BMW Nav V and VI - Skip waypoint function - How it works in action

The Nav V and VI (along with I assume the other devices of the same ilk in the generic Garmin range) both have the 'Skip waypoint' function. I so rarely use waypoints as opposed to shaping points I had forgotten how it worked, so I though I'd remind myself. To do this I created a 75 mile route in and around London. Into it I put eight waypoints, sufficient shaping points to force the route along and some additional shaping points (often just placed in a straight line along a road) just so I had some extras in case they made any difference. Given the huge number of potential road choices in and around the capital I believe that this was more than representative of even the longest route anyone might create for a day out on their motorcycle. This is what I found. So reliable were my findings I am convinced that Garmin devices offering the skip waypoint feature should all behave the same way.

1. I fired up the device and previewed the map version of the route, ensuring it was the same as I had created in BaseCamp. It was. I then pushed, GO

2. I was presented with the usual choices of where to navigate to from where I stood. These were: My start point, any one of the eight waypoints and the end point, just as one would expect.

3. I chose the first waypoint, about two hundred yards away. The route imported perfectly, the start point, the eight intermediate waypoints (represented as little yellow flags) and the blue dot shaping points and the end point were all there. The distance, route shape and estimated time to complete were all perfect.

4. I rode my bicycle to and through the first waypoint, the route behaving perfectly.

5. I then stopped the route completely and rode back to home. I next summoned up the route again, again choosing the first waypoint from the list. Again, the route displayed perfectly. I rode towards the waypoint but instead of going through it, I took some side streets to miss it out deliberately, effectively skipping it out by choice. My device realised I was off route and did its very best to send me back to the waypoint, just as I expected it should. I then did what the device told me to do, turned around and rode through through the waypoint, whereupon the device was satisfied that it had taken me to where I had asked it to go and all was well with the full route thereafter.

6. I stopped the route again and peddled back home. I summoned up the route again, choosing the first waypoint from the list. I pedalled towards it but before I arrived I asked the device to give skip the waypoint, which it did, recalculating the my bespoke route in the process, just as I expected it would. This is how:

It routed me from where I stood directly to the next (ie the second) waypoint on the list. By directly, I mean it did it according to my preference settings, ignoring any blue shaping points that I had inserted between the first waypoint and the second. From the second point onwards the remainder of the route route ran perfectly. Just to check, I rode to the second waypoint and past it, following the recalculated magenta line all the way. Whilst it did not follow my original bespoke route between where I stood and the second waypoint (it selected different roads) it was perfect, my bespoke route running perfectly thereafter.

7. I stopped the route and rode back home. I restarted the route, selected and rode towards the first waypoint, skipped it using the button, following the recalculated route towards the second point but before I got there, I pushed the skip waypoint button again. I have effectively skipped two waypoints from my bespoke route.

8. Again the route recalculated, this time taking me directly (according to my preference settings) from where I stood to the third waypoint, again ignoring any shaping points in between. From the third point, my bespoke route ran perfectly thereafter, following the shaping points exactly.

10. I then tried all sorts of combinations of stopping the route, choosing different first destinations from the list and skipping multiple waypoints. Each time the device recalculated my bespoke route in exactly the same way. Each time, no matter what, it always reverted back to the bespoke route, just as soon as I arrived at the waypoint I had asked the device to take me to.

11. In short, it all worked just as I expected it would and should.

Summary:

A. The skip waypoint function works and works well, even for multiple skips in a single route.

B. Pushing the skip waypoint button MUST result in a recalculation, as you have changed the instruction you originally gave to the device, which was to take you to and through a waypoint. You, not the device, have opted to skip the waypoint out. There has to be a recalculation or the device cannot do what you have asked it to do.

B. The recalculation may well change your bespoke route, as you have asked your device to to take you from where you stand to a fresh destination. This recalculation will be done according to your device's preference settings; the device has no choice and cannot to do otherwise. If there are no alternative roads beyond those you selected in your bespoke route, the recalculated route will not differ at all from your bespoke route to the next waypoint. If there are alternative roads and the device selects those roads, the freshly recalculated route offered up will differ from those you chose when you made your bespoke route. The differences may be significant, depending on a large number of variables.

C. Any intermediate shaping points you might have put into your bespoke route between where you stand and the next waypoint you have skipped to, will be ignored. In short, the recalculation to skip a waypoint is driven by destination and preference settings, not by any existing shaping points.

D. As soon as you reach the next waypoint, your bespoke route will run perfectly thereafter (following all and any shaping points and waypoints you put in) right to the end of the route.

E. If you do not create your own bespoke routes, you may not notice that a recalculated route differs if a waypoint is skipped and you may not care anyway.

