I love modern technology, but I'm not always thrilled with the routing suggestions from my Rand McNally GPS. Ideally, here's what I'd change:1) When I'm heading to a destination, I'd like to use Major Interstate Highways first to get as close as possible, followed by State limited access highways, then state highways with medians, progressing down to trunk roads, and finally streets. I don't want to be routed along every back alley and side street just to save a couple hundred yards off the trip.2) When I'm looking at a long trip on a highway that looks like it's 300 miles long, I don't want the GPS telling me there's a merge or change every 20 miles or so. My GPS makes it look like I'm traveling on 10 different highways when in reality, it's only one long one.Anyone have any ideas how to configure my unit to fix these two problems? Or is there a better way. I find similar problems on my IPad with Google Maps and several other products.

I own Garmin units (Zumo 660 for my TV and motorcycle, Edge 800 for my bikes ... as in bicycles) and in various scenarios, encountered the same challenge as you describe wanting to take a route slightly different from what the GPS wants.If a significant diversion from where a GPS would want to route me, I will use mapping software to create a route and upload to my device (assuming your Rand McNally can do the same?). If simply an alternate route as you might see in Google Maps, I will make a few notes about the exit or road to turn on and allow the GPS to catch up with me and re-route or re-calculate.As to the GPS jabbering about various interchanges, I keep the volume turned pretty low and rely on the visual ques on the GPS screen. Once in town where I need to be 100% focused on the road, I will have my co-pilot (who usually has her paper maps out as backup!) turn up the volume so I can hear the turn by turn navigation.Hope it helps!

I understand what your talking about! When I first started using a GPS, I turned off the highway I was on cause it was sounding like I needed to exit, but really it was another highway joining. Best I can tell, they all do that! My fix, I don't really trust'em!

Always mute the sound on a GPS.

msgtord wrote:Always mute the sound on a GPS.Doesn't help. Even if I mute it, the GPS still shows a change of course in the next 20 miles or so. If I have 200 miles to go, I really want to focus on the road and not worry about the GPS for 198 miles. Besides, I set the GPS to warn me if I exceed the speed limit. I like that feature.

Not setting a GPS for the "shortest route", but rather for the "fastest route", will eliminate a lot of those back alley and cow path routes.

The ideal GPS route | Good Sam Community

mpierce
Explorer
Aug 26, 2014
Solving the problems the old fashioned way. Use a paper map!

At least, check the GPS route against a paper map. Sometimes the GPS does REALLY STUPID things.
mowermech
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
My son and I tried to used the Nav system in his Rubicon to find a ranch in Wyoming. We had a good street address, but the Nav took us to a private lane that was a dead end, not even on the right road!
We found the ranch the old fashioned way, with a map.
I have had similar problems in Wyoming with a Tom-Tom. It told me to turn five miles before the road where I needed to turn. Luckily there was no road of any kind where it wanted me to turn, so I ignored it.
I have learned to not trust any nav system of any kind. They just aren't as smart as some folks think they are!
Roy_Lynne
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
LOL have to laugh, I was crossing country and going to a campground about 50 miles away. I was on Hwy 214 but it was getting late and so I turned on my GPS thinking it would take me the fastest route. What was I thinking. It routed me right through the heart of this fairly large town on Hwy 18 and I'm sure I hit every red light and rush hour traffic. You guessed it, then it curved back to Hwy 214 where lo and behold, there was my destination. I've learned to always have a second opinion when it comes to our GPS.
Homer1
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
Good tips, will try them all. Thanks.
holstein13
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
Kemahsabe wrote:
Homer wrote:
Tyrone and Gladys. I have tried that on mine and it will not take me to the town unless I enter a street address. I do not have any street addresses in that town.
What do you do to get around this?

Enter "Main St." then pick a low address number. Usually the center of town.

I've done this many, many times and only found one town without a "Main St" - Texarkana, TX.

And if that doesn't work, use 2nd street. It's the most common street name in the US. Oddly enough, 1st street doesn't work because it's often called "Main." "Main Street" is the 7th most common street name in the US.
TyroneandGladys
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
Kemahsabe wrote:
Homer wrote:
Tyrone and Gladys. I have tried that on mine and it will not take me to the town unless I enter a street address. I do not have any street addresses in that town.
What do you do to get around this?

Enter "Main St." then pick a low address number. Usually the center of town.

I've done this many, many times and only found one town without a "Main St" - Texarkana, TX.

That or go to find places/services in whatever and select one
Homer1
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
Will try this trick - Thanks
Kemahsabe
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
Homer wrote:
Tyrone and Gladys. I have tried that on mine and it will not take me to the town unless I enter a street address. I do not have any street addresses in that town.
What do you do to get around this?

Enter "Main St." then pick a low address number. Usually the center of town.

I've done this many, many times and only found one town without a "Main St" - Texarkana, TX.
Homer1
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
Tyrone and Gladys. I have tried that on mine and it will not take me to the town unless I enter a street address. I do not have any street addresses in that town.
What do you do to get around this?
holstein13
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
Thanks PawPaw, looks like you've thought this through pretty well.

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