Trip Planner - a joke

Trip Planner - A joke

Probably also complaint, but more a question.

I am using Base Camp 4.5.2 on a Win 10 laptop.
Map is Openmtb map (Poland, but it happens on all openmtb maps inc GB) set to High detail.

Just tried a new trip of about 15 km. It worked perfectly.
Then tried again with another trip of about 20 km. Straight line. Tried with Bicycling, Tour and MTB profiles all the same, straight lines.

The map is routable as it works randomly (or so it seems). Attached a screenshot of a straight line.

If you Google "Garmin Base Camp Trip Planner gives straight line" or similar, there are lots of posts on various sites. None of them actually explain why or what to do about it.

Cheers.

ps I have a computing degree and worked as Head of IT in an independent school, so am moderately computer savvy, but I can't suss it out.

Since the latest version is 4.6.2 I suggest you update BC first then see if the issue still occurs.

First feature I would (un)check is Ferries or other Toll Roads. If the device has an option to ask before routing over toll roads, use it.

And find out whether the map truly is routable or not. I've looked at this before (some time ago) when I was planning some routes and was never 100% sure.

PS
I have 2 bachelors degrees, 2 masters degrees, and spent many years in IT but still cannot fathom some things out ;-)

........PS I have 2 bachelors degrees, 2 masters degrees, and spent many years in IT but still cannot fathom some things out ;-)

That is because you are MUCH too smart to work for Garmin...they only hire undergrads. :rolleyes:

Ive not used this function before so based on your post I wanted to try it. I tried it 10 times using 10 different starts and stops and it worked great each time. 10 for 10. Thats a really cool function I can see coming in handing for long road trips when you need to get there fastest time or shortest distance. Maybe you have a bad map and should update to the latest map. I used map version 2017.2.

Sussed or the punchline :-)

Thanks for all the comments. Have sussed it out now.

Maps are openmtbmap and are routable. Avoiding motorways etc done. Bicycling chosen. Latest software and map versions.
When planning a multi day trip I usually think in terms of town to town and look to get a route along minor roads and cycle paths between the towns.

So, I might pick Derby to Nottingham to Sheffield, for example. I haven't actually tried this one btw. It's just by way of example.

Typing in Derby gives a drop down list, as does Nottingham and Sheffield. It seems that some of the points in the list may not be embedded in the routable map, if that's the right term and concept. Alternatively, it may be that the start and end points are on different layers of the vector rendition of the detailed map (?). This only seems to happen with larger towns/cities and not small places/villages.

So picking the city and not a specific point such as the railway station sometimes seems to prevent the trip planner from locating the actual point on the ground and a straight line results. Pick a specific point in each place (such as the railway station or a street address) results in a very cleverly planned route along cycle paths and minor roads.

So, apologies to Garmin and Base Camp - I was wrong (yet again) and it's not a joke, but a brilliant tool!

Not planning to Derby/Nottingham/Sheffield, btw - I just don't do cities!!

Great, I'll close this thread then