Community Forums

brobox · 08-13-2020, 07:13 AM

Running WAZE and RM on the trip home. Walmart Valtosta GA, RM takes me though the heaviest traffic of town, so it would be a right turn into Walmart.
WAZE has me go one exist south, same one the trucks use, no traffic and a left turn truck lane for the Walmart and Sam's that share the same truck entrance. RM took me to the front car entrance.

20 miles north of Tampa WAZE gives me an I-75 all lane closed warning with alternate routes. RM shows that it's connected to wifi but nothing else. Waze saved me over an hour of freeway closure. Won't travel without it.

Ted Cook told me that he thought an Android phone would connect to the dash using the HDMI port. Ordered the cable as soon as I got home, it will be here today. I will see if it works.

Gary.Jones · 08-13-2020, 07:58 AM

Interesting report. I have never used Waze for routing. Only use it for road hazards, police, road objects. The RM routing is always verified either against Google Maps or the Truckers Commercial Atlas, but I will now give it a try for routing also

Gary

Yosemite77 · 08-13-2020, 08:05 AM

Google owns Waze, so usually Waze and Google Maps will agree on routes. Waze will occasionally put you on local streets. Waze also will provide alternate routes with corresponding times. I’ve used it for awhile and like it.

ECVB · 08-13-2020, 08:18 AM

I do the same , running WAZE and my RV GPS 770. I stop using RM as it seemed to have longer routes.

There been a few times that GPS had me down a longer route 45min to 1hr to my destination , i usually double and then triple check with google maps to make sure the WAZE route is passable.

Yesterday's trip the 770 ( imported trip planner from GoodSam uploaded into the Garmin) had me trying to go 1.5 hrs more than where WAZE was trying to direct me. not the first time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Running WAZE and RM on the trip home. Walmart Valtosta GA, RM takes me though the heaviest traffic of town, so it would be a right turn into Walmart.
WAZE has me go one exist south, same one the trucks use, no traffic and a left turn truck lane for the Walmart and Sam's that share the same truck entrance. RM took me to the front car entrance.

20 miles north of Tampa WAZE gives me an I-75 all lane closed warning with alternate routes. RM shows that it's connected to wifi but nothing else. Waze saved me over an hour of freeway closure. Won't travel without it.

Ted Cook told me that he thought an Android phone would connect to the dash using the HDMI port. Ordered the cable as soon as I got home, it will be here today. I will see if it works.

brobox · 08-13-2020, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yosemite77

Google owns Waze, so usually Waze and Google Maps will agree on routes. Waze will occasionally put you on local streets. Waze also will provide alternate routes with corresponding times. I’ve used it for awhile and like it.

Watched first hand yesterday as a truck blew a tire with gators flying everywhere. The trucker behind him had it punched into Waze before the rubber pieces quit bouncing. I have never seen that on Google Maps. I knew instantly why all the brake lights came on It looks like the truckers run Waza and Google maps picks up from that.

Yesterday's experience was our expensive installed GPS took me on local streets, where WAZE was the best route. The both have be checked, but Waze is "free"

777 Driver · 08-13-2020, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

The both have be checked, but Waze is "free"

Hi Chuck,

I hope you're enjoying your new ride!

Free is always a little concerning, to me.

When you accept the terms of service for Waze, you're agreeing to be a data provider for Waze. That is, you're giving your location and speed and direction of travel to Waze. Exactly what Waze does with those data that you provide gets a little murky. One thing that they do use those data for is to analyze traffic conditions at your location. As an example, their "system" knows the speed limit at your location and your actual speed (and all other Waze users nearby) at that location. That's helpful for their routing algorithms to plot optimal routes and ETA's.

Why do they do that for "free"? Are they just being nice to do all that for free?

Or, do they monetize (sell) those data that you're providing? To whom do they sell those data? It appears that one user of the location data that you provide is the fast food industry. Have you noticed that, while using Waze, when you stop for a traffic light that advertisements for nearby fast food restaurants magically pop up?

It's been suggested that one other possible user of the data that you're providing to Waze could be the insurance industry. Your insurance provider might find it useful to have a detailed view of your driving habits as they consider your risk. Do you obey posted speed limits. What rates of acceleration and deceleration are common when you drive. Where do you drive; do you drive in areas that present a higher risk. Do you drive at night or in bad weather? When you answer the insurance company's questionnaire regarding how many miles do you drive in a year, is that accurate? It's possible that your insurance company could access all those data by purchasing them from Waze.

