Garmin real voice can be a real pain.

[AuldMike]

My local store suggested that the new Garmin Nuvi would meet my taxing requirements for route planning etc.
It did. It met and exceeded my expectations. I could route plan with Basecamp, I could even use my favorite third party planner.
It had safety cameras, traffic. All very good.
But **Real voice** spoiled it and I took it back for a refund.
As soon as the vehicle enters a town or city, road numbers vanish from the display and are replaced with road names. Any road with a name is referred to by name, even if it is main road!.
Roads in Europe and especially here in the UK, all have numbers clearly displayed and easy to follow. Lanes are marked with road numbers, the whole road system is based on numbers. Even minor roads have numbers and are clearly signposted. So why stop showing the most common and most helpful direction method on the Satnav? Who knows road names? That's and American thing and Garmin are American.
When I took the Garmin back to see if the road name feature could be turned off, the essence of the argument for using the new way was that I should ignore lane markings, ignore the road names on the display and simply count the exits on the roundabout to come off on the right one. The salesman did not realise how ridiculous it sounded.
**** So be warned the Garmin Nuvi is excellent but if you are routing through an urban area do not expect to follow road numbers ****

[sussamb]

That has nothing to do with real voices but how Here, Garmins map supplier, classifies the roads. That has slowly been changing and many roads are now described with road number. Personally I've never found it an issue and would rather count exits off a roundabout than look for a specific road number.
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

[AuldMike]

Actually I also count junctions on roundabouts, as a check, but near me some roundabouts have lanes with road numbers they don't say follow me for third exit! If you want to be in the right lane then know your road number.
There are many cases where lane counting does not work.
On my recent visit Edinburgh there were bus lanes, merging lanes and two or more lanes of traffic. Working out the proper lane was not reliable. Counting exits could work but not being in the correct lane was not acceptable.
I don't think you will convince me or the Department of Transport that doing away with road numbers in towns and cities and putting up road names is the better/safer way to guide strangers.
It is safer to be in the correct lane in good time (before the junction) and follow the correct lane to your exit.
Apart from that I thought the Garmin was very good.
I hope you are right about the numbers/names being a map feature. Maybe I can get a different map.

[sussamb]

Well there is no different map that is reliable for on road routing. You normally though get plenty of warning before a roundabout on which exit to take so it's simple enough to look at the sign as you approach if you feel you need the road number. Can't ever recall it causing me an issue and I've used Garmins for many years both in UK and other EU countries.
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

[AuldMike]

Ok I get it. If I positively must have road numbers I should listen to the message about taking the third junction, look for a road sign with road numbers, work out the road number I need, find the correct lane and follow it while counting exits.
Having driven several times in USA and extensively in Europe, all without the aid of Satnav, I should be grateful for some help.
Let me give you an example of one junction on the edge of my town. It has recently reopened after serious road work (improvements) and has, counting entry and exits, 20 lanes coming or going. To ensure smooth operation every approach lane has the road numbers of the exit roads marked well before the actual roundabout.
Drivers have to be in the correct lane before joining and then follow dotted line lanes while on the roundabout.
The roundabout itself has minimal written road marking or it would look like alphabet soup.
When you are on the roundabout it is too late, too busy and too dangerous to swap lanes.
Between traffic lights and lane guidance, vehicles can safely move from inside to outside as required. When first opened, even locals had to use road numbers until they learned the route.
I think it is possible to work out your exit road number, using the large approach road signs, but you might need some local geography.
Another recently improved junction has an inner roundabout and an outer loop going 1/4 of the way round. My wife refused to go near it when it first opened. All lanes have road numbers except one where the town name is reduced from 16 letters to 3 so that it fits the road markings.
The point I am trying to make here, is that these junctions are based on old roads and all have road names, used by residents and the local radio, so road numbers would not be shown on the Garmin. Visitors can only safely negotiate the junctions if they follow a short 4 character code, like road numbers.
Finding road numbers to pick the correct lane, should not be a mental exercise on the approach to the junction.
I think I'll go back to my old TomTom as it gives me the road numbers I need on the display and I don't have to worry about the complex geometry of the junction.
Thanks to the above correspondent for contributing. I know he helps lots of people and I appreciate that.
This topic has been fun but there is a serious note to my message.

