Considering RV Life Pro GPS

[GrandRover]

I use Apple Map with Apple Play for our trips because it shows road slow downs and easy to program multiple stops. I tried the RVLIFE Pro App since it is supposed to calculate based on RV safe routes but its features did not include showing traffic slow downs.

Mike

 

[16ACE27]

you cannot enter a home location or a work location or save an address that is special of some sort with a name.

You can change the name of any stop in a TRIP, but it only applies to that trip. And you are absolutely right - no way to save any custom location in an address book or as a "Favorite" to make it easier to find again later.

 

[16ACE27]

I stand corrected. In the APP, under "More" there is a "Favorites List" section with a default Favorites List and the ability to add other "Favorites Lists". BUT - no way that I can see to add anything into the list. WTF??

 

[16ACE27]

I stand corrected. In the APP, under "More" there is a "Favorites List" section with a default Favorites List and the ability to add other "Favorites Lists". BUT - no way that I can see to add anything into the list. WTF??

So you have to go to a different website (feature not available in the APP), find a campground (this does not apply to custom stops, like HOME) look for the heart in the upper RH corner and click that to add that campground to a Favorites list.

It's this type of "go from your pinky to your thumb through your elbow" type engineering that makes this frustrating to use and not ready for prime time.

 

[dkoldman]

It is relevant to note that the app is called RV Safe GPS

I noticed today it does not warn me of any railroad tracks? I have yet to see any road hazard alerts. It does not even warn me of several spots on one busy streets that has bumps and very rough riding in the RV. Note: I have reported those bumps at least 3 times now over last week. So it means those that are reporting hazards may simply be feeding data into some unmanaged data lake. If so, it is more hazardous for those trying to provide the feedback or warning while driving.

I read earlier in the thread the map is powered by Here? or something like that. Could it be that they are the blame for some of these poor routes and lack of information?

But hey it works good with Android Auto. If it did not, my testing would have ceased by now. It is also easy to switch back and forth to Waze so it is kind if fun to see what hilarious finding will be next.

 

[dkoldman]

Looks like a new version of the RV Life Trip Planning Wizard is coming soon or being rolled out. Some new features are listed in the video. I may try the Planning Wizard on my Memorial Day trip coming up. I doubt if if I will stay at any campground during the entire 5 day trip. I will not need any water or sewer as I will have all waste tanks empty when I leave and fresh water full.

But the point here is that RV Life is committed to this software and they are making changes. I personally would rather see changes in the Apps, but maybe they are working on the issues.

In the comments, RV Life avoided answering the questions as to when this would be available. Looks like the video is 3 weeks old.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

The background music is completely unnecessary... VERY annoying and distracting!

 

[16ACE27]

Looks like a new version of the RV Life Trip Planning Wizard is coming soon or being rolled out. Some new features are listed in the video. I may try the Planning Wizard on my Memorial Day trip coming up. I doubt if if I will stay at any campground during the entire 5 day trip. I will not need any water or sewer as I will have all waste tanks empty when I leave and fresh water full.

But the point here is that RV Life is committed to this software and they are making changes. I personally would rather see changes in the Apps, but maybe they are working on the issues.

In the comments, RV Life avoided answering the questions as to when this would be available. Looks like the video is 3 weeks old.

It's just a NEW Training Video. I see no new feature, maybe they are showing alternate ways to do the same thing. I think the Trip Planning Wizard is pretty good the way it is and always use it for longer trips. One of the best features (not noted in the video) is the ability to drag the route in the Trip Wizard and when you navigate in the APP if follows the dragged route.

If only we could tell it to navigate the entire trip.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but when dragging it creates a waypoint?? I simply want to avoid a certain road. Then it kept making a pretzel trying to get me back through the previous mapped road!

The park campground we're going to has a bridge closure with associated detour.

It found the park, but it just mapped to the edge as the destination. Since the detour involves a lot of turns on fairly narrow roads, I'm trying to map it EXACTLY to the campsite. I use GPS coordinates in Garmin for that which works great. Also, for some reason I couldn't drag the map either??

I called the park office and verified the detour roads. In process of "spring loading" the motorhome... so hopefully back to trying again this evening.

