Motoring Discussion > iPhone as a SatNav Miscellaneous
Thread Author: John Boy Replies: 13
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New Sat 1 Jun 24 22:54 
 iPhone as a SatNav - John Boy
I haven’t used Google Maps on my iPhone as a SatNav very much, but I did last year for a 230 mile trip. I noticed that I didn’t get a prompt at 2 important junctions and only stayed on the route because I’d looked at all of them beforehand in Street View. Experimenting recently with a trip I do regularly, I find that I never get a prompt at one particular junction. I assume that my phone signal must be non-existent there. Am I right and is there anything I can do about it?
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 08:41 
 iPhone as a SatNav - Bromptonaut
I'm Android rather than Apple but I can't remember any issue that was consistent like this. Friday/yesterday I drove from home to Uig on Skye, around 600 miles, and although I know the way, other than finding our way to a hotel just off the M74, I had Android Auto on and it never missed a beat.

HAve you tried different mapping to see if it's a google issue.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 09:28 
 iPhone as a SatNav - carmalade
I use waze with my I phone, either as a stand alone device or plugged into the usb media socket on the wife’s Vitara .
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 10:06 
 iPhone as a SatNav - CGNorwich
What sort of junction? If the satnav has directed you to drive straight for the next 10 mile that’s what you feed to do and ignore any junctions to the left or right. If you are driving in an area without a signal make sure you download the map of the area. You will still get directions but you will lose details of traffic etc
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 10:26 
 iPhone as a SatNav - John Boy
>> What sort of junction?
>>
It's a T-junction, CG, where I can turn L or R. I turn L and always get the next prompt about a mile further on. I've not tried turning R, but I assume I'd be re-routed after a while.

Anyway, I'll download the map. I'm doing the trip again tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 16:28 
 iPhone as a SatNav - Manatee
What do you mean by "didn't get a prompt"? The map shows the route, doesn't it?

Have you got sound on, and waiting for an instruction? I just read the next instruction when I leave a junction and look at it when I get there.

I think it would be unusual not to get an instruction for a marked T junction when you are on the minor road.

I was on some minor roads recently where there was a straight on that was actually a left turn IYKWIM. It was marked as such with a dotted line showing that the "main" road was physically a right turn. It was clear that Google didn't know the priority and it just ignored it, even though the route on the map went straight on. It does happen, but rarely.

It was here, going north towards Ireland (in Bedfordshire).


tinyurl.com/nzdf7vbk

To be fair, I think it showed the instruction "Continue straight" rather than "Turn left". That might have been confusing. I inferred that it was treating it as an unmarked junction. Which it might well be, officially. There are no give way signs on any of the approaches that I can see.
Last edited by: R.P. on Sun 2 Jun 24 at 16:34
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 16:29 
 iPhone as a SatNav - R.P.
iPhone never missed a beat on my bike journeys. I use Apple's own mapping.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 16:32 
 iPhone as a SatNav - Manatee
Not having a signal shouldn't stop you getting a prompt as long as you have GPS location.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 17:49 
 iPhone as a SatNav - smokie
I use Waze on Android so this is totally irrelevant here but just for interest I recently found I can turn off prompts so the only spoken stuff I hear is alerts. Useful when you are on a route you know and listening to something on the radio.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 20:15 
 iPhone as a SatNav - Robin O'Reliant
>> I use Waze on Android so this is totally irrelevant here but just for interest
>> I recently found I can turn off prompts so the only spoken stuff I hear
>> is alerts. Useful when you are on a route you know and listening to something
>> on the radio.
>>

I'm late to the party here, I've been using a Garmin satnav for over a decade with no updates. It got confused on a trip to Swansea last week because of road alterations so prompted by this thread I downloaded Waze. A quick trip out this afternoon and I must say it is absolutely brilliant. Much better than the Garmin.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 18:31 
 iPhone as a SatNav - John Boy
Replyiing to Manatee:

I don't want to look at the screen if I can get an oral instruction. You're right though, the route was showing on the screen.

Both roads are major roads.

I've got GPS location on.

Anyway, I've downloaded the map and will report back tomorrow evening after I've done the trip again. Thanks for the suggestions.
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New Sun 2 Jun 24 21:05 
 iPhone as a SatNav - Bromptonaut
>> I don't want to look at the screen if I can get an oral instruction.
>> You're right though, the route was showing on the screen.

And there perhaps is the difference, I'm happy to glance at the phone or the Fabia's console and follow that; voice instructions drive me up the wall.
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New Mon 3 Jun 24 19:04 
 iPhone as a SatNav - John Boy
It didn't work i.e. no oral prompt at that junction. In my opinion it needs one because the road goes from one lane to two, long before the junction with no sign or road marking. Eventually there's a sign but it's quite close to the junction. When I go along there one lane has a long tailback, whilst the other is relatively clear. Finding out which lane to be in would require more than a glance at the screen.
Consequently I will have to be more proactive in future.
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New Sun 9 Jun 24 12:16 
 iPhone as a SatNav - FuzzyDuck
I use Waze on a iPhone via Apple Carplay, never let me down.
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