Google maps tips

[mark61]

Don't rely on one, or even two. I do have another tablet and atlas if needed
TomTom is always on, but use Google maps the most for navigation, or Apple maps or Waze.

 

[Fisherman]

Don't rely on one, or even two. I do have another tablet and atlas if needed
TomTom is always on, but use Google maps the most for navigation, or Apple maps or Waze.

View attachment 146543

I see you hate to be distracted when driving Mark, must be great with four women all telling you what to do at the same time.

I’m surprised you actually manage to get anywhere, do they start arguing with each other.

 

[Robmac]

Don't rely on one, or even two. I do have another tablet and atlas if needed
TomTom is always on, but use Google maps the most for navigation, or Apple maps or Waze.

I didn't think Barry White would be your 'thang' Mark!

 

[mark61]

I see you hate to be distracted when driving Mark, must be great with four women all telling you what to do at the same time.

I’m surprised you actually manage to get anywhere, do they start arguing with each other.

Fortunately these women have a volume control. And they are all turned down.

 

[mark61]

I didn't think Barry White would be your 'thang' Mark!

Can't beat a bit of Barry.
"Buckle up babe, large is in charge"

 

[barryd]

Don't rely on one, or even two. I do have another tablet and atlas if needed
TomTom is always on, but use Google maps the most for navigation, or Apple maps or Waze.

View attachment 146543

I was disappointed on this years tour. I used to have all the POI off here and lots of others programmed into my ancient TomTom and it would swear and come up with lots of sweary phrases I programmed in when near them. I do have dual Cig sockets but one of them is not working so it wasn't possible to have them both plugged in. Must fix that or get a double adaptor. Actually feckin hell! I just realised there is an adaptor in the back for the TV.

 

[Caz]

That’s the problem when using the internet for your maps when driving Caz, it’s better if you download the map before your journey. You can download maps on google maps, but it’s not as user friendly as some other platforms. I do use google rarely, preferring TomTom Go. For £20 a year I find it is excellent and updated every month or so, and you can download maps for most parts of the world.
Here’s how to download your maps on google, doing this will stop the issues you highlighted in your post, and if data use is critical, it will save you using data whilst driving. Happy travels.

To download an offline map on Google Maps, open the app, tap your profile picture, select "Offline maps," then "Select your own map". Adjust the blue rectangle to cover the desired area and tap "Download". You will need to be connected to the internet to download the map, but once it's saved, it can be used for driving directions, even without an internet connection.

That's what I don't understand. The A15 does have maps downloaded yet freezes. The A12 doesn't have maps and doesn't freeze. Maybe that's the problem, it can't decide whether to use the downloaded ones or live updates so it dithers..

 

[Okta]

My phone doesn’t seem lose the route while travelling. I think once I start a route it downloads all that it needs to complete the trip.

 

[colinm]

Couple of days ago I was using Google Maps to route around road closures, for some reason it decided to only give verbal instructions and not highlight the route, not great when you are uncertain where you are going, on return route I used TomTom app on the phone which was better, but noticed the speed warning bleep was silenced, sorted now. Meanwhile my TomTom unit is playing up on the usb plug yet again, the last fix from eBay lasted a year.

 

[barryd]

Couple of days ago I was using Google Maps to route around road closures, for some reason it decided to only give verbal instructions and not highlight the route, not great when you are uncertain where you are going, on return route I used TomTom app on the phone which was better, but noticed the speed warning bleep was silenced, sorted now. Meanwhile my TomTom unit is playing up on the usb plug yet again, the last fix from eBay lasted a year.

Its worth checking sometimes for other sources for road closures. Google Maps is not always up to date. Its been refusing to let me navigate from Ilfracombe to Combe Martin along the coast for weeks thinking the road is closed. Its not. It was for a while, then it was lights and a few days ago totally open.

 

[colinm]

Its worth checking sometimes for other sources for road closures. Google Maps is not always up to date. Its been refusing to let me navigate from Ilfracombe to Combe Martin along the coast for weeks thinking the road is closed. Its not. It was for a while, then it was lights and a few days ago totally open.

