[Guest]

I've been palying with the NAV a lot recently, and have been having
fun using the "shortest route" feature. Surprisingly, it sometimes
gives different paths for the shortest route between the same
two points! The routes are often interesting and usually not what
you'd expect (I do this mostly with local travel where I already know
my way arround).

A double bonus is that it often provides paths on the sort of country
back roads with 40 mph speed limits and not a lot of stop/go traffic
that the Prius loves - plus the route is shorter so not only can you get
higher mileage, but travel fewer miles while doing it.

I don't recommend this strategy in congested city areas, or when
you'll be using the AC - shorter time is a superior strategy with the
AC on.

I wonder how the NAV decides the shortest route - it clearly has to
use an estimate since the problem is generally intractable, but the
doesn't imply randomness; nevertheless it definitely can produce
multiple "shortest" paths between the same points - usually diverging
near the beginning and converging again quickly.

The last bonus is that you get to see places you live near that you've
never seen before!

[%sig%]

 

[Guest]

Once when I tried "shortest route" locally, the Nav Lady took me around in circles! The last time I tried it, she asked me to turn left at an intersection where no left turn was allowed, although that may have been a new restriction.

On the other hand, "fastest route" isn't necessarily the quickest. I guess the Nav computes "fastest route" according to the speed limits, but just because a road has a 55 mph limit doesn't mean that the traffic is moving that quickly during rush hour. Sometimes the 30 mph side streets are quicker.

My husband thinks that the Nav Lady should know about traffic jams ahead and automatically re-route us around them. Maybe in the 2003 model . . . .

Barbara

 

[JacobK]

My wife and I call the NAV Lady Priscilla, Queen Of he Vol

I look forward to the day I can change her voice.