quote:

Originally posted by skywag:
Google is MUCH better than Garmin because it is "real-time" Shows traffic slowdowns, wrecks, cops,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,suggests better routing.

There is NO comparison to the utility.

You're right.

Garmin Drivesmart units do suggest alternate routes based on traffic. I don't know about any other models nor do I know how good the suggestions are compared to google

On trips I'll run Waze and Apple's map program

Waze I use to get alerts of every car on the side of the road, and police locations.

I used to use google maps but I switched to Waze. It has better algorithms and will give you new driving directions based on traffic it sees ahead.

Although I don't use either, I do suggest that you check the settings for your route options. Back in 2011 I was using MapPoint in my laptop in the car to do navigation for me and it suddenly took me off a 4-lane divided highway onto country roads. I then eventually was put onto a 1-lane dirt road. I decided enough was enough and overruled the thing and got back on the highway. Turns out that the setting for "shortest" had been set and the local roads were a tad shorter path than the highway. I changed the setting to "fastest" and avoided that problem on future travels.
DSC_9718 by David Casteel, on Flickr

flashguy

I had a similar but somewhat opposite experience.

On a trip home to VA from Long Island visiting a job site. The Jeep’s in house GPS routed me off the highway right smack dab into midtown Manhattan. It was Friday about 4 pm when we entered and you can guess how long we spent in the horn blaring Capitol of the world…

I use Garmin now and whenever I have a big trip planned I go online and just upload the latest version for free instead of paying Jeep $150 every 2 years or so.

It will route you in circuitous paths if a wreck is blocking a main hwy sometimes. Had that happen in Atlanta a few times. Going through neighborhoods to dodge a clogged up road. It tries to find the fastest route no matter what - if you have it setup that way.

You can tell it to avoid hwys and such - maybe you did that by accident.

I do gig deliveries, and most of them you gotta deliver it asap after pickup, and the company sets the eta (probably using google maps).

I use Waze most of the time but sometimes switch to Google Maps when close to the destination in the middle of nowhere because Maps provide more close-up/zoomable map detail.

Waze routing is based on users reporting traffic and other issues, and so Waze will often take a less than direct route to avoid stuff, either at the beginning when you start or will change the route on the fly while you are driving.

I usually just punch in the destination and follow the directions. Sometimes, later when I realize where I am and how I got there, I'll be like, why the heck did it take me this way?