21:58:53 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net>
wrote:
>Maybe just a good sense of direction. Sure, finding a particular address
>can be difficult, but I've just never found it very hard to find my way
>across town in any city. Especially downtown Philly where the streets are
>numbered in one direction and Broad Street is the longest straight street in
>any US city. Just a PITA to get around city hall at busy times. Oh, and
>there are two Jackson Streets. IMO, Worcester MA is worse than
>Philadelphia.
>
>In your original post you gave the impression it was your town, not a
>strange city. That would be different.
>

Have you ever checked the length of Broadway in New York. I think you
find that it is a lot longer than Broad St.

Larry

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-12-24, 4:33 am

<larry@fishing.net> wrote in message
>
> Have you ever checked the length of Broadway in New York. I think you
> find that it is a lot longer than Broad St.
>
> Larry

Broadway has some jogs. Broad Street is straight the entire length. Note:
I said STRAIGHT street.

Jack Erbes

2007-12-24, 7:33 am

Michael Barrett wrote:
<snip>
> But I sense I'm flogging a dead horse here. Curious at the negative
> reactions on a "gps.garmin" newsgroup. I'll asume you are all trolls.
>

No, that's not the case at all.

Elmo's mother was scared by a GPS receiver when he was in the womb. It
has made him phobic about GPS. This is the only place he can find where
he can where there are people to nitter on about using the stuff they
buy for the intended purpose.

I think his concept is that you have to be seriously lost before you can
turn it on. Only then are you allowed to pull over, get it out of the
trunk, and turn it on. Of course, you sacrifice all manly traits and
human dignity by doing so.

Me, I just like having it around, It earmarks me as being smart to
some. And ripe for a theft to others. I call mine Kemo Sabe and go no
where without him.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Elmo P. Shagnasty

2007-12-24, 7:33 am

In article < 476fa317$0$2478$4c36
8faf@roadrunner.com>,
Jack Erbes <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote:

> I think his concept is that you have to be seriously lost before you can
> turn it on.

Um, not at all.

But those who obsess over it as they drive the normal 4 miles to work
every day, insisting that "but what if I get stuck on a detour!?!?"...

Zeppo

2007-12-27, 3:33 pm

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
news:prHbj.59125$eY.26403@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net...
>
> <larry@fishing.net> wrote in message
>
> Broadway has some jogs. Broad Street is straight the entire length.
> Note: I said STRAIGHT street.

Except for that jog around Billy Penn.

Jon

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