I feel like I belong on the forum now!

[andruec]

I was under the impression that the Traffic on Sat Nav was only as good as the reporting of it. That comes down mainly to the Highways Agency or the Police for the region. Correct me if I am wrong.

They can't even get the motorway overhead gantry signs right.

It always makes me chuckle to see how far away they notify you of things. I remember once driving down to Canterbury and the signs were advising of delays half way up the M6. Mind you it's more annoying that the junction numbers rarely mean anything to me. I know that the M6 is a long way from Canterbury though - and if you're heading East after getting off the M25 it's unlikely you care much about 'them oop north'

[Jocko]

It's like Edinburgh City Bypass last weekend. As you were driving away from the Royal Highland Show, heading for the A1 (well away from it), they were telling you you to follow the signs for the Royal Highland Show!

[richardfrost]

Mind you it's more annoying that the junction numbers rarely mean anything to me. I know that the M6 is a long way from Canterbury though - and if you're heading East after getting off the M25 it's unlikely you care much about 'them oop north'

Those junction number notices are useless. What use is 'Delays after A444' if you have no idea where the A444 is.

However, sometimes those long distance notices can be useful. Last Friday I was heading down to Swansea from 'oop north' and on the M62 (near Manchester) was warned there were 2 hour delays on the M6 (presumably near Birmingham). This allowed me to make a major route change choice.

[Ralph]

I was under the impression that the Traffic on Sat Nav was only as good as the reporting of it. That comes down mainly to the Highways Agency or the Police for the region. Correct me if I am wrong.

I don’t know if it’s still true but I think tomtom used to track the position of every Vodafone handset to get a picture of where traffic was

[Jocko]

The best accuracy a mobile phone provider can ascertain for a handset is within 50 metres, which, in an urban area, can cover a number of streets and roads. Only on TV drama can they pinpoint them to a discrete address.

[Ralph]

Just found this article
https://www.driving.co.uk/car-clinic/car-clinic-how-your-sat-navs-keep-you-up-to-date/

[mcderd]

I was under the impression that the Traffic on Sat Nav was only as good as the reporting of it. That comes down mainly to the Highways Agency or the Police for the region. Correct me if I am wrong.

I don't know how it is supposed to work on the Jazz, but as I mentioned all the radio stations were giving traffic alerts, and of course, Google Maps knows as it monitors all our phones, so it knows what speed we are moving at (or not). I also have a standalone Garmin that I bought last year, that's the other way, reports things and when you get there it's all clear.

[culzean]

I was under the impression that the Traffic on Sat Nav was only as good as the reporting of it. That comes down mainly to the Highways Agency or the Police for the region. Correct me if I am wrong.

I don't know how it is supposed to work on the Jazz, but as I mentioned all the radio stations were giving traffic alerts, and of course, Google Maps knows as it monitors all our phones, so it knows what speed we are moving at (or not). I also have a standalone Garmin that I bought last year, that's the other way, reports things and when you get there it's all clear.

I have had a few Garmin satnavs and the traffic reporting is next to useless. You are better off visiting the highways agency website before your journey and checking. Even our local council website is not real good when you check where they are working on the roads, sometimes they are there, sometimes not and sometimes roadworks that are not on the site.

Those green cameras on main roads and motorways are supposed to monitor traffic volume and speeds.

[mcderd]

The best accuracy a mobile phone provider can ascertain for a handset is within 50 metres, which, in an urban area, can cover a number of streets and roads. Only on TV drama can they pinpoint them to a discrete address.

But using the phones GPS you can currently get accuracy to 3 to 5 metres, but next year this will improve to 30 centimeters.

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/25/16362296/gps-accuracy-improving-one-foot-broadcom

[Jocko]

I don't know how it is supposed to work on the Jazz, but as I mentioned all the radio stations were giving traffic alerts, and of course, Google Maps knows as it monitors all our phones, so it knows what speed we are moving at (or not).

Radio stations only get there information from the Highways Agency, or in Scotland, the police. Our local radio still reports roadworks which ended several months ago!
I assume with Google Maps you agree when you install the app for them to monitor your location.
As for GPS, lots of people think the satellite knows where you are. It doesn't. The GPS receiver knows where the satellites are, and with that information calculates where you are in relation to the satellites. The increased accuracy will only be available if your sat nav can make use of it. My old TomTom One cannot even tell if you are on a Motorway, on the slip road, or on a minor road paralleling the motorway!

[Ralph]

I don't know how it is supposed to work on the Jazz, but as I mentioned all the radio stations were giving traffic alerts, and of course, Google Maps knows as it monitors all our phones, so it knows what speed we are moving at (or not).

Radio stations only get there information from the Highways Agency, or in Scotland, the police. Our local radio still reports roadworks which ended several months ago!
I assume with Google Maps you agree when you install the app for them to monitor your location.
As for GPS, lots of people think the satellite knows where you are. It doesn't. The GPS receiver knows where the satellites are, and with that information calculates where you are in relation to the satellites. The increased accuracy will only be available if your sat nav can make use of it. My old TomTom One cannot even tell if you are on a Motorway, on the slip road, or on a minor road paralleling the motorway!

Not just google maps as soon as your phone signs in to android or Apple iOS it starts reporting back lots of information including its position which Apple and google sell on to whoever will pay! If you dig down in your phone settings you can see some of this info for instance my phone knows exactly what time and day I visit a particular supermarket every week

[Jocko]

Glad I don't have a smart phone!

[John Ratsey]

Not just google maps as soon as your phone signs in to android or Apple iOS it starts reporting back lots of information including its position which Apple and google sell on to whoever will pay! If you dig down in your phone settings you can see some of this info for instance my phone knows exactly what time and day I visit a particular supermarket every week

I've got Location History turned off on my Android phone and it still seems to work OK in other respects.