Navigation Aids

[Bronson512]

I very seldom go anywhere without my Garmin GPS but a few months back my brother tossed a new contender into the ring. He started telling me about WAZE. It's an App available for smartphones and uses info gathered from users phones and their input to assist in warning about up coming traffic issues, police, accident, objects lying in roadway etc. Twice during our trip it routed us around traffic congestion while the trusty Garmin (with traffic) that was setting up on the dash sat silent with a message that said no traffic ahead. Waze will notify you of an object in the road up ahead, accidents, police, vehicles on side of highway. As a registered user you are allowed to enter info for others to see.

KY. DOT uses WAZE and marks all construction areas and lane closures or road closures so this is very helpful also.

NBC did a story yesterday with 3 cars leaving from the same place heading to NBC studios during a busy traffic time. WAZE beat Garmin by over 30 min. and Apple maps by 9 min. All devices were programmed for the fastest route.

I have an older phone and WAZE is very hard on my battery so I only open the app when I'm plugged in.


I don't like the cartoonish graphics with the app but they serve their purpose.

Try it and give it a shot, I think you'll like it.

[Marc H]

Sounds interesting.I'm experimenting with using an app on my phone.One problem I've run into is if you run into area with no cell service you loose your GPS.

[Phu Cat]

You guys are kiddin, right? Ma and I go out HOPIN! to get lost and find roads we've never been on before. That's what credit cards are for.

PC

[Sully]

The Newer Garmins have the same traffic alerts as Waze and will reroute you. With Waze you need to have unlimited Data on your phone, if not, your going to pay big time for using it as a GPS for a long period of time. Plus you may not have cell coverage in some areas. I use Waze to see why traffic is stopped on local roads.

[Bronson512]

Oh I been there many a time and many of my best days are exactly as you said, I don't think you can beat that style of riding BUT there are those days you're going from point A to B and you need to be there. On those days setting in stalled traffic with my wheels not turning is not my idea of how I want to tell people I spent my day. That's when I need to cheat a little an find a better route. Cheers!

[Bikerbozo]

I tend to have a standard GPS running on my left handlebar and cell in holder on right. If expecting traffic (think NYC, like today), I might use Waze, but in traffic and daylight, it is hard to see. So recently, I started using Bluetooth earbuds ($14 at Walgreens) to listen to directions. Works pretty good.

[Bronson512]

The Newer Garmins have the same traffic alerts as Waze and will reroute you. With Waze you need to have unlimited Data on your phone, if not, your going to pay big time for using it as a GPS for a long period of time. Plus you may not have cell coverage in some areas. I use Waze to see why traffic is stopped on local roads.

I know lots of time when someone post back in a forum it sounds argumentative. Sully that is absolutely not what I'm trying to do with this post. I want to get my facts straight. I might be a Garmin version or two behind but all my Garmins do have the reroute mode and the traffic mode but the point I made in my original post (or meant to) we were saved 2 times by WAZE to reroute when Garmin with their traffic alert said no traffic ahead. I do like WAZE user interaction. If I see or run upon an accident, congestion, police or debris on the highway I can enter it in my device and it immediately shows up on anyone else device using WAZE in that area, and if your setting is set to do so it will also give you a verbal announcement. You can also put messages up concerning what lane to be in or any info needed or send a message to other users in the area that might help you. Their icon is shown on the screen but no personal info is given out. I think there is a website on the computer to help the learning curve.

Yes I suppose cell service could be a problem? I don't know about how much data it uses but as I said it does hit my battery pretty hard. I use it pretty much everywhere I go as we live in the country an are about 35-40 minutes from a larger town. There are a couple of traffic trouble spots and when there are problems they shut it down for hours. We stopped in to the Verizon store Tuesday and he said our usage is just slightly over 1 gig every month. We very seldom use free wifi out in public like McDonalds as they seem to have slowed them down so much cell service is faster. That being said we have unlimited Wifi at home with another ISP. One of the Home phone, Internet, and TV type deals.

I do love the larger screen on Garmin as I have a iphone 5 and the tiny screen is not a plus.

[Bikerbozo]

I forgot the one issue I have with Waze. It doesn't take into effect HOV lanes. Which are open to M/C's.

[Bronson512]

I forgot the one issue I have with Waze. It doesn't take into effect HOV lanes. Which are open to M/C's.

......... Now bikerbozo I feel like I'm being ganged up on. ......around here weve got none of those HOV's .....BUT I don't think Garmin takes in consideration HOV's either.

However WAZE does read the speed of its users so the HOV Lane speed of WAZE users is taken in consideration if a reroute is suggested. Remember if you are a WAZE user it is reading your speed through the area that you and other WAZE users are traveling thus the ability to redirect with up to the minute data.

Ive showed WAZE to 5-6 people as we traveled down the highway or by just scrolling through the map to show them current traffic happenings in their area. They all are now believers. At this time I'm not going to say I'll leave my Garmin at home, but their is certainly room to improve. If WAZE is ever available in a device like a Garmin. My Garmins will then be left at home.

I hope this make some sense as typing on a phone is not my strong point.