[CDK]

There one small problem using road names in instructions.
Am I the only one who has been frustrated that a large number of roads and streets do not have name boards at all.
Some have one at each end, but nothing at the junctions in the middle - frustrating on the longer roads.
I am told that some were removed during the war to confuse the enemy and never replaced and others were never replaced after a bombed building was rebuilt; or the boards deteriorate and fall off or are vandalised, and then not replaced. The situation is particularly bad in older parts of cities and towns.

At roundabouts and junctions I prefer to be told the road number and the exit number and it is easier to follow the board which usually shows a graphic of the junction and the road number.

In any case when in traffic, who has the time to look for the name board which could be anywhere from road level to halfway up a building - if it is there at all.

..

[AuldMike]

Slight hope. Garmin support suggested trying changing the device voice to avoid 'Real directions'. Apparently non-Real directions may not use street names and may use road numbers more often.
I have not been able to try this.
Garmin also suggested the Nuvi 65 as it will not give Real directions.
My friendly local retailer had an OMG moment when I described the problem and he is contacting Garmin to see if there is a work round.
If anyone can try this voice change for me I would be extremely grateful.

[sussamb]

Try it yourself running a simulated route ... you can then check it along a road you know. I've never bothered as for me it's not an issue
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

[AuldMike]

If I had a Nuvi I would not ask others to try it for me.
I am using my old TomTom XXL until some questions are answered.
But I will probably buy a garmin anyway.

[sussamb]

Ah apologies .... forgot you said you'd taken it back.

Note it's not real directions that is the problem. You want a non TTS or text to speech voice.
_________________
Where there's a will ... there's a way.

[AuldMike]

Now we could be getting somewhere.
Are you suggesting that TTS uses 'extra' text from the map, where as normal voice uses some other source such as the road vectors/geometry to pick appropriate sound (wav) files from a library?
So the software is clever enough to use conventional directions when the extra text is missing from the map.
But is it clever enough to realise that the voice is not TTS so it has to revert to conventional directions and wav files?
I have a bit more digging to do.
I told my friendly retailer that I would hold fire on buying the garmin until he gets back to me next week.
This is the most 'promising avenue' yet.
Damn 'Promising Avenue' is a street name.

[sussamb]

No unfortunately not. A non TTS voice simply gives you directions rather than street names OR road numbers. When TTS voices were added directions started to use road names/numbers. Real directions takes it further so that you get instructions like turn left at the traffic light.
_________________
Where there's a will ... there's a way.

[Kremmen]

I've following this and from what I understand (I don't use mine for navigation) when you come to a navigation point it will say something like "exit the roundabout into green street"?

If so then that is silly because if your not local you won't have clue which one is green street.

..or am I misunderstanding it?

My onboard unit will just say "take the second exit" and show a graphic of the angle of exit so you know whether the second exit is left, straight on or right.
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Satnav:
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3
Car Average MPG :

[BigJohnD]

The TTS and does leave something to be desired, not least because the engine is essentially US, not UK, even with British voice. For example, a nearby road is Clydesdale Road, named after the river Clyde., which the Garmin pronounces as Clidd-is-dale Road. There are many others, and when driving in mainland Europe with the British voice, the pronunciation French or Spanish road names is a total joke.

This is where road numbers, where roads are numbered, is much preferred.

I have to say, when travelling along say the A41 and approaching a roundabout, I would prefer to hear "Take the second exit, the A41" or Take the second exit for Chester" rather than "Take the second exit, Bridge Road".

(Whatever happened to IGO8? It was by far the best satnav software.)

[sussamb]

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