What to use

[Lorri]

Having had a couple of VERY close encounters on VERY small roads, we wondered if there was a better navigation system to use instead of what's preloaded onto van system

 

[Richardjames]

You don’t say what your close encounters were. Don’t ever rely on any satnav to predict hazards…if you are on very small roads drive a a speed where you can safely slow down or stop. We have many narrow roads in our area and even though we know them well we never drive as if we are on a wide and fast road.

 

[Lorri]

You don’t say what your close encounters were. Don’t ever rely on any satnav to predict hazards…if you are on very small roads drive a a speed where you can safely slow down or stop. We have many narrow roads in our area and even though we know them well we never drive as if we are on a wide and fast road.

Sat nav took us on some roads that were just wide enough for the Cali - it would tell us to turn off a decent size roads.

 

[Lorri]

Is there a setting on media pro to avoid small lanes/roads ? ?

 

[Richardjames]

We’ve had that problem too, and I’ve often said “I’m not going down there”, if I’ve managed to see where I’ve been directed! If you want a sat nav that avoids narrow roads, we had a Snooper Ventura Pro before we downsized to the Cali. You can program this with the length and width of your vehicle so you should not be directed down unsuitable roads!

 

[sidepod]

Map.

 

[WelshGas]

Is there a setting on media pro to avoid small lanes/roads ? ?

Does your SatNav not offer a choice of routes, Fastest, Medium, Shortest. Fastest keeps to main roads where possible, Shortest uses all shortcuts , often very minor roads, and Medium uses only classified roads.

 

[ArunAlec]

Sat nav + voice control….. now that’s fun.
”play Led Zeppelin”
response
“Navigating to nearest LIDL”
2 VAG vehicles with useless voice technology!
Alexa on the other hand is spookily perceptive!

 

[sidepod]

Seriously though, add a decent map.

Satnavs can be a nightmare unless you interrogate the route it’s chosen before you commit.
If in the Uk and there is any doubt, I just run the OS map on my phone. That way you can double check as you go where it’s about to send you.

Why on earth OS don’t do a SATnav is beyond me, or at least the ability to overlay an OS map onto an existing nav unit.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Not sure if you can set up Waze as large vehicle and if so whether that will avoid narrow roads? I’ll have a look. Failing that if you’re really concerned you could buy a dedicated Motorhome satnav.

 

[WelshGas]

Or just use common sense " I don't fancy driving down there - I ll carry on and the Satnav will re-route me.".
You don't have to follow the Satnav religiously.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Free App available

 

[lohr500]

Not sure if you can set up Waze as large vehicle and if so whether that will avoid narrow roads? I’ll have a look. Failing that if you’re really concerned you could buy a dedicated Motorhome satnav.

Unfortunately Waze currently doesn't provide a "Large Vehicle" function option. Shame as it would be a handy feature.

 

[ThomasHJ]

Having had a couple of VERY close encounters on VERY small roads, we wondered if there was a better navigation system to use instead of what's preloaded onto van system

If you don't pay (extra) for cellular data, then Google Maps is great. Works fine for us anyway.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

I have always liked Waze but on our recent trip to the Alps it twice took us on very unhelpful routes. Once having just popped off the motorway for a burger stop it took us on a painful 40 minutes country road back to the motorway in a rain storm at night. Second time we had just driven down from Arc 2000 with my daughter in the front passenger seat to avoid car sickness on the 40+ hairpins, and switched seats back to my wife up front. Waze then took us 20 minutes over speed bumps through various villages and then back up another mountain and down again. Completely awful.

I often chose a route with Waze but then it seems to re-route you on the one it prefers anyway. Presumably due to traffic. Perhaps there is a setting to fix this.

 

[reserves]

Use CarPlay / Android Auto and use your preferred Sat Nav app.

 

[Zen Dog]

We generally plot our route using paper maps then transpose to the Tomtom using a load of waypoints. We use a Samsung tablet in a dash holder with the Tomtom Go app which is constantly updated and includes traffic info. Our built in VW system is pretty antiquated now. It's quite time consuming, but poring over maps and planning a trip over a glass or two the evening before is not a bad way to spend time and we get to plot up interesting and necessary stops along the route. Isn't that the joy of what we do?
As a bonus Mrs W gets to follow the route on a map as we travel without the responsibility of 'Take the third exit at the roundabout'.
It's not perfect, the Tomtom will still try to find silly diversions, but we stand a better chance of spotting and ignoring them. When roads do get 'interesting' at least it's just a van, not some gigantic slab sided lump of white plastic.

 

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

Having had a couple of VERY close encounters on VERY small roads, we wondered if there was a better navigation system to use instead of what's preloaded onto van system

TomTom has a version for Campers; you can give it the dimensions of your camper (+ trailer if necessary) to take into account: https://www.tomtom.com/en_eu/navigation/camper-gps/

 

[PeteS]

For my 7.5 tonne Horsebox we have a Garmin Truck SatNav. You can select car or Lorry and under the Lorry profile you can input weight, height, width and length. It has never let me down although some of the venues we go to are down very narrow lanes.
I think Garmin also so a Camper version so it would be worth checking it you can add the vehicle details in the profile.

 

[Lorri]

We've gone with the TomTom unit - thanks for the various replies

 

[Ch1pbutty]

We find that we have more road space as the wing mirrors sit higher than most cars. Just need to be careful when meeting other vans / trucks on narrow roads. Might need to twist the knob to fold the mirrors ti give a bit of breathing space.

Potholes seem to be biggest issue at the moment due to cars swerving to avoid, thankfully Waze gives a warning for potholes.

 

[Meoncoast]

I love those roads. Grass up the miiddle. Bushes each I know Iam on holiday.

 

[Calimili]

If you don't pay (extra) for cellular data, then Google Maps is great. Works fine for us anyway.

You can download Maps in your phone in google maps at home on wi-fi so it doesn't use data once en route as the map is already saved in the phone.

I use exclusively gmaps, not perfect but good 99% of the times.
point of the Cali is that it is small like a car, so small roads are doable ..