 

[dkoldman]

It's just a NEW Training Video. I see no new feature, maybe they are showing alternate ways to do the same thing. I think the Trip Planning Wizard is pretty good the way it is and always use it for longer trips. One of the best features (not noted in the video) is the ability to drag the route in the Trip Wizard and when you navigate in the APP if follows the dragged route.

If only we could tell it to navigate the entire trip.

It could be relative to when you used the Planning Wizard last? I think some of the features are rolled out. I have not use the Planning Wizard in years. The below are the features covered by the video. Not being able to edit or delete a stop from the Phone a few years back was my last straw, I had not even considered using again until challenged. The travel day stop seems new too. That has my attention, because I am always going off script. If I can continue to Navigate to local sites while on a trip tat would be helpful.

Also, just a theory

Is it possible that it purposely don't want you to Navigate to the full trip when stops are planned? Based on Travel day feature, maybe they are thinking when you get to Stop #1, you are really going to stop and and complete that stop. Then you later must tell it when you wish to Start to Navigate to Stop #2?

 

[dkoldman]

The background music is completely unnecessary... VERY annoying and distracting!

What do expect... it is a RV Safe GPS app, seems like the entire design is "VERY annoying and distracting" with redundant keys and clicks, having unnecessary background music just make the inefficiencies whole. You got to stop looking at the damn glass as half empty. I have told you it is half full.

 

[RV Driver]

…I noticed today it does not warn me of any railroad tracks? I have yet to see any road hazard alerts. It does not even warn me of several spots on one busy streets that has bumps and very rough riding in the RV…

This is not what “RV Safe” means in this context. It means the GPS won’t route you under an overpass you’re too high for, or over a bridge you’re too heavy for.

Bumpy roads and railroad tracks are not “unsafe” for an RV.

 

[dkoldman]

This is not what “RV Safe” means in this context. It means the GPS won’t route you under an overpass you’re too high for, or over a bridge you’re too heavy for.

Bumpy roads and railroad tracks are not “unsafe” for an RV.

It is a matter of opinion of what the context mean for RV Safe GPS. In my view it is marketed to mean exactly what it says "RV Safe GPS" so it is contextually intended to mean safe GPS navigation for a RV period.

With respect to bumpy roads, I said rough roads in that I reported through the RV Safe GPS feedback system. WHY? Because I have yet to see ANY type of road alert from the RV Safe GPS ; so I purposely found a legitimate road with a real road hazard (rough road / bumps), so I could see what the reporting would do. I have now reported that rough section of a road 6 or 7 times, but nothing happens. Now I give you that a rough road may not be unsafe for you, the point is that the RV Safe GPS does view a Rough road as unsafe for their RV Safe GPS App. See my screen in Android Auto. You can see below, they allow one to report and view a "Rough Road" as unsafe.

I can give a real life example of why a bumpy road can be unsafe for an RV or any vehicle from just two weeks ago while in Oklahoma. I believe the City was called Checotah? I had stopped West bound off I-40 to get gas, when getting back on the freeway the onboarding ramp was really really bumpy, but you could not visually see anything that would suggest a rough road. It felt like I had a blow out. I was nervous thinking I had hit a pothole or something, but my TPMS was not showing any issues. I could not risk getting up to speed on that freeway with all of that traffic not knowing what was wrong; so I pulled over on the narrow side. I got out and this is where the danger comes in, I could not see anything and going around the entire RV on both sides with traffic on the ground worried that maybe it is an inside dually. It was nothing, but bad bumps on the ramp. I slowly drove to the freeway and all was good. My point here is that it would be nice if that rough road was reported and the RV Safe GPS alerted me as it is stated to be designed to do. It did not alert me. Nor is it alerting me for the hazards that I have reported. For similar comparison to Waze; you could be the driver ahead of me by a mile or so and report the same hazard, by the time I get there I will be warned by Waze.

