On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:21:04 -0500, Gene
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:51:37 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On mine (Nuvi 200) changing the fastest/shortest setting never made a
difference when I tried it.

Wow! Makes a HUGE difference with mine (265WT)! Garmin isn't perfect,
I've had to do a total reboot and re-load in the last year, but it has
saved a lot of wasted time and effort.

Here's difference with mine, from my home to a Speedway Gas Station
about 10 miles away. I've gone there many, many times.
Shortest distance takes me down my local streets to Milwaukee Ave,
then 8 miles up Milwaukee. I know that route gets me there in 1/2
hour.
Shortest time takes me slightly differently on local streets so I have
to make a left on Golf instead of going to the light like I do.
Left turn onto a four lane, 50 mph road. *Might* save ten seconds.
*Might" get me broadsided. *Might* cost me a minute extra waiting for
traffic to clear versus going to the light like I do.
It doesn't know any of this. I don't blame it for that.
Then it gets me doing 8 miles up Milwaukee, just like shortest
distance did.
Now the real fastest way is to go a mile past Milwaukee and onto
I-294. It's close to 3 miles farther but only takes 20 minutes or
less, a full 33% time reduction. That's where it's stupid.
Seen the same thing going to other suburbs where I know how to get
there on the highway fast, and it wants to route me onto city streets.
Now I-294 is a tollway, but I have it set to ignore that.
Besides I've seen it do the same thing in Florida on free roads.
Fastest way from Beverly Hills, FL to Tampa is straight east to I-75
then southwest to Tampa.
I-75 takes a jog east there, but it's still faster going the distance
than going north or south on state roads to pick up I-75.
And a lot safer too. I've done it both ways.
The Garmin Nuvi always puts you on the state roads.
Another thing it does that ****es me off is doing a bad calc then
right away recalc with the correct answer, yakking about it all the
time.
It should have code to keeps its mouth in gear with its brain.
A 3 second delay before mouthing off with a calc would do it.
I still like it, but a man's got to know his GPS's limitations.

--Vic