New SatNav

maurice28

If you find a smartphone too fiddly to type on, it's still worth considering one as the voice recognition on Google Maps is very good. Being able to change route as you are driving by saying 'OK Google, navigate to...' is very handy.

oldagetraveller

"Real-time traffic is brilliant on today’s congested roads."
Only when it works.:) I've had a Go6100 for a couple of years now and the so called traffic has yet to to work properly. By that I mean routing away from the traffic delays. Only last Wednesday I was stuck in a 28 minute hold up on the M6 north and about a mile past J18 when up pipes Serena to tell me to leave at junction 18. Silly woman, I can't, I've past it!
It's only because I know some alternative routes that I am able to avoid the traffic which does show on the device.
Yes, the settings are correct for an alternative route.
I also own a Garmin which does have traffic but only that broadcast by the DAB system, not as good information as TomTom Live Traffic but the routing is better than TomTom. e.g. The newest TT's seem to have a preference to route down country lanes as the "fastest route" when sticking to the A road, although longer, is faster!:(
Yes, the settings are for fastest route and always take the fastest route.
So, in many respects, Garmin are far better.

Mercdriver

oldagetraveller wrote: »

"Real-time traffic is brilliant on today’s congested roads."
Only when it works.:) I've had a Go6100 for a couple of years now and the so called traffic has yet to to work properly. By that I mean routing away from the traffic delays. Only last Wednesday I was stuck in a 28 minute hold up on the M6 north and about a mile past J18 when up pipes Serena to tell me to leave at junction 18. Silly woman, I can't, I've past it!
It's only because I know some alternative routes that I am able to avoid the traffic which does show on the device.
Yes, the settings are correct for an alternative route.
I also own a Garmin which does have traffic but only that broadcast by the DAB system, not as good information as TomTom Live Traffic but the routing is better than TomTom. e.g. The newest TT's seem to have a preference to route down country lanes as the "fastest route" when sticking to the A road, although longer, is faster!:(
Yes, the settings are for fastest route and always take the fastest route.
So, in many respects, Garmin are far better.

The problem with that section of the M6 is that there is no easy way of bypassing traffic as the A roads aren't parallel to the motorway...you end up driving round rural Cheshire

takman

abssorb wrote: »

+1 Smartphone too fiddly for me. Maybe if I had "gamer thumbs" I could be more patient, but I love to just throw my TomTom at the magmount and go.

If you find a Smartphone fiddly then i would have thought a Sat Nav which has a lower quality touchscreen to be even more difficult to use.

oldagetraveller wrote: »

"Real-time traffic is brilliant on today’s congested roads."
Only when it works.:) I've had a Go6100 for a couple of years now and the so called traffic has yet to to work properly. By that I mean routing away from the traffic delays. Only last Wednesday I was stuck in a 28 minute hold up on the M6 north and about a mile past J18 when up pipes Serena to tell me to leave at junction 18. Silly woman, I can't, I've past it!
It's only because I know some alternative routes that I am able to avoid the traffic which does show on the device.
Yes, the settings are correct for an alternative route.
I also own a Garmin which does have traffic but only that broadcast by the DAB system, not as good information as TomTom Live Traffic but the routing is better than TomTom. e.g. The newest TT's seem to have a preference to route down country lanes as the "fastest route" when sticking to the A road, although longer, is faster!:(
Yes, the settings are for fastest route and always take the fastest route.
So, in many respects, Garmin are far better.

If you ever use something like Google Maps you will realise that all Sat Navs that offer traffic are complete rubbish compared to it.

Google use live data from every Android phone and every phone using Google Maps to track where traffic is and how fast it is moving. This means they can track traffic on every road in the UK even small back lanes and it is extremely accurate considering how many people have smartphones.

rmg1

I'm aware that I can use my phone as a satnav but I'd prefer a stand-alone unit.
I've seen a Garmin with lifetime maps for £80 (although I can probably get it a little cheaper elsewhere). I'm not worried about traffic updates.

DUTR

rmg1 wrote: »

I'm aware that I can use my phone as a satnav but I'd prefer a stand-alone unit.
I've seen a Garmin with lifetime maps for £80 (although I can probably get it a little cheaper elsewhere). I'm not worried about traffic updates.

As pointed out, it's for the lifetime of the product run, so I wouldn't get too excited about that, I've had my TT for years and years, never updated itand only one new road that I travelled along which wasn't on the unit.
The one in the car hasn't been updated and is nearly 5 years old, and that hasn't come across a new road yet either.

DUTR

rmg1 wrote: »

I'm aware that I can use my phone as a satnav but I'd prefer a stand-alone unit.
I've seen a Garmin with lifetime maps for £80 (although I can probably get it a little cheaper elsewhere). I'm not worried about traffic updates.

And although you want a stand alone unit, you can easily get a 2nd phone as a stand alone unit, I use my previous android phone as a dash cam with the relevant app, and a charged battery will run for a good 4 hrs.

EdGasketTheSecond

Illegal to use a phone unless mounted on the dashboard; you risk getting fine and points if found 'fiddling' with your phone in hand while driving.

DUTR

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Illegal to use a phone unless mounted on the dashboard; you risk getting fine and points if found 'fiddling' with your phone in hand while driving.

The same applies for dash mounted satnavs and other devices (even having a built in one is fiddly on the move (thankfully some have voice control )).

Mercdriver

DUTR wrote: »

The same applies for dash mounted satnavs and other devices (even having a built in one is fiddly on the move (thankfully some have voice control )).

That's true, but different legislation and different consequences now. You can be offered a course for DWDCA or get as little as 3 points whereas using a phone is 6 point and £200 FPN