I have never had an incident with a train, but I have never known any GPS (RV or not) that don't warn you of a railroad track . I do believe some GPS systems have filters to turn off if you don't want. I worry more about what may happen from getting boxed in on a train track versus actually finding a overpass that is lower that 12 feet. Never seen a low overpass in my entire life, but I don't doubt some exist. Would love to find one that is my area just to drive by to see what happens. I suspect if it was really Low there would be so many signs that if I missed it, I would missed it on Navigation too. You have to be really stupid or special needs to hit a damn low clearance bridge. But back to railroad track, the point of these posts to this thread is to answer the question for OP or someone considering the RV Safe GPS. It is materially relevant to know that it does not alert you to where the tracks are. School buses are required to Stop by law and many other commercial vehicle do the same and it is all in the name of Safety.

 

[dkoldman]

Railroad Track Warnings

Why Waze is a bad ass ( The safety component is implied and apparent from the product's actual features)

Waze alerts drivers approaching railroad crossings through visual and audio warnings on the app. When a railroad crossing is near, an alert appears on the map and a voice notification is triggered. These alerts are based on reports from map editors and partners, or from data provided by entities like the US Federal Railroad Administration.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Visual Alert:
  When a railroad crossing is detected, an alert appears on the Waze map, usually a few hundred yards before the crossing.
  
  
• Audio Alert:
  A voice notification is also triggered, alerting the driver that they are approaching a railroad crossing.
  
  
• Alert Timing:
  The alert is typically given about a half-mile before the crossing on your planned route, or on the current road if you're not following a specific route.
  
  
• Alert Settings:
  Waze users can manage railroad crossing alerts in the app settings, turning on or off the visual alert on the map and the voice alert.
  
  
• Data Source:
  Waze's railroad crossing data is sourced from various partners and map editors, as well as official data from railroad operators in some regions.
  
  Importance of Reports:
  If a railroad crossing isn't reported by a map editor or partner, Waze may not be aware of it, so it's important for users to report any missing or inaccurate data.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[ducksface]

Railroad crossings are the most permanent thing on a map. sygic and any other map program worth a dollar shows them.

To not show them means Their shortcomings are purposefull or they're completely ignorant and uncaring.

There is no in between.

 

[dkoldman]

Railroad crossings are the most permanent thing on a map. sygic and any other map program worth a dollar shows them.

To not show them means Their shortcomings are purposefull or they're completely ignorant and uncaring.

There is no in between.

The distinction only comes when one's willful ignorance might rise to stupidity.

Willful Ignorance is the intentional refusal to have knowledge about a specific item or topic. Typically, the person or RV Safe GPS may intentionally refuse education about a specific item or topic to keep from having to change their preconceived notions about an item or topic.

Stupidity is the intentional or otherwise irrational refusal to accept incontrovertible facts which are backed up by irrefutable evidence. Typically, the person or RV Safe GPS cannot allow their worldview or knowledge base to be altered in any way by facts and evidence which conflicts with their preconceived views.

There have been millions of experiments to resolve (fix) stupidity for 2,000 plus years. Thus far... all known cases have been unsuccessful.

 

[ducksface]

Ignorance is
Not knowing

Stupid is
knowing, but doing the counter choice.

Dumb is unteachable and can't be igornant because they haven't the wherewithal to be ignorant.

 

[dkoldman]

Ignorance is
Not knowing

Stupid is
knowing, but doing the counter choice.

Dumb is unteachable and can't be igornant because they haven't the wherewithal to be ignorant.

Wow one can be too dumb to be ignorant

I will have to remember that and add to my wheelhouse akin to when one is too poor to pay attention

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Okay... used RV Life trip planner on PC before leaving home. Preparing to leave in the MH yesterday and open the app on phone. Opened the trip and tell it to start. It says "Let's go!". Says "Calculating..." at bottom of screen. So I go ahead and pull out and head down the road. 5 miles later... still "calculating"... which it did the entire three hour trip. It's not like I can leasurely re+start the app while driving!! WTH??

I'll try again on return trip...

 

[ducksface]

A person, once told, and that person absorbs...is no longer ignorant. They have a chance to be stupid by ignoring the new knowledge and doing it's counter, they may need to know more to be efficient, but they have a clue.

'I now know earth has two moons...but I don't know either of their names



Dumb is not being able to absorb enough to absorb.





Is orb.'.