It routed around the road closures ok, but at no time showed the route on the map, just giving verbals. When we were returning and requesting route it showed map with no routes on it, but had two boxes with excess times for alternatives, very strange, just about to try it going home today to see if it's still playing up.

 

[barryd]

It routed around the road closures ok, but at no time showed the route on the map, just giving verbals. When we were returning and requesting route it showed map with no routes on it, but had two boxes with excess times for alternatives, very strange, just about to try it going home today to see if it's still playing up.

Very odd. Never seen that before but my point is I don't always trust the roads are closed anyway. As a live system its probably the most accurate though as it must receive the most data I would think.

 

[Okta]

I have noticed on several occasions Google showing roads closed all day when in fact they are nighttime only closures.

 

[colinm]

Very odd. Never seen that before but my point is I don't always trust the roads are closed anyway. As a live system its probably the most accurate though as it must receive the most data I would think.

I just had a quick 'play' on way back from the supermarket and it seems ok now, must have been a glitch on the day. The roads where most defanatly closed, so I was happy it had got that right. What messed me up was a voice instruction saying "Turn right into Lilley" and I followed that instruction, but thinking back it should have said "Turn right into Lilley Road" (the two turnings being right next to each other) if the map had been working correct it would have been more obvious where to turn. As it happens we ended up on a 'magical mystery tour', no big deal as we where in no hurry and we got to show grand daughter where her great grand father used to work, miles out of our way.

 

[barryd]

I just had a quick 'play' on way back from the supermarket and it seems ok now, must have been a glitch on the day. The roads where most defanatly closed, so I was happy it had got that right. What messed me up was a voice instruction saying "Turn right into Lilley" and I followed that instruction, but thinking back it should have said "Turn right into Lilley Road" (the two turnings being right next to each other) if the map had been working correct it would have been more obvious where to turn. As it happens we ended up on a 'magical mystery tour', no big deal as we where in no hurry and we got to show grand daughter where her great grand father used to work, miles out of our way.

Do you download the offline maps? I find that helps but it still won't let you start without a data connection

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I use nothing but Google Maps, it routing can be a little off, but advance notice of hold ups is priceless and being able to help others by letting them know of road works or closed roads.

 

[colinm]

Do you download the offline maps? I find that helps but it still won't let you start without a data connection

I have sometimes downloaded offline maps, but as Google Maps isn't my goto satnav I think they have all 'expired', funny enough when I sat in supermarket carpark and told it to navigate home it gave a route and time, but I noticed the speed box was showing kph, then it pinged 'you are back online' and changed to mph.
One of the reasons I don't use Google Maps as primary satnav is I find the speeding 'notification' poor, the speed box I find small so it isn't very noticeable when turning red, and I've never been able to get audio speeding alert to work.
My TomTom satnav has a (relatively) big speed display, and a good speed alarm, I also like the TomTom app on phone which which announces "speed camera 100 yrds ahead, the limit is Xmph", but it only gives one little bleep if it thinks I'm speeding.

 

[trevskoda]

Just a point, osm android and co maps ets dont require the net or a sim in the ph, if the phone is past android 7 and has GPS it works from that, any 10 20 pound used old ph will do of ebay or one have have knocking around the house.

 

[colinm]

Just a point, osm android and co maps ets dont require the net or a sim in the ph, if the phone is past android 7 and has GPS it works from that, any 10 20 pound used old ph will do of ebay or one have have knocking around the house.

That's ok for a cheap system, but it won't do live traffic unless connected to the net, I found out 14 years ago just how helpful live traffic can be when it redirected me around 'kicking out time' at Centre Parcs Elveden, and it's proved it's worth many times since.

 

[barryd]

The only thing I will say with Google maps and its ability to do live work arounds is I take them with a pinch of salt in the motorhome at least. It will say there is a hold up ahead / traffic jam, I have a faster route that saves x minutes. It doesn't know your driving a 4.25t 8.5m motorhome so I seldom risk it

I suppose this applies to any live system. Its a pain on the bike as well using headphones as unless you stop and dismiss it then it changes the route. Not an issue on the bike of course though roads wise.