GPS traffic only works one of two ways: (some require subscription)
1) Only IF, the local road authority actually broadcasts the information, I've had this be a total fail on the East Coast
2) Newer GPS that are tied to your cell phone & there is data sharing with a larger group
GPS routing seems to be OK to very Poor --->like Garmin-bad directions (No - Garmin - I Never want to go through downtown Washington DC instead of the beltway
- it is never faster if the Beltway is open & Garmin says, Go -past your expected exit - down a few more exits, then get off highway, then "making a U-turn" to get back on the Hgwy into the traffic jamb to just drove past, to get back to the proper exit
)
Waze is much better at finding a good way around traffic &
accidents,
BUT:
1)
Waze will send you through parts of a major city you should probably avoid for your own safety like Kensington, PA
(
Kensington (excerpt, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel) "
It is one of the most violent pockets of the city of Philadelphia and I would probably submit to you the East Coast,"), (like Waze did recently,
when all lanes were closed on I95 South in Philadelphia)
2)
Waze is hard to impossible to customize your route (on your cell phone), unless you set small trips - to different locations (I've not been able to redirect it to a different route) Waze picks what it thinks is the best route to your destination - you seem to be stuck with no options - unlike those Google maps offers
3)
Correct = "
it doesn't have as much detail..lane position and type of obstruction"
Today one of three lanes is blocked ahead
Message reads = "object in roadway" Not very helpful at highway speeds (ended up being a dead deer in left most lane & left shoulder)
When you have several lanes in a city or highway setting: Waze does not indicate dedicated turn lanes or which lane to be in for your current course, just a very general blue line showing you the concept of direction you want to end up going. This is a big issue when you are at funky intersections where the roads are not at 90 degrees & maybe you have multiple directions to select from. (do you want the way the road curves to the left, the easy 40 degree left, or the 130 degree hard left at the next intersection?)
Maybe others have figured out how to use Waze better than I have?
I find it less than helpful, even with my passenger using Waze & I'm just left trying to dodge those who want to "play bumper cars" & jaywalkers.
I much prefer my TomTom for lane information, the traffic information was a little so so & I did not renew the subscription to use with my cell phone for "live info"
Waze
has proven better at getting me around a traffic issue; but, I would not want to use it without a passenger to use the cell phone &
cypher what Waze is trying to tell you to do, especially in a city setting. Once your bumper to bumper & already committed to a lane at a traffic light it is near impossible to "correct your course" & there is no way a semi could do what I've had to do in my 4Runner.