GPS: Is there a way to make changes to a GPS route on a Garmin GPS? MapQuest gives me three routes - one toll and two back roads. The GPS gives me the toll road and one back road...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Is there a way to make changes to a GPS route on a Garmin GPS? MapQuest gives me three routes - one toll and two back roads. The GPS gives me the toll road and one back road route. I'm wondering if there is a practical way to modify routes. This isn't a big deal because it's a 70-mile trip, but I was wondering if I could get more control of the route.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

jerryc41 wrote:

Is there a way to make changes to a GPS route on a Garmin GPS? MapQuest gives me three routes - one toll and two back roads. The GPS gives me the toll road and one back road route. I'm wondering if there is a practical way to modify routes. This isn't a big deal because it's a 70-mile trip, but I was wondering if I could get more control of the route.

My Garmin recalculates every time I don't follow what it is telling me to do! I always look at google maps first as they give you several route choices. Sometimes the GPS doesn't pick the best route!

mcolie

Jerry,

This very much depends on the model of Garmin. The simple answer is NO.

This is one of the reasons that I hate trying to plan on any little stand-alone. All Garmins seem to have an unhealthy highway fixation. If you dig around, you can usually find an "Avoid" for highways and toll roads. Problem: Common to all these, if you use the "Avoid" feature, it may take you a merry ways to do the avoid, as opposed to run one exit of either.

If your Garmin has the "Trip Planner" app, you can set start and finish and then put in a stop that makes the route go the way you have in mind. You have to be careful to add it to the route and maybe re-order the route so it makes sense. Remember, these things are not smart, they are obedient.

Matt

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

mcolie wrote:

If you dig around, you can usually find an "Avoid" for highways and toll roads.

If your Garmin has the "Trip Planner" app, you can set start and finish and then put in a stop that makes the route go the way you have in mind.

Matt

Thanks. I have it set to ask me about toll roads. I'll play with the trip planner and see what happens. As I said, this isn't a very long trip, but I wondered how much I could vary the Garmin route. I had a car with a built-in GPS, and it didn't work as well as Garmin.

I have the DriveAssist 50.

akfishguide Loc: PA

I was raised using maps. I currently have a Tom-Tom GPS and I think it takes me through every back road, farmers field, neighborhood, and probably peoples driveway, if I tell it I want the 'Fastest route'. I also wish I could program it to take me the way I want to go, which is, in my opinion, the straightest non major highway on the map. I do not like driving interstate highways, but do like major roads that are not Interstate Highways. Yesterday I drove from PA to NC. A trip I have taken many times. I can make the trip in about 9 hours using a map. Using the GPS it took almost 11 hours to get here. From now on, its Maps for me, except in cities where I have no clue how to get somewhere. The GPS gets a highway in its mind and if you do not drive it, it constantly 'recalculates'. This does not answer your question, but lets you know you are not the only one who gets frustrated with a GPS.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

nimbushopper wrote:

My Garmin recalculates every time I don't follow what it is telling me to do!

Yes, that is a nice feature. I make a change in the route, and it keeps up with me. There's one trip I take where it send me there one way but brings me home on a slightly different route. Strange. I sometimes use an old and new Garmin side by side. The new one always has a later arrival time, but it catches up as I get closer to the destination. Imagine all the calculating that is going on inside that little device.

alby Loc: very eastern pa.

i plan on the computer to get close then let gps take over as i get close

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

akfishguide wrote:

I was raised using maps. I currently have a Tom-T... (show quote)

Maybe you need a Garmin, rather than a map or a Tom Tom. Before the GPS, I was very good with maps. I started using them to travel on my bike when I was a kid. I could even fold them!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Jerry, there is a roundabout way of doing this. A friend if mine and I often go where there are no programmed roads. I map the route on google earth then import that route to my GPS. It's a few extra steps but works very well. You could try that method and see if it works for you. You essentially go way point to way point.
--Bob

jerryc41 wrote:

Is there a way to make changes to a GPS route on a Garmin GPS? MapQuest gives me three routes - one toll and two back roads. The GPS gives me the toll road and one back road route. I'm wondering if there is a practical way to modify routes. This isn't a big deal because it's a 70-mile trip, but I was wondering if I could get more control of the route.

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

I have several Garmins which I use regularly, but what you describe is one of my beefs with them. No reason that these options and many others could not be incorporated.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

banjonut wrote:

I have several Garmins which I use regularly, but what you describe is one of my beefs with them. No reason that these options and many others could not be incorporated.

Right, and a software update would take care of that.

Bmarsh Loc: Bellaire, MI

Take a look at Garmins 'BaseCamp' program.(free). It should talk to your GPS and allows you to pre-plan trips.. assuming your GPS is reasonably sophisticated. It's not an easy program to deal with but it might help.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Garmin's updates are ridiculously expensive, and many of the mistakes are still present!

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I have found that Mapquest gives the shortest (in miles) way to a destination. But often that is not the best way.

twowindsbear

Try the WAZE app for your phone.