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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:26 pm Post subject:
I DON'T WANT a reduced subscription. I DON'T WANT a reduced service. I bought my first subscription when it was £80 for the year and worth it for the Traffic and Google Search (although I'd have happily accepted a refund on the cameras, Help Me Find a Police Station 200 Miles Away and the fuel prices!).
I want the full service I paid for. _________________ Dennis
Joined: Mar 26, 2004 Posts: 548 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:11 am Post subject:
I'm not a frequent TomTom user but I do need it to be as accurate as possible when I do so, in the six months or so that the Traffic data range has been reduced, how has it affected those who use it day in, day out?
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:20 am Post subject:
spook51 wrote:
I'm not a frequent TomTom user but I do need it to be as accurate as possible when I do so, in the six months or so that the Traffic data range has been reduced, how has it affected those who use it day in, day out?
Well, I thought pottsy, AndyV and I had already mentioned it.
In my own case, I go wherever I'm sent, "four corners" of UK from Bristol.
If I'm, at home before I set off, it might be possible to have a quick look at the TT online Traffic situation, but TBH, when I get a call, it's sameday delivery and they want me on the road, not fiddling with my computer at home. So the traffic situation interests me from the TomTom Live device. Generally, there are optional routes for me - even London has the choice of M4 or M40. So advance warning of a bit of nastiness is very useful to choose an alternative route.
If I'm already out on the road, maybe I could look at the TT Traffic site from my iPad, but once again, they want me moving along, so the Live TT is the proper solution.
If I'm going some distance (and I hate short trips which are not cost effective/profitable), there is usually a choice of routes. The problem with TT device is it's a computer - fastest route means exactly that, whether by one minute or one hour, so it will plan me accordingly. So is shortest route (hence examples of people being directed off and on at junctions, in and out of laybyes). With my less than perfect mind, I can sometimes spot these things and ignore the TT. Having long range Traffic Service allows me to override the TT for a minimal difference journey - I do that constantly - I have three devices in my van and invariably choose to go the shortest of the fastest routes offered - ten miles makes the difference of a litre of diesel, but nobody will notice quarter of an hour's difference in my delivery time. A traffic jam is equally unattractive. _________________ Dennis
Joined: Mar 26, 2004 Posts: 548 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:46 am Post subject:
Let me put this a different way for you Dennis. When you were at the wheel, did you notice any deterioration in route planning during the six months to July 25th?
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:26 am Post subject:
Somewhere back in the sands of time (about February when we were first muttering about this problem?) I posted a report about a trip where the Live 550 did not report a traffic problem when I set off, whereas my RDS-TMC devices did ("There is a closed road on your route"). The 550 was directing me along my preferred route to the lower M25 - M4, A329M, M3, where the others were directing me to M4/M25. It did eventually pick up the CLOSURE of M3 (which lasted all day), but only when it was about 50 miles away. My destination was Dungeness, with a (not very fast) alternative route down to Southampton, then A27 eastwards - I might have chosen that if I had bad incidents on M3 and M25, but that means A36 from Bath (A34 from Newbury is 35 miles - 3 litres - extra). Note, I'm in a badly paid business - a 200 mile delivery earns me £100, but costs me £75 - 3 litres makes a difference! Mind you, if the 550 tells me there's a baddy on the way and I'll need to divert, maybe I could tell my customer and negotiate for the extra mileage?
Of course, one problem with the Live devices is they plan, but then scan for problems and re-plan before giving you a finished route, so if they do take account of incidents, you may not hear about them. This is one reason why I'm grateful to have RDS-TMC on my other devices - I can (quickly because of the faster re-draw time) look at the route on them to see how they differ from the Live device. _________________ Dennis
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:32 am Post subject:
As for noticing deterioration, that's difficult for me - different destinations daily, unlike pottsy's steady commute.
My once-in-a-lifetime best ever trip into central London was 5 hours round trip. Last Friday it took me 9 - earned me £70, cost £55! _________________ Dennis
Joined: Mar 26, 2004 Posts: 548 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:38 am Post subject:
Thanks Dennis. Reason I asked is that I make the same 200 mile journey frequently and I imagine you're on different routes all the time. I follow what TT tells me on the grounds I'd rather keep moving than sit in traffic and I reckon I now know all the rat runs around the NE section of the M25.
Joined: Aug 20, 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:46 am Post subject:
Another problem with the short range of HD Traffic, and the reason why increasing the range to 120km (~75 miles) is not sufficient, is that the ETA is badly affected. If I'm likely to be an hour late for a meeting, I like to be able to warn the other attendees that I may be late. _________________ John
1005 Live
App: 12.071
Map: Europe v925.5413
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:48 am Post subject:
I could have done with you when I tried my sense of direction to duck and dive around North Weald and ended up inside the business end of the ex-RAF base on market day (it was my first posting in the RAF in 1958, so I was tempted - didn't know it was one way in and out, but behind everything else for miles!). _________________ Dennis
Quick update – we’re currently having management meetings to define the fastest and best solution. Needless to say, we need to implement something that doesn’t create more problems down the line.
Our first action will be to increase the range from the current 80km to 120km. Going directly back to the original 160km range is not feasible due to the much greater detail and volume of incidents we now provide with HD Traffic 5.0 and multiple new data sources. We are currently testing this increase to 120km and if all goes well it will be live on Thursday afternoon (4th August).
Quick update – we’re currently having management meetings to define the fastest and best solution. Needless to say, we need to implement something that doesn’t create more problems down the line.
Our first action will be to increase the range from the current 80km to 120km. Going directly back to the original 160km range is not feasible due to the much greater detail and volume of incidents we now provide with HD Traffic 5.0 and multiple new data sources. We are currently testing this increase to 120km and if all goes well it will be live on Thursday afternoon (4th August).
To which our reaction is as stated by JohnMulholland, not good enough, plus we want it back to what we paid for and what they appear to advertise, whole journey. - Y'know, the ad says stuff like "Get there on time, no hassle, no traffic jams" - that means they are doing the traffic business all the way there, doesn't it? That's how I and so many others bought it. IO mean, if I'm going from here to Glasgow or Edinburgh, I expect them to do the traffic thing for over 350 miles, not just to Gloucester or even Birminghham! _________________ Dennis
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I could have done with you when I tried my sense of direction to duck and dive around North Weald and ended up inside the business end of the ex-RAF base on market day (it was my first posting in the RAF in 1958, so I was tempted - didn't know it was one way in and out, but behind everything else for miles!).
