Sat nag

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I currently use google naps, but the only option is shortest route, at least both I and tech savvy son can’t find any other option. This sometimes directs me off main roads onto really obscure routes, on holiday in Wales it had me on a road with grass in the middle. Anyone got a recommendation, I dont mind paying a few quid to avoid pop up adverts.

I know I could go old fashioned and use proper maps, but SWMBO can’t read a map whild the car is moving

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

surely with google maps opened out you can see alternative routes?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Should show alternatives, clicking any of the three boxes with the time in will give the route it shows.

[renardiere7Participant @renardiere7]

I know what Duncan means. It would be nice if you could use waypoints on Google maps so you could direct it to select a route that suits you rather than just one or two options that Google considers optimal.

I’ve also noticed that Google Maps is much less controllable use on my iPhone vs Laptop where I can drag a route to suit my needs. If I save that route I’ve just created and send it to my phone Google just defaults to it’s version of the shortest route.

I had a Garmin satnav about 20 years ago that in many respects was more flexible in route planning than Google Maps. Apple Maps is just as dire.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Sat Navs, google maps and what three words never find where I live. Always show up a side street about 150 yards away.

Roy

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Well that’s odd. I’ve just entered ths same route and it came up with 3 alternatives. One of them was a B road, but even in Wales they don’t have grass in the middle. Only joking, thd roads in Wales are actually in better condition than in Cheshire by a long way. I’ll peresevere with google fof z bit

[roy entwistle]

On roy entwistle Said:

Sat Navs, google maps and what three words never find where I live. Always show up a side street about 150 yards away.

Roy

I don’t understand that one, Roy

A w3w location should identify a unique 3metre square

MichaelG.

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Edit: for example

///handy.singer.staple

is at the middle of the fancy bridge in Rhyl Harbour

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Michael  How do you find out what the three words are ? maybe thats where I’m going wrong.

Roy

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Waze is pretty good on my iPhone. Nice thing is near real time updates on traffic hold ups. By adjusting your route preferences to avoid narrow roads it has limited ability to be constrained to more major roads. Adding waypoints can also help it diving into the deep countryside.

I find its habit of suggesting going off the motorway, round the roundabout and back on at jammed up M25 intersections to win maybe 50 yards annoying.

Generally I have both my Garmin sat nav and Waze running. I prefer the form factor of the Garmin display and its live junction layout function can be useful in strange areas. Often get a choice of routes in the tricky bits. Which can be helpful.

Ultimately there is no substitute for a familiarisation look at a decent size map so you can insert way points if needed to help control the route. I tend to grab the big Collins one when it’s cheap at LiDL. Latest one gets folded to live in the pocket on the back of the car drivers seat, previous one comes indoors for dining table planning use.

Clive

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Roy

either in the App, or on the web-page you can pick a square

The satellite imaging isn’t great, but it’s good-enough for the job

… it also works live from your current location

Here’s a screenshot from the iOS App

MichaelG.

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[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

You can create a Google Maps route with waypoints. You just have to add some slashes at the end of the URL. Full details are available online. This will give the start and finish plus an intermediate point per added slash.

Martin C

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I’m sharing a what3words address to help you find this specific location. Tap to see exactly where it is:

///handy.singer.staple
https://w3w.co/handy.singer.staple

53°18’53.5860″N, 3°30’28.1952″W

.

.

Just go to that page and explore

MichaelG.

[roy entwistle]

On roy entwistle Said:

Sat Navs, google maps and what three words never find where I live. Always show up a side street about 150 yards away.

Roy

A friend moved house to one with a name rather than a number. The only maps that can find it so far is Apple Maps. After watching a YouTube video comparing Apple with Google I now use Apple Maps exclusively.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I can’t see why any ones home isn’t  shown with at least one “what three words” square where their address is, my place has over 30 squares that the house is on, 7 for my garage, and probably twice  both added together, for all the outside space. I could even tell you which square shows where I’m in the house, while I’m typing this.

As far as Sat-Nav’s go, I’ll normally look at a road map, to get a general route to take, but don’t always follow what the sat-nav says, for example. when I go to the MMEX, and by the time I get to the A14 away from Peterborough, the sat-nav tells me to go North along the A14, but I go towards Northampton, as it’s a better and faster route, although Mrs sat-nat tries to lure me towards the A14, but gives up when I don’t play ball, and goes my way.

