GPS epic fail in Asheville

[Kanga99]

Just returned from 5 days camping in Asheville, NC and thought I would warn everyone how bad the Garmin 760LMT GPS acted on this trip. I have used this GPS all over the country for 3 years and it has performed very well - until Asheville. It sent us on the wrong route at least half of the time and even sometimes showed the wrong street names. It was terrible. They are renaming an interstate (I-26) but that cannot be causing all of this.

If you are going to Asheville make sure you have an alternate navigation method.

I assume this is a bad data set issue so it may also effect other GPS systems.

[pismolocal]

Interesting you had that happen. I just took a short 5 day trip (1300 miles) through Death Valley, Reno and then Lake Tahoe. On our return home my GPS for the first time ever redirected me off the main highway and through a neighborhood outside of Sacremento. Wasn't sure why it did this but I followed it thinking that it was giving me a quicker route. Maybe avoiding a road closure? Accident? Who knows? Then about 4 miles into this neighborhood it tells me I have reached my destination. Wait, what? I had no clue where I was and never programmed that spot in my GPS. The neighborhood was very hilly with low trees and a tight road. Luckily, I was able to find a spot and turn the coach around. Just goes to show you can't always rely on GPS. I have quite a few AAA paper maps I have had for years. Always will have them just in case. I worry about all these kids that probably don't even know what a map is or how to even use one.

[m35a2]

Always preview the route.

Last week my GPS directed me to a flying j that turned out to be not only non existent, but in the middle of nowhere. I was on fumes. Had to backtrack 20 miles and made it to a truck stop with about 4 miles to spare.

Never again.

[Witch Doctor]

We have the same GPS, It will get weird at times. My wife loves to read maps as we travel, she always checks the new directions out. GPS will tell me oneway and she will say NO go this way, She is way better then the GPS. I'll be headed that way tomorrow thanks for the info. I also would like to know about the younger generation that can't read a map? With all these new ways like texting and things the younger generation have lost the art of conversation and put there trust in gadgets....

[rockfossilman]

Originally Posted by pismolocal

Interesting you had that happen. I just took a short 5 day trip (1300 miles) through Death Valley, Reno and then Lake Tahoe. On our return home my GPS for the first time ever redirected me off the main highway and through a neighborhood outside of Sacremento. Wasn't sure why it did this but I followed it thinking that it was giving me a quicker route. Maybe avoiding a road closure? Accident? Who knows? Then about 4 miles into this neighborhood it tells me I have reached my destination. Wait, what? I had no clue where I was and never programmed that spot in my GPS. The neighborhood was very hilly with low trees and a tight road. Luckily, I was able to find a spot and turn the coach around. Just goes to show you can't always rely on GPS. I have quite a few AAA paper maps I have had for years. Always will have them just in case. I worry about all these kids that probably don't even know what a map is or how to even use one.

I taught map-reading and interpretation techniques for almost 30 years. More recent students resisted learning how use of paper maps, saying a GPS device could get them to their destination. I also taught them how to use their GPS devices.

The main problem with using GPS device is that it doesn't help us know the big picture - you have to zoom out to see that and few of us bother to zoom out - we're more concerned about the next turn coming up. Previewing the whole trip in advance makes sense.

[raytwntrvlr]

We had a somewhat disturbing misfire with our Garmin on a recent trip. While cutting down from from Boise toward Montrose, CO along Hwy 6 we needed an overnight near Helper UT.
There's a no frills stop called Blue Cut RV park we decided on. When I got near I queried the Garmin for it's location and it took me to a place about a mile away on the wrong road. No biggie except on the wrong route was a RR underpass. It seemed pretty low but I thought surely it's high enough for my bumper pull. Turned out it's 12 ft 6 inches. Just might give some rigs a problem.
We were able to get turned around and thankfully my cellphones Google app took us to the correct location.
Blue Cut RV park? You pay $25 cash and get a full hookup. Not much but we didn't expect much.

BTW... I had just updated the database in my Garmin... go figure.

Stayed at the KOA in Montrose and it was very nice but about twice the money.

[BandJCarm]

HHmmmm.

I have kids that direction, so been through there a lot. And now that you mention it, I have had at least 4 different Garmin GPS's that get a bit confused in Asheville.

Might be the moonshine? Dunno. But I wouldn't blame that one unit unless it goes haywire elsewhere. Garmin has great phone support, btw.

[rsdata]

I used to use TOMTOM back in the day before I got my smartphone with GPS about 6-7 years ago...

TOMTOM would give goofy directions more than occasionally so when I found google maps app I pretty much quit using the TOMTOM dash device.

The last couple of years I have started to use the SIRI voice feature and tell my iphone to "take me to XXX" and it found a route and took me there with turn by turn directions... a few times though I questioned the map app decisions and found what I thought was the best route using my built-in direction finder in my head aided by Street and Route Signs...

I recently figured out that SIRI takes me to the MAPS app that is "Powered by TOMTOM"... well that explains things. You have to tap i on the opening screen and under Map Settings you see their LOGO.

I will now use the smartphone Google MAP app for directions and it has not YET led me astray... although only time will tell.

[curteric]

Never trust a GPS! We learned years ago that the programmers will try to keep you on a freeway as much as possible. Befor GPS's my parents were south for the winter. I would snail mail them and ask for directions to where they were. People would share the fastest, shortest routes, we were on vacation with limited time.

