Why does this happen so often on the left coast?

[agesilaus]

GPS strikes again

BK

[JaxDad]

A little mud a couple days of boondocking forced on you isn't great, buuuuut.

This could have been a real tragedy.

Apple Maps error discovered.

[FunnyCamper]

from the story: The Gartons’ instinct told them to turn around when the directions felt wrong, but the duo said their 6-month-old GPS told them to push forward.

----
trust your instincts!! 🙂 I had to blow off our GPS a few times. blindly follow is never a good thing in anything in life! but the story had a good ending and they seemed to enjoy their adventure.

[dave54]

ktmrfs wrote:

wilber1 wrote:
...if your on or see a FS road. If the sign has the road numbers horizontal, the road should be passenger car passable in good weather. If the sign has the road numbers Vertical, then it is designated as high clearance 4wd passable. that should be clue #1.

And in the case of "high clearance" roads, the top of the sign will in most cases have the connecting passenger passable roadway number labeled horizontally in smaller type on the top.

That is the design level of the road. Unfortunately, budget cuts have forced the FS to defer road maintenance. So the horizontal road numbers may be a road that has not seen a blade or brushing in several years (the profits from timber sales used to finance much of the road and trail maintenance. No more timber sales means no more road/trail funds).

Each region of the Forest Service has a different number scheme for their roads. Region 5 (basically California) uses PLSS Townships for most roads, and PLSS Ranges for trails. Other regions use different. Figure out the local road numbering scheme and you can determine where the road goes and what other roads it connects with. Private timber companies will have their own road numbering system separate from the FS, even on the same road -- can be very confusing to the uninitiated.

[down_home]

I've recounted many adventures of the Garmin and Rand Mc Nally. From old Indian traces, through lake bottoms, old stage coach road, that was impassible 40 years ago, where the old old old home place was and Grand Ma's Sister sold biscuits and coffee to Stage Coach Riders, to underwater up Lake Michigan's shore, goat paths and people's driveways, fields and so on.
Some Programmers have a heck of a sense of humor or are using maps from Columbus's time.
The one in the Mercedes is haunted. It took me to my destination, a funeral home, without an address, just the highway.
The Ford's can never be turned off and has only take us on one or two adventures. Distant Relatives were in and their little Garmin led uss on more adventures.

[pompomgirl]

The answer to the OP's question is ... because it's still the Wild West.

But they usually do better than MapQuest. Once I was on the way to an oil spill incident in the back waters of the Olympic Peninsula, MapQuest very confidently had me turning at a locked gate that went straight into a field.

And finally ...

I have found my Garmin does not do very well in Oregon and Arizona. Just because Garmin says there is a road it is not always true. You have to use common sense before going down a cow path or a logging road.

There are actually places in Arizona where the actual road looks more like a cow path than anything else.

[ktmrfs]

skipro3 wrote:

RVUSA wrote:

skipro3 wrote:
I went on-line just now to check a route from Boise, ID to West Yellowstone MT.

Mapquest says:
I-84 E 386.67 miles
5 hrs 44 mins

Do the math;
You would have to average 67.3mph to do that run. REALLY?!???!!!
I don't think so!

Probably for a car?

I challenge anyone to make that route in any rig at that pace and not break the posted speed limits. Not many cars even have that kind of range; 400 miles.

well, my truck has a 450mile range, I have an easy 500+ mile range in my car. Highway/interstate Posted speed limit in most of Idaho is 75 for cars, same in montana. Possible if you can avoid any towns, but I agree, not very likely. With DW impossible, she needs rest stops to often. I suppose it could be done with one quick rest stop. If I'm by myself, I usually go about 4 hrs between stops minimum.

BTW my garmin RV760 seems to have darn accurate time estimates for us when we are towing.

[ktmrfs]

wilber1 wrote:
Never, ever select the shortest distance option.

Well, I'll qualify that. On my GPS you can select "No unpaved roads" Do that and then shortest distance is much safer. In fact when I'm towing I always use the "no unpaved roads" option.

why so many folks get lost out west vs east????

Well, the west has lots of FS roads that interconnect lots of major paved roadways. Many FS roads are pasable by passenger cars, many many others aren't. But gps if you make the wrong choices will try routing you on those for the shortest route.

And a hint, if your on or see a FS road. If the sign has the road numbers horizontal, the road should be passenger car passable in good weather. If the sign has the road numbers Vertical, then it is designated as high clearance 4wd passable. that should be clue #1.

And in the case of "high clearance" roads, the top of the sign will in most cases have the connecting passenger passable roadway number labeled horizontally in smaller type on the top.

[Ski_Pro_3]

DianneOK wrote:
Most of the route from Boise to W Yellowstone is freeway and up to 75mph......

You are correct. I just checked. Just about all of it is 75mph. Although I don't think I'd be driving that fast. thanks!!

[dakonthemountai]

Ya know, I'm the Director of Administration for an academic research institute at the university, and I LOVE research and technology... However I've never had a GPS and am not sure I ever will for reasons just like this. My other half LOVES it and has gotten lost numerous times. I LOVE paper maps and sitting down and plotting out my travels and the fun of imagining just what lies ahead based on the topographical indicators on the map... But that's just me... kinda old school when I'm on "vacation".... 🙂

Yup, even old school folks still live on the "left coast"... 😉
Dak

[DianneOK]

Most of the route from Boise to W Yellowstone is freeway and up to 75mph......

[RVUSA]

skipro3 wrote:
I challenge anyone to make that route in any rig at that pace and not break the posted speed limits. Not many cars even have that kind of range; 400 miles.

I assume the mapping software knows the allowable speed limits along the route. I do not believe that any of them account for stops for any reason. Just straight drive time. I have seen my phone actually modify my ETA due to traffic, but it's just averaging my current speed in.

[TOMMY47]

Same in Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

[Eurocamper]

I work at a land-management agency and I am occasionally asked for directions to campsites or back-country areas. Many people I talk to seem to have no navigation or map skills, or even rudimentary sense of direction.

They usually want me to just give them an address to plug into their GPS. I have to explain to them that campgrounds deep in the forest don't receive mail so they don't have an address.

[fla-gypsy]

A whole generation of people will be geographically ignorant and be unable to navigate from a map.

[Ski_Pro_3]

RVUSA wrote:

skipro3 wrote:
I went on-line just now to check a route from Boise, ID to West Yellowstone MT.

Mapquest says:
I-84 E 386.67 miles
5 hrs 44 mins

Do the math;
You would have to average 67.3mph to do that run. REALLY?!???!!!
I don't think so!

Probably for a car?

I challenge anyone to make that route in any rig at that pace and not break the posted speed limits. Not many cars even have that kind of range; 400 miles.