 Poster: A snowHead
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Lots of posts on here about driving down to the Alps, what route to take, speed-cameras etc etc
Last Monday we drove from here in Serre Che to La Clusaz, and when we hit Albertville it was gridlock, which we later found out was due to the rail accident.
We had both the in-car GPS and Google Maps running as there were a number of route options, but whilst at a standstill, I fired up Waze and that gave us a diversion that missed a good km of traffic as well as highlighting where the police were, speed of traffic etc
It also shows up speed cameras and much more, and is really good if you're driving unknown roads and routes, and takes into account accidents and diversions.
I'd recommend if you're not a Waze user to try it in the UK before your trip so you'll get a good handle on its functionality.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yes but you know that it is illegal in many countries
as regards as radar cameras
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I used Waze last week driving from Kent to Liverpool, it completely ignored 120 minutes of traffic on the M6, and showed the route as free flowing. Waze used to be great but increasingly bizarre.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ran Waze through to PSV last week. Good information even down to showing where there was snow ploughs in action. I think Waze gets around the rule on speed camera positions by warning you are in an area of "average speed cameras", this seems to trigger at the same point the roads signs warm you about an upcoming camera (love how the French do this but the logic of signposting seemingly every camera is not very logical!) One thing I do keep an eye on when getting into the mountains is that it doesn't take me up some silly shortcut that is unploughed etc. Which in fairness it didn't! Also love that on your route planning once in France it tells you the different cost of each route. I.e. you can save 5 mins for 20 euros...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Waze tries to get round the legality by identifying speed cameras simply as police presence, as if to warn of traffic problems or accidents. I've tried it a few times over the years, but it's never really seemed to have the navigation functionality I like, and is not as reliable for cameras (and indeed for traffic problems) as CamSam, which I've been using for years, and of course allows you to choose your preferred navigation app. Even that's not 100% guaranteed, though, so if you're trying to use it to systematically exceed the limits you can expect to be caught out occasionally.
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We have used Waze for several years - we drive to 3v every half term and it has taken us around alot of the gridlock - particularly between Chambery and Moutiers.
As the years have gone by the get around routes have been increasingly busy as you'd expect as more people use the App.
You do have to be prepared for the fact that you have no idea where you're going and in the past there's been some squeaky bum times when we've lost mobile signal in the back end of nowhere.....
We've been on some "interesting" roads observed by mildly inquisitive French locals in our i800 with roof box negotiating very low bridges, seems to cause amusement!
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My Tom Tom has a feature that's shows French cameras as an exclamation mark.. as in watch for hazards. It has live traffic and often suggests coming off the motorway around Munich to avoid the staus...I'd rather be moving than stuck in a jam. I've never found Google maps to be any different to Tom Tom and ut sounds like waze would be the same. I do keep Tom Tom up to date.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've gradually been losing faith in Waze in the UK as it seems to be getting worse at highlighting issues.
Sounds like it may work better in France?
Will see how we go tomorrow from GVA - La Tania....
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If you are in a UK plated car why worry about French automatic speed cameras? A hand held camera is a different matter of course..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Here's a suggestion: if you're worried about speed cameras, you could try sticking to the speed limits, give or take a bit?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@caughtanedge, There is no give or take a bit in France, the camera In the tunnel at Moutier (limit 70 kph) sends fines to EU registered cars at 71k! Many p#ssed off locals! There is 'talk' that the many cameras around Chambery with the variable speed limit, adjust to the limit displayed automatically!
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I drove up to worcestershire recently and there were signs on the A27 saying the A34 was closed. I had no satnav going so stopped and fired up Waze. Which had no idea that the A34 was closed - and went on to be closed for hours. I drove up across country and Waze was great, but only because I put in Marlborough as a waypoint. If I put my ultimate destination it insisted the A34 was best, which given all the diversions was probably not the case.
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You know it makes sense.
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I’ve used Waze in the U.K. and it’s the one we tend to use for trips abroad, not for spotting speed cameras, just for a general sense of traffic conditions and counting down the miles to our destination. It’s by no means perfect, so sometimes it’s worth ignoring. E.g. Anyone who knows Birmingham would consider driving out of the city centre down the Stratford Road starting at 4pm on a Friday afternoon as complete madness. Nevertheless Waze has suggested that to me more than once. It’s not very good at “anticipating” rush hour traffic, or factoring in the consequences of everyone following its diversions (I.e. more gridlock). Maybe I’m asking too much of the algorithms?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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If you drive at a legal speed then you don't need to worry about speed cameras.
For the other stuff, I tried Waze for a bit but didn't find it any better than Google Maps (which is already installed on Android phones anyway). So I'm not sure there's any point in it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@boredsurfin, It does depend whether you're using GPS/satnav or speedometer speeds. Car speedometers always over-estimate your speed, so you're probably ok doing and indicated 85km/h in an 80 zone. But knowing that doesn't make up for carelessness - I've had a French speed ticket (for my UK reg car) on the autoroute near Reims centre, for being a few km over the 80 limit. I don't know if that system is still in force post-Brexit.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saved us getting back from Italy last easter- ended up on a lovely road running parallel to the gridlocked motorway we came off
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@caughtanedge, No its not. A tiny Brexit bonus.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I drove up to worcestershire recently and there were signs on the A27 saying the A34 was closed. I had no satnav going so stopped and fired up Waze. Which had no idea that the A34 was closed - and went on to be closed for hours. I drove up across country and Waze was great, but only because I put in Marlborough as a waypoint. If I put my ultimate destination it insisted the A34 was best, which given all the diversions was probably not the case. |
Almost any navigation has a lag to a closed road which is annoying, at least with Waze users in theory can report a closed as well as broader traffic systems
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Skiyeah wrote: |
| ......at least with Waze users in theory can report a closed as well as broader traffic systems...... |
Exactly
Reading through the posts I'd surmise that the a fair majority are missing the USP of Waze, in that it's the Waze users that contribute to what's occurring up ahead on the road.
PC mag review
The Bottom Line. If you're driving, Waze is one of the easiest ways to get directions. Its routes are a cut above the competition's, with a bustling community and real-time, crowdsourced traffic and accident reports.
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