OK navi owners-if you need to go somewhere what do you usually set your navi for-shortest time or shortest distance. Anyone know the pros and cons of each.

 

Shortest distance can sometimes lead to strange routes.

Shortest time can also lead to strange routes for long distances unless you adjust the average speeds for different road types closer to what you actually drive. On one trip from Oklahoma to Nebraska, shortest time tried to send me an extra 100 miles via Missouri, all in an attempt to get me to an interstate. I adjusted the settings to more realistic values.

 

I usually go for the Shortest Route in rush hour traffic. Shortest route will often give you backroads instead of the freeway depending on your location, in my case I get back roads instead of freeway routes. The reason is that I hate stop and go traffic on the freeway that never gets over 5mph. I can get on the streets and go red light to red light. I feel like I have to constantly be on the clutch in stop and go traffic and its much more fun to drive the car under normal conditions.

Other than that, if I am goin home late at night I will sometimes go the shortest distance because it often takes a little longer, but its more fun than a straight road

When I need to get somewhere quick, shortest time is the way to go.

 

One of the problems that I have found with shortest distance is that it ends up taking you longer because it takes you on streets that generally have more stop signs and traffic lights.

 

I leave mine set at Shortest Route and never had any issues with it.
C.