Several years ago I programed a car trip from Duluth Mn, to Tucson Az. No matter what I did Garmin took me thru Denver. I finally programed a stop in Oklahoma on Highway 54, even though I had told Garmin to use the fastest route my was 8.5 hours faster.

Stop at a state's official Travel Information Center and get an official state map. Not just for roads but there is a lot other of information on them that is useful.

[Bluepill]

Yup, Garmin and Asheville are a bad mix. I suspect that a flaw in the Garmin programming is responsible for for the craziness.

I carry an old laptop with Streets and Trips loaded on it so I can verify routes without a wireless connection. Very handy.

[asquared]

I have learned to compare google maps, Garmin (I have the rv760lmt) and Waze. The Garmin had issues in Georgia going to peach. It wanted to take us all kinds of crazy ways. The Waze app got us there. The Waze app tends to find shorter ways. I think it is related to the RV setting vs car setting on the Garmin. I still enjoy getting myself lost and finding my way back the old fashioned way just for fun. My mom taught me how to do this. I will teach my DD too.

[ronheater70]

I have found less flaws with simply using Google Maps on My cell than most GPS units I have had recently, at the least it can give you a comparative route.. if they are too far off, then somethings not right. On the other hand, If you have to get Lost, Asheville isn't a bad place to get Lost in, My daughter is up there today coincidentally!

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by asquared

I have learns to compare google maps, Garmin (I have the rv760lmt) and Waze. The Garmin had issues in Georgia going to peach. It wanted to take us all kinds of crazy ways. The Waze app got us there. The Waze app tends to find shorter ways. I think it is related to the RV setting vs car setting on the Garmin. I still enjoy getting myself lost and finding my way back the old fashioned way just for fun. My mom taught me how to do this. I will teach my DD too.

I'm with you.. I don't mind getting lost Myself.. My only issue is when I have camper behind me and tight spaces to turn around in!

[BandJCarm]

I didn't get lost in Asheville. But I DID spend 3 unwanted days there once, on a trip to daughter's house, because the Tahoe's fuel pump went out........in a driving rainstorm......at the first NC Welcome center...........going up the hill in the smokies on I-40......with no cell coverage. Ashevill is where AAA sent me.

I actually trust the Garmin GPS. I don't want to use my cell phone, too small and I use it for other things simultaneously. My GPS will get me there, eventually, regardless of how much I argue with it. And I had to chuckle at the guy who said it sends you on freeways always. I couldn't get it to send me on the freeway to daughter's old house via Hickory, NC. It wanted me to get off the freeway too early, regardless of whether I set if for 'fastest' or 'shortest' (The only two possibilities).

They work. Just not like your brain does exactly, all the time.

[asquared]

Originally Posted by ronheater70

I'm with you.. I don't mind getting lost Myself.. My only issue is when I have camper behind me and tight spaces to turn around in!

You and invade definitely on the same page with that one

[uhduh camping]

Well I had a new experience with the new Garmin 770. It told me to turn right onto "that road" yes "that road". It literally said "that road". The screen read "road" as the street name. I wished I was not driving so I could record it. I have been so disappointed with this GPS, this happened on our way to our favorite CG. Such poor routing decisions thus far, I really don't trust it going places I never been.

[BandJCarm]

Mine says "Turn on THE ROAD" all the time. It's usually paths inside of mall parking lots or such. If the road has a name, it usually knows it. Or I have caught it telling me to turn on SMITH ROAD and then later repeating but on the repeat it just says "THE ROAD". I guess it assumes I have a memory. Silly thing.

[Whiteknight]

We currently have three Garmin GPS's. We used Garmins C320 and a C330 for several years and never a problem. We Now have two Nuvi 1450s and the RV760 in my TV. The 1450s just in the last year or two routing have been strange. Wants to take dirt roads instead of the highway. But the 760 has been the worst. It will take a hog path if it can find one. They all three have the avoid unpaved roads checked in avoidances. I can check or uncheck unpaved roads and it will route me the same direction, no difference. I'm wondering if they have done something in an update that has disabled the avoidances from working. Even the shortest and Quickest options seem to make no difference.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by uhduh camping

Well I had a new experience with the new Garmin 770. It told me to turn right onto "that road" yes "that road". It literally said "that road". The screen read "road" as the street name. I wished I was not driving so I could record it. I have been so disappointed with this GPS, this happened on our way to our favorite CG. Such poor routing decisions thus far, I really don't trust it going places I never been.

There Is a "That Road" just south of Tyler TX.

[DickiedooFlagman]

Originally Posted by Kanga99

Just returned from 5 days camping in Asheville, NC and thought I would warn everyone how bad the Garmin 760LMT GPS acted on this trip. I have used this GPS all over the country for 3 years and it has performed very well - until Asheville. It sent us on the wrong route at least half of the time and even sometimes showed the wrong street names. It was terrible. They are renaming an interstate (I-26) but that cannot be causing all of this.

If you are going to Asheville make sure you have an alternate navigation method.

I assume this is a bad data set issue so it may also effect other GPS systems.

I have had pretty good luck with our Garmin 560LMT. I do install the updated Garmin provided map software regularly. I don't see any posters mentioning installing the Garmin map and software updates.