to think there should be a Satnav that allows you to choose the easiest, safest route (rather than just the quickest)

How is it a different matter?

Sometimes a Satnav will direct you down a small country road and you won’t know it’s a small country road till you’re right on top of it. Sometimes you do actually have to go down that road and sometimes it’s your Satnav cutting a corner where staying on the main road would be fine but maybe a couple of minutes longer.

If your satnav never does this, rest assured that other people’s do and it’s really annoying. And no you can’t always just stop.

I use maps to plan my journey and then just use Google Maps for the last mile or so when I eg need to find a location in a town I don't know very well. It can be reassuring if you think you know where you are going, or just gets you there if you don't have a clue! You can normally work out what's going to be a complex junction when you look at the map, but sometimes things don't look anything like they did on the map and it's easy to go the wrong way - so that's where satnav is helpful. Or when the powers that be want you to use a particular road but a different one is more efficient (eg the roadsigns took me all the way round the Lincoln ring road once when I only needed to go straight on ;) )

Absolutely no need to be so condescending. I live within a couple of miles of a motorway but I don't need to use it on a regular or even occasional basis.

And A roads exist for when I need to do longer journeys and would prefer to avoid a lorry-clogged motorway.

And being able to drive and have a car doesn't mean that you use the most polluting form of transport (aside from flying) just because you can. I walk to the shops/railway station, I cycle to parkrun, I get the train to work. I use the car when I need to or it is safer, eg not cycling in the dark.

My point was merely that you don't have to need to love motorways or country lanes to be a competent driver for your circumstances.

Well, thats an entirely different matter though isn't it? i personally would always stop if unsure.
However, i've a 10yo car and even that has 3 routes to chose from and a whole series of filters to rule out minor lanes, plus count downs in miles to next junction etc.

It never ceases to amaze me that pick up your phone to glance at a text will get you 6pts and big fine but perfectly ok to spend 10mins trying to turn your heating on/off on that ipad sized screen in front of you.

You should look at the map, on your display, that'll show you things like that

It depends on how far away the better junction is, doesn’t it? Exactly how big is your map display and how much time do you spend looking at it rather than the road ahead?

You should look at the map, on your display, that'll show you things like that, if using a phone and just following voice prompts, then yes, its an issue.

But people just follow Sat Navs blindly, just had a 44t lorry stuck in a single track lane nr me...

Yanbu! It needs to be a thing. Sending you so you turn out of blind corner rather than taking you 1 minutes further along so you meet a roundabout and it's a safer turn. I know this as I know the road but the first time ..never again!

Definitely.

In Scotland many single track roads are called A roads!

Safest is too subjective. I agree re nothing less than B roads unless absolutely necessary.

My google maps sometimes switches the route after I’ve chosen it and set off.

My daughter who’s been driving a year uses Wave on her phone as it does have the setting of avoid dangerous junctions in addition to the usual motorways and toll roads. It also tells you about pot holes.

It's a Garmin. I've just double checked incase it was a previous one I was remembering, but yup, it's there.

Everyone who blindly follows their SatNav without looking at the route first, or gets upset at the thought of reversing, or can't cope with windy country lanes, you need to set your satnav to avoid unpaved roads. And your SatNav hasn't got that setting, buy one that has. 🙄

I totally agree. Mine took me down a really long country track the other day when there was a perfectly normal road I could have used.

Oh, OK. That's not how google maps works - it will show the usual route but say something like "High traffic on this route" and suggest a diversion or you can follow the standard route and hope the traffic has reduced by the time you get to that bit.

I always check the route given on the map before embarking on it, which tends to prevent these issues.

If the traffic was already there when you started your journey then the satnav would have picked a route to avoid it from the start rather than it being a suggested diversion.

I can look at a physical map but that still isn't going to help with height restrictions.

Designed to keep traffic off certain roads? What roads, why?

If your satnav is detecting traffic and telling you to avoid a road because of it, why doesn't it say so? Google maps usually does.

There’s also the possibility that the satnav is taking you off the main road because it avoids a huge traffic jam and if you decide to ignore the satnav you end up stuck.

It’s a gamble! If DH is in the car I’ll say ‘the satnav is trying to tell me to get off this road’ and he’ll go on his phone and check the traffic.

After reading this I have been googling Satnavs, I tow a caravan. I've been in some really awkward situations where my Twatnav tries to send me down unsuitable routes. My existing truck nav is ok but not 100%. It tried sending me across a field where there will be a road but it hasn't been built yet and then in circles trying to get back to the same place! TomTom reviews are very mixed. I can't afford and expensive mistake.

People tend to slavishly follow the voice rather than using a bit of common sense and looking at a map! Sat-Navs are not designed to be convenient, they're often designed to keep traffic off certain roads.