kg1d dx
Columbia Connecticut USA
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I have a Garnin nuvi which comes with a traffic alert system. They also offer a premium service by MSN at a price. Are they worth the extra money?
2007 Sportscoach Elite QS40
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flibmeister
Gold Canyon, Arizona
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Joined: 03/03/2006
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kg1d dx wrote:They also offer a premium service by MSN at a price. Are they worth the extra money?
According to the thread below, MSN traffic is going away:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23349303.cfm
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SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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ya beat me.. 
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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ngc1514
Atlanta, GA
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A question for someone who has the traffic service on their GPS - either a pay or freebie. How current is the traffic reporting? A friend (probably the least technical person I know) says on his 255WT the reports are about 20 minutes out of date. That sort of lag isn't very useful in a metropolitan area like Atlanta.
Would anyone like to give a small review of the traffic services currently available?
Eric
2003 Outback 25FB
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Deus Ex Machina
Central New Jersey
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ngc1514 wrote:A question for someone who has the traffic service on their GPS - either a pay or freebie. How current is the traffic reporting? A friend (probably the least technical person I know) says on his 255WT the reports are about 20 minutes out of date. That sort of lag isn't very useful in a metropolitan area like Atlanta.
Would anyone like to give a small review of the traffic services currently available?
I've always been curious about the technology they use to GET the traffic information. Do they monitor the speed of everyone's cell phones in their cars?
I see traffic slowdowns indicated on local, two lane highways in my suburban area as soon as they happen, and I am not anywhere near a metropolitan area. It would take an army of people and millions of $$$ to monitor all those roads and have people calling in traffi jams. 
Paul
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David_in_TX
Grand Prairie, Texas
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In most of the areas where traffic is available, they have installed sensors on the roadsides to measure average vehicle speed. I believe they also monitor local radio and television traffic reports to gather data.
Deus Ex Machina wrote:ngc1514 wrote:A question for someone who has the traffic service on their GPS - either a pay or freebie. How current is the traffic reporting? A friend (probably the least technical person I know) says on his 255WT the reports are about 20 minutes out of date. That sort of lag isn't very useful in a metropolitan area like Atlanta.
Would anyone like to give a small review of the traffic services currently available?
I've always been curious about the technology they use to GET the traffic information. Do they monitor the speed of everyone's cell phones in their cars?
I see traffic slowdowns indicated on local, two lane highways in my suburban area as soon as they happen, and I am not anywhere near a metropolitan area. It would take an army of people and millions of $$$ to monitor all those roads and have people calling in traffi jams.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnicholstx
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SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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ngc1514 wrote:A question for someone who has the traffic service on their GPS - either a pay or freebie. How current is the traffic reporting? A friend (probably the least technical person I know) says on his 255WT the reports are about 20 minutes out of date. That sort of lag isn't very useful in a metropolitan area like Atlanta.
Would anyone like to give a small review of the traffic services currently available? I'm sure that date is accurate and on-time as it's the same data the radio and TV folks get. The problem is that the free 'T' models use a really slow mode of delivery that can and does cause those sorts of delays, which is why I went for the now defunct MSN system that is way faster at reporting. At least in Los Angeles.
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fotodog
San Francisco, CA
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I subscribed to the Nuvi traffic service for a year, and didn't bother to renew it. From my understanding, it uses the same services as the TV and radio stations. I've found it very hit or miss. Sometimes accurate, sometimes you're sitting in traffic that's not reported, and sometimes you're moving when a traffic jam is reported. The potential is great, just not quite there yet, in my opinion.
Tim, my wife Li, and Snickers the Wonder Kitty
2008 Tiffen Allegro 30DA, Workhorse W22 Chassis, Allison 6 speed, Chevy 8.1L V8
2006 Jeep Liberty with Blue Ox baseplate & ReadyBrake system
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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I agree with fotodog and let mine expire also for the same reasons.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook 30FKS TT
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JaBob
Roswell, Georgia
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I have the service on my Garmin. Don't know if it's 20 minutes late or not. It's better than I would have had and is considered a good option. Twice I have been routed around jams. One draw back is that not all area have the service.
Bob
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