Start 25 & Country Lanes

[ianw]

Hi all,

Why is my Start 25 sending me on downright dangerous Country Lanes. It is going to go back very soon unless there is a solution to be had.

A very unhappy customer.

 

[dhn]

Have you selected 'fastest' in route planning? And 'avoid unpaved roads'?

 

[Andy_P]

To be fair, no road in the UK is "downright dangerous" for cars or motorcycles, otherwise it would not be a classified road.

TomToms assume you are driving a normal car or motorbike UNLESS you have a unit such as the "Truck" or "Camper" models where you can select other vehicle types, if you are driving something different.

Assuming you have chosen "fastest route" in the planning settings, then the routing algorythm is based on "time to travel" information for each section of road, so if it is found to be quicker to take a minor road it will do so, but normally it will stay on a faster major road.

If you have chosen "shortest route" then it will simply draw a straight line between the start and destination, and will take you down whatever roads are closest to it.

Haing said that, I have always found my TomToms to be quite keen to take me on "short-cuts" down minor roads when the time benefit is only a minute or two, and where common sense would say you should stay on the main road.
Unfortunately, "common sense" is actually a rather high-powered brain function and incredibly difficult to emulate in a £100 piece of electronics.

 

[canderson]

To be fair, no road in the UK is "downright dangerous" for cars or motorcycles, otherwise it would not be a classified road.

Having been sent down a few twisting single lane (and blind, thanks to the vegetation) goat tracks in the UK myself, I can appreciate the OP's issue! Some have even been paved after a fashion, and identified by my TomTom as such. It would be nice if there were a further classification for roads as regards width for the normal TomTom series (vs. caravan or truck versions) that would help to avoid this sort of road.

To the OP: As for sending it back, whatever you buy is going to give you the same headaches. It's GPS or no GPS, I'm afraid.

 

[fazq01]

Unfortunately, "common sense" is actually a rather high-powered brain function and incredibly difficult to emulate in a £100 piece of electronics.

So true, often can't be emulated in politicians either, and they cost a darn sight more than £100.

A feature to avoid minor roads would be useful, I for one don't often avoid motorways, but avoid minor roads, tractors, horses etc like the plague.