Issues with RV Garmin Directions

[NancyFixesRV]

Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had issues with their RV Garmen taking them off an expressway to only get them right back on. This happened twice on our trip from upstate NY to Charleston SC. It took us off I26 in downtown Charlestown and then tried to get us back on. I was stuck in Charleston's notoriously narrow streets with the poles right on the edge of the street.
Two lovely locals (one a bus driver) helped us out of the situation. I am trying included a picture of our RV on the pole.
We are both in our seventies and now I wonder if we should stop our annual trip south. The rest of the trip was flawless and we take a leisurely 4 days to get down.

[US1]

Ive had GPS directions direct me to exit an off ramp, only to cross the road and get back on the interstate a couple times. Looking at the GPS map vs only listening to the audio directions can avoid those types of glitches. Also check your settings for preferences

[jacwjames]

I've come not to trust my Garmin, I use it with caution. Yes, I have been given bad/confusing directions. Almost every trip.



What I have started to do is use my phone in conjunction with the Garmin, putting it the same destination and comparing the two.



While driving I'll listen the Iphone directions, which I think are much better then the Garmin.


But I still have to be aware that the Garmin has my height/weight/length programmed in and also to avoid toll roads.

[RottenRalph]

I have had similar issues with Garmin but have learned to never put full faith into the strange instructions. I also have my copilot who always has the Waze app running simultaneously. Between Garmin, Waze, the Wife and common since, we usually end up in the right place without taking too many detours.

[Gary RVRoamer]

I'm another who has received downright bizarre instructions from Garmins - and I've owned several over the years. Exiting an Interstate only to get right back on is all too common.

[B52Rnav]

The issue you described is a very common Garmin idiosyncrasy. You can try disabling traffic, if you are using real time traffic. Best solution is situational awareness and unless you see a reason to jump off the freeway ignore the directions. I have had same issue with Google on Houston freeways. Google will try to reroute for a 1 or 2 minute faster route.

[johnhicks]

Your preference setting can cause that, absurd as it seems, especially "shortest".

You also need to look at maps in advance and generally know where you're going so you can ignore bogus directions. I've seen quite a few over the years.

[dons2346]

A GPS should be used for amusement purposes only. Never trust it 100%

[Flyer15015]

My Garmin, named "Susie" has lied to me again and again.
Boy, she really gets mad when I drive outside of her directions.
I'm old school, so I also carry a Rand McNally hard copy, and I use Google Maps
to look down at fuel stops for my in and out planning.

Since I now run solo, we have long conversations, Susie and me. I always win.

Mike in Colorado

[glwinger]

I have a Garmin that I use on my bike and in my truck when pulling the trailer.I has setting for car and truck. The truck setting basically for OTR trucks.

I've had mine take me off and back on an interstate. I have come to realize that it thinks the overpass on the highway may not be high enough for a 13 foot truck.

Every time she tells me to take and off ramp and I know she's wrong, I just continue straight I just tell her NO!
Then the "recalculating" starts.
It doesn't do this in car mode, so it has to have something to do with the over pass.

[Old Radios]

My Garmin has taken me on more than one unintended side trip. When traveling I always study my road atlas first and keep it handy when I see something coming up that I didn't expect. I almost never have it set to put me on the "Shortest Distance" as it will sometimes take me on an unplanned adventure. A map is your friend.

[RickNC]

I have Garmin RV895, Sygic RV and TomTom Go apps. They all send me on a wrong road occasionally. Garmin is the only one that does the crazy thing with going off and on at random exits

The Garmin ticks me off only because it cost over $400 while these 2 apps cost $25 and $50 a year respectively. The Garmin isn’t doing anything better than the apps.

Regardless of what I use, I got in the habit of reviewing my route beforehand each day to avoid or at least minimize the misdirections.

[Nwtravler]

I find my garmin to be fantastic. I trust it more than waze or Google maps, but like anything else you trust but verify.

[OldBaldFat]

First - TURN OFF THE VOICE COMMAND

Everyone needs to check their route before starting and be familiar with it enough to IGNORE BAD ADVICE like jumping off a freeway and right back on. That is often because of old construction data in the maps data base.

One thing I like about RVTripWizard is that when an update is done to the maps - everyone has instant access to the updated info.

When Garmin updates their maps, I have to connect the GPS to my computer, download the update, then perform another bit of witchdoctoring to get the updated map onto the GPS.

I learned the hard way to NEVER get off an interstate, tollway, etc that I don't expect before I started the daily drive. Now, if it is a live traffic alert, that's something else.

Getting off the route for something like that is a PULL OVER AND STOP in safe place to figure out what is going on, and what is a good way to adjust my route.

It is much better to know how the GPS wants to change the travel plan, than to blindly follow a route you know nothing about.