Regards Nick.

[Martin Connelly]

On Martin Connelly Said:

You can create a Google Maps route with waypoints. You just have to add some slashes at the end of the URL. Full details are available online. This will give the start and finish plus an intermediate point per added slash.

Martin C

Yes, that’s correct but in reality Google maps don’t treat them as waypoints more as a destination en-route which often results in you being left high and dry in the middle of a complex one way system in an unfamiliar town half way through your trip. Garmin seemed to understand that waypoints were navigation markers only and the journey continued smoothly, interruption free.

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

I think you’re all spoilt these days. Sat navs & the like indeed!

Real men don’t need such fripperies.

When I was a field engineer about 45 years ago, I worked for a company that had a dreadful admin department. Based in the Midlands I’d regularly get a call to go to ‘xxxx dealers, Sheffield ‘ or Bloggs & co, Torquay etc, that I’d never been to before – no address or contact number. Amazing how I got anywhere – but I managed somehow.

The funny thing is that the ‘sense’ of knowing where you are and the general direction to head in stuck with me all these years. Much to the annoyance of the wife sometimes!

Have a nice sunny day, Mike

[renardiere7Participant @renardiere7]

Mike, 45 years ago I was a newly qualified Veterinary surgeon. A Scottish country lad, goodness knows why but my first job was in South London covering a huge area as the firm had seven branch practices. I was handed a London A-Z and basically told to get on with it. Imagine trying to find some obscure street or house number at 2 o’clock in the morning!

The point I suppose I’m making is that the traffic volume 45 years ago was minuscule compared to what we face today and navigating with an A-Z and seat of the pants flying worked OK then. Nowadays in that kind of city traffic I really need Sat Nav.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Mike, I started driving in 1973, most roads were pretty much basic, and dual carriageways were few and far apart, and motorways were non existent in our neck of the woods, so navigation was by a road map along many narrow B roads and a little bit wider A roads. However, many B roads were improved along with many A roads, and road maps were not really updated very quickly. My late elder brother and I went down to London many times to buy Disco gear, so I would be navigating while he did the driving. Eventually PC’s came about and many route programmes became available, but even they were a little slow to catch up with road changes, and you could find a turning you were going to take was closed or became non existent, which meant you had to revert back to a road map to find an alternative route. I remember having an unintended tour around part of London once, when I took my mother to see her sister, only one wrong turn and you became lost, back to the road maps again, so yes, I’m quite happy to be spoilt with my Sat-Nav, as Mrs Sat-Nav soon recalculates a new way to get you back on track when you take a wrong turn. The idea of having some sort of visual navigational aid, was something I thought could be achieved, back in the late seventies, but of course I had no idea how it could be done.

Regards Nick.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Not impressed with google maps I often travel down roads the are not on google maps.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

I’m sure I’m not the alone but like Mike, Nicholas & Co I have been driving since 1960 — small motorway sections had been opened but there wasn’t a national network.

I do use sat nav but prefer Apple Maps to google, I find it gives more information and earlier than Google maps.  Even so it sometimes sends you off on a route march !!!

It would be good if you could enter you own route from town to town or road to road — similar to using a road map.  I used to travel from Lancaster to Winchester and had a crib list on the dash with road & junction numbers or the next town along the route — problems could arise if there was a diversion !! but overall it works well for me.

One of my first forays into sat nav I had been to a supplier and on the way home wanted to look at an item I was interested in purchasing so entered post code and off we go– took me right to the farm gate but I hadn’t a clue where I had been on the map !!! 🤣

John

[NimbleParticipant @nimble]

Hi Every body,

Like John F, with Satnav. You know exactly where you are, but you have no idea where you are!

A feature I would like to see on Satnavs is the ability to place your finger on the map to designate a current detour.

With the number of roads being damaged by adverse weather conditions in NZ and elsewhere, I feel this feature could be a lifesaver.

Nimble Neil.

[JohnF]

On JohnF Said:

[…] It would be good if you could enter you own route from town to town or road to road — similar to using a road map.  […]

I confess that I have never bothered trying … but it looks like the combination of what3words and Apple Maps could get you very close to achieving that ^^^

Lots of useful tutorials here:

https://what3words.com/how-to-use-the-what3words-app

 

MichaelG.

 

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