One other aspect of Waze routing that I've often wondered about. Years ago, I listened to a traffic management expert describing that the best way to manage traffic load on a congested roadway is to selectively lie to drivers. As traffic starts to build to capacity on a main thoroughfare, before it becomes too congested, they'll start pushing some traffic onto alternate routes (the overhead sign: Congestion Ahead - Seek Alternate Route) for a short period of time. Those alternates will quickly become overloaded, but, they've eased some of the burden on the main road. The traffic managers will cycle those overhead signs in an attempt to manage the flow. Is it possible that Waze uses a similar strategy? Is it possible that the Waze user in the lane immediately next to you with the same destination is getting a different route pushed to him by Waze than you are in an attempt, by Waze, to manipulate traffic flow. Don't get me wrong, that may not be a bad thing.

Be wary of free.

Take care,
Stu

Jake21 · 08-13-2020, 09:12 AM

I dont use Waze anymore. In Houston I was driving in my car and Waze suggested I exit the beltway, go through three stop lights and then get back on I-45N. Zero traffic on 8 merging onto 45N. That cost me maybe 10 minutes for no reason. I also found it distracting with all the warnings. I prefer Gmaps. Traffic notifications are enough for me.

Solo_RV_Guy · 08-13-2020, 09:14 AM

If you're not paying for it, you are the product.

Harleydeal · 08-13-2020, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Watched first hand yesterday as a truck blew a tire with gators flying everywhere. The trucker behind him had it punched into Waze before the rubber pieces quit bouncing. I have never seen that on Google Maps. I knew instantly why all the brake lights came on It looks like the truckers run Waza and Google maps picks up from that.

Yesterday's experience was our expensive installed GPS took me on local streets, where WAZE was the best route. The both have be checked, but Waze is "free"

When traveling from Fla back to NY house, RM still sends me to the “Cars Only” lanes of the NJ Turnpike and the “Cars Only” level of the George Washington Bridge. If they can’t even get the most heavily used highways in the country right, hard to trust it anywhere else. I have reported it to RM a few times and...nothing. And the user interface sucks too. Total garbage IMO.

Johnontheroad · 08-13-2020, 09:57 AM

I have a dedicated smartphone running Waze mounted on the dash with a magnet mount. I also put the route into my Entegra RM GPS. Should note that my original radio was replaced by Riverpark to a more current one. Most of the time both devices choose the same route.

Frequently I give the Waze to DW who responds with road confirmation etc. just to keep the system up to date. I find I don't want to take my eyes off the road long enough to find the smallish buttons on the smartphone.

If our route is to a destination I'm not that familiar with I always check Google first and I am usually prepared to modify my route accordingly. For example, the route from our RV park in Kelso to Seaside OR on both Waze and RM had us going through Longview on surface roads. It was much easier to go down I-5 and then 432 into Oregon, only 5 miles longer but much easier to drive.

brobox · 08-13-2020, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake21

I dont use Waze anymore. In Houston I was driving in my car and Waze suggested I exit the beltway, go through three stop lights and then get back on I-45N. Zero traffic on 8 merging onto 45N. That cost me maybe 10 minutes for no reason. I also found it distracting with all the warnings. I prefer Gmaps. Traffic notifications are enough for me.

I have WAZE running mainly for road warnings. One of our members here just suffered $9,000. in damage from hitting a road gator. I like having that warning there is one ahead of me. The "live view" yesterday was amazing how quick it was reported.

About the "free" app and tracking, I am tracked on everything I do with my phone, from Walmart to getting an ice cream at Culver's. I am to the point one more is not going to make much difference. The only way to get away from it, is brush off my flip phone in the drawer and throw the smart phone away. One thing nice while stopped at a light on US 41, Waze did tell me there was a Cracker Barrel ahead

ThomB · 08-13-2020, 10:53 AM

Waze will do some screwy things once in a while (route you off the highway just to get you back on, have you turn right only to make a u-turn) but I never drive without it (whether in the car or RV). I just won't use it alone in the RV because it WILL route you onto roads with low clearance (and some of the people living on those roads don't like you using their driveway to turn around - First hand knowledge)

brobox · 08-13-2020, 03:42 PM

UPDATE on the maybe.

The phone USB to HDMI connection on the dash, works to show a distorted view of your phone app to the dash screen. It's not controllable and looses all other functions, radio, etc. Not very practical to run Waze with. I really don't know what the HDMI connection would be practical for.

buddy110 · 08-13-2020, 04:58 PM

I have been using Waze for a while and I like it. The RM is a joke IMO. It's gotten me on some ridiculous routes. I do worry that Waze will take me down a bad route some day. Mostly because it does not know how big and tall our rigs are. So far it hasn't screwed me.