GPS with "real-time" traffic reports =worthwhile?

[swbsam]

I have an old school Garmin and am considering upgrading it (my wife would like text to speech), but wonder if I should get one with real time traffic reports.

There are 3 ways to get home from my work, the trips varying from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on traffic. Would a traffic reporting GPS analyze the traffic conditions and re-route depending on which route is best given the conditions? Is it really that accurate, will it list accidents or will it only list previously scheduled construction?

Moved from Off Topic
Moderator allisolm

 

[Gibson486]

it is not really that great. When I had it, it only worked half the time. It would tell me that there was a 30 minute pile up 4 miles down the road.....but there was no pile up and I went right through. At other times, it did not tell me at all when traffic was backed up and I got stuck in traffic james for 1 hour.

Also, i had times where my garmin told me to take an alternate route b/c there was a traffic jam...well....it gave me an alternate route, but with a bigger traffic jam. I have learned to only use my gps for going to places I am not familiar with. For routes on how to get home and avoid traffic, nothing beats your own personal experience and a map.

BTW, it is meant to be real time...so it tells you jams do to an accident....

 

[pm]

It's not exactly what the OP is asking, but for what it's worth, I've found the traffic information on Google to be very close to real time, and I've never seen a situation where Google's traffic update differs massively from reality. I've used this in the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver and found it to be accurate when I did it. This only applies if you are in a city with real-time traffic monitoring system capability - but most large cities in the US have this.

So, swbsam, you could check Google maps with traffic before you leave and have Google maps route your trip rather than a GPS.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=4&om=1&layer=t
(and, as an added bonus it's free )

Also phones with Google Maps, a GPS and internet data can do a good job routing in real time - like the T-Mobile G1 and the iPhone. I've done this a couple of times in Denver and it worked well.

I have no experience with GPS's with traffic monitoring, but you'd think if Google could do it, they could too.

 

[Funyuns101]

In my experience, I've found that it's fairly slow to update like Gibson said. However, it obviously only really works on if you're in a city that gets those traffic updates.
I've had a friend with a blackberry and google maps w/traffic up to compare against the GPS traffic updates - they're fairly consistent.
It's not the best, but it's not terrible especially considering that I only paid $100 for mine. So I can't complain too much.

It's helped me out a couple of times, but it isn't always right. Sometimes it'll say that there's a big traffic jam and I'll fly right by and other times the opposite.
I've also sat in a traffic jam and the GPS then announced the accident after I had sat through it for a little while - thus my conclusion that it's fairly slow to update. But all in all, not too bad.

I wouldn't pay a considerable amount just to have it though. It's definitely a nice feature to have along with TTS.

 

[erwos]

If you're using RDS or similar, it's sometimes handy, but it is slow to update.

OTOH, if you suck it up and buy something like the Dash Express, you should have much more useful traffic updates.

 

[gorcorps]

I would never buy a GPS just for traffic updates as they just don't work well enough to consider that a valid feature. Like PM said, a phone with google maps gives a pretty accurate idea of the traffic. If you really want the traffic stuff, upgrade your phone and use google maps. Or if that isn't something major you needed, then just upgrade the GPS and don't rely on the traffic too much.

 

[heymrdj]

On this note I leave on my anual 1,000 mile trip on Tuesday and I'm trying to decide whether to renew my MSN Direct Traffic Service for my Nuvi 760 for 50$ or not..I also need to update my GPS's firmware with the new one released May 11 (my birthday ), and download the new 2009.1 map update. Dam, now even my peripheral electronics need entire "maintenance" days to themselves lol. As if managing 8 computers wasn't enough.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

you should read some reviews. Using an FM transmitter is actually pretty good and it's comparable to the MSN Direct. Based on what I've seen the MSN Direct is great, but not worth it, and you'd rather just pay more up front to get an FM transmitter that gives you traffic info for life.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
you should read some reviews. Using an FM transmitter is actually pretty good and it's comparable to the MSN Direct. Based on what I've seen the MSN Direct is great, but not worth it, and you'd rather just pay more up front to get an FM transmitter that gives you traffic info for life.

The MSN Direct receiver is what costs so much I guess. The direct service is cheaper annually than the Garmin TMC. The Navteq they provide with the unit is only good for traffic and costs 60$ per year. The MSN provides traffic, weather, gas, ect ect for 50$ a year.

 

[corkyg]

The term "real time" is generally interpreteted to mean a continuous streaming of info at the same time it is happening. However, the term has become somewhat abused by marketing geniuses. They have figured out that the letter of the law can be satisfied if the info/data is "real time" at the instant it was posted. From that point on, unless it is live streaming, it ceases to be real time.

You can get very good traffic and road conditions in near real time via XM/Sirius satellite radio. That is actually safer than a small display which requires the driver to look at it instead of the road filled with ever changing traffic movements. Aural info is safer than visual.

Someday, we will have a GPS unit that projects the information via a head up display on the lower windshield. Then the drive can see the road and the display at the same time. This is already available for key auto instrument readings.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: corkyg
You can get very good traffic and road conditions in near real time via XM/Sirius satellite radio. That is actually safer than a small display which requires the driver to look at it instead of the road filled with ever changing trqaffic movements..

This does not however give us the data we want when we want it.

Of course the best solution i've still found is tethering my HTC Touch Pro to my laptop, running my laptop off the inverter in the truck, and leaving the laptop in the front seat.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: heymrdj
This does not however give us the data we want when we want it.
Of course the best solution i've still found is tethering my HTC Touch Pro to my laptop, running my laptop off the inverter in the truck, and leaving the laptop in the front seat.

And I assume you will pull over everytime you want to look at the laptop? That's as bad as texting while driving.

Another alternative is OnStar with directions etc. Let's face it - nothing that makes the driver look away from the road is a safe solution.

An even better solution is to study the map and data before setting out and using your noodle.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: corkyg

Originally posted by: heymrdj
This does not however give us the data we want when we want it.
Of course the best solution i've still found is tethering my HTC Touch Pro to my laptop, running my laptop off the inverter in the truck, and leaving the laptop in the front seat.

And I assume you will pull over everytime you want to look at the laptop? That's as bad as texting while driving.

Another alternative is OnStar with directions etc. Let's face it - nothing that makes the driver look away from the road is a safe solution.

An even better solution is to study the map and data before setting out and using your noodle.

Of course I pull over, this is at my rest stops.

As for onstar, that's a GM thing.

Things change. Pileups happen, weather (especially in the summer time) explodes out of no where. The real benefit of our information superhighway is to make these facts known to us anywhere at anytime when it's actually needed. Not once you've already run into it.