F. All the above worked in exactly the same way, whether I used my Nav V or VI.

Hey Richard, Thanks for taking the time to experiment and explain this so well especially that you have tried out something that is not normally how you create or run your routes.

I can and do run routes with just a start and end waypoint with shaping points between. But i generally use waypoints in my routes especilly if it's a long route of a few hundred miles.
Its just the method i find easier to create them. I cannot get on with dragging the rubberband part in basecamp to shape a route.

So I agree fully with the way you have set it up and described the results in the way it functions.

Although quoted in part 5 "I next summoned up the route again, again choosing the first waypoint from the list. Again, the route displayed perfectly. I rode towards the waypoint but instead of going through it, I took some side streets to miss it out deliberately, effectively skipping it out by choice. My device realised I was off route and did its very best to send me back to the waypoint, just as I expected it should. I then did what the device told me to do, turned around and rode through through the waypoint, whereupon the device was satisfied that it had taken me to where I had asked it to go and all was well with the full route thereafter."

Especially the bit "My device realised I was off route and did its very best to send me back to the waypoint" (now bear with me I may not explain this very well and could be wrong so i am potentially asking you to test) I am sure the same applies to a shaping point.

I have tried this (tested it once with Leedude's input) whereby if you deliberatly go off route to avoid a shaping point, my 590 tried routing me back to a shaping point that i hadn't gone over, and here lies the difference would not stop routing me back there until i'd ridden over the next shaping point in the route.
Whereby with a waypoint you have to go over it or skip it. Also not sure if you pass the next waypoint if it continues on your route but doubt it.

My 590 was on auto recalculate just for the test to see the way it responded.
I think i should mention I deliberatly avoided the the planned route roads until i got to the next shaping point (mentaly noted where they were placed for the test) once passed and back on the magenta the 590 carried on routing me along the route. I should say that there are more and more crazy re-calculates the further from that shaping point you go, deliberatly avoiding the directions.
Even when only a few hundred meters from the next shaping point there were some crazy recalculates going on. It appears that the device does not have the intelligence that you are closer to the next shaping point to forget the one behind and favourably direct you to the closer one.

This is just an observation and stand to be corrected but if it is right good to understand how these devices function.
Its also worth ment6ioning what i am talking about here is nothing to do with the thread topic of skipping a waypoint, so apologies for the tangent.

Interested to hear your findings.

Andy

Andy,

Thanks for the reply.

I have auto-recalculate turned off or prompted only, I do not have it turned on. When I deviated off down the side streets to purposely avoid the waypoint I received a message saying, “Off route, recalculate?” I simply sad, “Yes” to the question, as I knew I wanted to pass through it. The device then brought me back round to pass through the waypoint, just as it should. Had I not done so and simply rejoined the route beyond the waypoint, I would doubtless have received messages urging me to make a U-turn and reminding me I was off route. To be honest, I can’t remember if there is a time limit or distance limit over which these messages cease and it wasn’t part of my test.

I have never noticed a phenomenon by which, if you miss a shaping point (as opposed to a waypoint) the device tries to send you back to pass through it. I can though see that if you go off route (and have auto-recalculate turned in) device will keep trying to bring you back to the magenta line or (if you have automatic recalculation turned off) it will keep reminding you that you are off route. Where exactly an automatic recalculation brings you back to I have never tried finding out, but only because I have recalculate turned off and always navigate myself back onto the magenta line. It sometimes takes the device some distance to realise that I am back on the route, even though I can see the position cursor travelling along the magenta line. The next turn instructions will stop, too. Then, with me doing nothing at all, it will suddenly all snap back into life. What prompts the cursor and the magenta line to snap back together in the device’s ‘brain’, I have no idea. Maybe it is not until I pass over the next shaping point? I have never thought about it. If it goes on too long, I keep on riding but stop the route on the fly and restart it on othe move. All is then well.

It shouldn’t be too hard to test it out. I will give it a go. A stretch of road not much over a few hundred yards should do it. Anything with a waypoint and some shaping in it. London makes this easy, when there are no cars and some landmarks to help me remember where the points are.

Hi Richard,
Thanks for having a go at this if anything it will kill some lockdown time

I also have recalculate turned off now, but for this experiment I had it turned on.
Somewhere that has good alternative roads to ignore the route close to your first point.
When I did my test the points were about half a mile apart, will be interesting to see how you get on.

Great update and help. How did you manage to do all this in the 1 hour exercise period allowed

Old post but a great simple explanation. I think once people realise the nav will only follow the instructions given it within the parameters set by its user they will understand how it routes. Good post.