Has anyone else actually put TMC to the test?

Womble · 8th November 2006, 06:11

Hi All,

One of the first things I did when I got the car was to upgrade the satnav CD from the 2003 original. When I did this, I also got a CD with the satnav codes on it.

I have been less than convinced by its performance since day 1, as I frequently seemed to run into stationary traffic on the M25 with no warning, so for the past month or so, I've been looking at it closely on every journey I've made using Satnav (including any motorway journey, even when I haven't needed the instructions). I have made a point of ignoring it when it DID tell me there was slow or stationary traffic.

In this time, I have had 3 further occasions where I have come across standing traffic on the M25 with no warning from the TMC system (although on 2 of those occasions, it was kind enough to tell me I was in stationary traffic a few minutes after I'd reached a standstill).

On the 4 occasions where it has warned me of stationary traffic and offered me a diversion which I declined to take, on just one occasion have I actually hit stationary traffic. On the other 3, there has been no discernible difference in general traffic speed (not necessarily quick, but no different to anywhere else on that stretch of road).

Does anyone else have these problems? I am actually considering going out any buying another updated disc specifically without TMC codes because the system seems to be worse than useless to the point where it actually slows my journeys down quite considerably!

My only assumption is that the system is taking far, far longer to update status than the 4 minutes I think I remember seeing advertised somewhere?

DeeCee · 8th November 2006, 11:43

I have had very similar experences on 2006 TMC Nav CD.
Most of the time I tend to ignore it unless I see stationary traffic message which is over about 5 miles long.
Once I had a road closed/ multipile accidents message (main motorway) on a Saturday evening... nice summer day. This was displayed for about two hours before I reached the last turn off point. I re-routed at the last turnoff, when I rejoined the motorway about 10 miles further on it had no traffic, no vehicles on my side of the carriageway for the next hour.... guess there really was a major problem !

Keith · 8th November 2006, 12:07

I see TMC as the only long distance view of the road ahead
It is light years better than the advert ridden dribble that is supposed to be TP announcements

TMC is one of those things I like but treat with a kind of are you sure approach as it is not a truly live source of info.

It can be surprisingly accurate though I was coming up the M1 recently from my office in Milton Keynes when I got warning stationary traffic ahead sure enough a mile later I stopped behind an incident that was only a few minutes old

One thing to remember with TMC you will only get warnings if the route you are on is being guided.

It is great for a heads up warning and allows me to decide in advance
You still have the standard MGR Radio so yours has limitations that mine does not as I can drill down the TMC database in advance to see what is ahead.

For real world update TMC and the Traffic Master systems is hard to beat imho, and for around £75 the traffic master retrofit is a must do imho

Womble · 8th November 2006, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

One thing to remember with TMC you will only get warnings if the route you are on is being guided.

Mine still displays the icons, even if I've not set up a guided route. It doesn't actively warn me, but if I'm zoomed in close enough, then I can see where they are on the road, and when I go past them.

My feeling is that TMC is telling me what the road conditions were like an hour ago, not now!

Keith · 8th November 2006, 13:44

Yep I agree some of the information can persist too long after the event
It is normally fast with an actual new event but can be slow updating post event.

I guess that is the human operator side of the equation though their priority will always be pumping new info in rather the verifying old.

It is a pity there is not a look ahead option with traffic master as I tend to believe that as it comes from a real time source

Coming back from Doncaster last week both systems were in agreement I was very stationary and they knew it

8th November 2006, 06:11	#1
Womble Avid contributor ZT-T 260 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Epsom Posts: 140 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Has anyone else actually put TMC to the test? Hi All, One of the first things I did when I got the car was to upgrade the satnav CD from the 2003 original. When I did this, I also got a CD with the satnav codes on it. I have been less than convinced by its performance since day 1, as I frequently seemed to run into stationary traffic on the M25 with no warning, so for the past month or so, I've been looking at it closely on every journey I've made using Satnav (including any motorway journey, even when I haven't needed the instructions). I have made a point of ignoring it when it DID tell me there was slow or stationary traffic. In this time, I have had 3 further occasions where I have come across standing traffic on the M25 with no warning from the TMC system (although on 2 of those occasions, it was kind enough to tell me I was in stationary traffic a few minutes after I'd reached a standstill). On the 4 occasions where it has warned me of stationary traffic and offered me a diversion which I declined to take, on just one occasion have I actually hit stationary traffic. On the other 3, there has been no discernible difference in general traffic speed (not necessarily quick, but no different to anywhere else on that stretch of road). Does anyone else have these problems? I am actually considering going out any buying another updated disc specifically without TMC codes because the system seems to be worse than useless to the point where it actually slows my journeys down quite considerably! My only assumption is that the system is taking far, far longer to update status than the 4 minutes I think I remember seeing advertised somewhere? __________________ You polish yours if you want to... I'll be DRIVING mine! 'Kermit' - MG ZT-T 260 Mk1 - VIN 019

8th November 2006, 11:43	#2
DeeCee Regular poster none Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: none Posts: 93 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have had very similar experences on 2006 TMC Nav CD. Most of the time I tend to ignore it unless I see stationary traffic message which is over about 5 miles long. Once I had a road closed/ multipile accidents message (main motorway) on a Saturday evening... nice summer day. This was displayed for about two hours before I reached the last turn off point. I re-routed at the last turnoff, when I rejoined the motorway about 10 miles further on it had no traffic, no vehicles on my side of the carriageway for the next hour.... guess there really was a major problem !

8th November 2006, 12:07	#3
Keith This is my second home ZT400 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ellesmere Posts: 5,948 Thanks: 0 Thanked 43 Times in 29 Posts	I see TMC as the only long distance view of the road ahead It is light years better than the advert ridden dribble that is supposed to be TP announcements TMC is one of those things I like but treat with a kind of are you sure approach as it is not a truly live source of info. It can be surprisingly accurate though I was coming up the M1 recently from my office in Milton Keynes when I got warning stationary traffic ahead sure enough a mile later I stopped behind an incident that was only a few minutes old One thing to remember with TMC you will only get warnings if the route you are on is being guided. It is great for a heads up warning and allows me to decide in advance You still have the standard MGR Radio so yours has limitations that mine does not as I can drill down the TMC database in advance to see what is ahead. For real world update TMC and the Traffic Master systems is hard to beat imho, and for around £75 the traffic master retrofit is a must do imho

8th November 2006, 13:44	#5
Keith This is my second home ZT400 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ellesmere Posts: 5,948 Thanks: 0 Thanked 43 Times in 29 Posts	Yep I agree some of the information can persist too long after the event It is normally fast with an actual new event but can be slow updating post event. I guess that is the human operator side of the equation though their priority will always be pumping new info in rather the verifying old. It is a pity there is not a look ahead option with traffic master as I tend to believe that as it comes from a real time source Coming back from Doncaster last week both systems were in agreement I was very stationary and they knew it