I just use my sat nav last mile. I use my yruckers atlas. Am one of the dinosaurs here.
I would never consider using maps as being from the prehistoric age. The good thing with maps is you get an overview of a whole area at once where the SatNav is really just a very small section that you need to scroll around with. Of course you can zoom out but then you lose lots of detail.
Having said that, I did order maps that were supposed to be the latest version and in many cases found them to be more out of date and error prone than some of the SatNavs. Plus working in London, the landscape seems to change on an almost daily basis with road changes, road closures and diversions where HGVs have not been given any thought at all.
I have not been doing this very long with less than 2 years under my belt, but my experience of multidrop doesn’t really give you the time to sit there and properly plan a route, let alone 10+ drops a day. I am not saying that is right or sensible, but I don’t know where I am going or how many drops until I get to the yard. I get very little time to sort out my paperwork, do lorry checks and be on my way. Then many deliveries are timed. Sure, I could refuse to do it and say how I need to do it, but I don’t think I would last very long in that job.
As I said, I am not saying this is how it should be but seems how it is for myself and people I speak to doing the same thing. I can easily see how many people become reliant on SatNavs if they are completely unfamiliar with the area.
I think the manufacturers of these devices should be doing more to ensure their products are fit for the purpose they are being sold at a premium price for. In the digital world we live in, there is absolutely no reason why they cannot be deadly accurate. But in their current form, they just simply are not.
I’ve got the Garmin Dezl 700, the Garmin has good features, although like everyone else is saying the 7.5t limits are a pain, today mine routed me miles out of my way just because of a 7.5t limit, as I vaguely knew where I was going I caught it before I was too far out and then if you drive through the limit with access it keeps saying STOP turn around, or tries to route me up a tiny lane not even big enough for a car, let alone a 26t lorry.
AdamST205:
It also doesn’t hurt to get out and have a quick walk around if you think you are going to end up at the point of no return!
Solid advice, I used to do that a lot when first started out on multi-drop. I think after a while you develop a hunch, an instinct about places and if something looks dodgy like it would be a bad idea to go in. I’d rather ignore my sat nav and drive past a street it’s asking me to turn into if I don’t like it, then find a place to stop and take a closer look at google streets/maps or walk. Don’t care if I have to drive 20 mins to get back to the place…although it’s a case of poor planning on the driver’s part 
And another thing!
Today was on a multi-drop route in NE London and the SE London. I had forgotton to pack my Garmin, and so I used Road Lords on my phone. The first drop was less than 20 miles from the depot.
I somehow got trapped, further away from the drop, in an inescapable maze of width restrictions. Road Lords has the width restrictions marked, but ignores them and routes you through them!!! Even those with actual concrete width restrictions!
I left the depot at 06:00. First drop, less than 20 miles away, acheived after 09:00. Driver exhausted and near tears! I know I am an idiot, and I do like a challenge, but for a newbie, doing U turns in an 18t truck whilst missing strict deadlines is not much fun.
At one point I was less than a mile from my drop. Looking at a 7’ width restriction. Unable to go forward. The width restriction on this road was NOT signposted!!! (as far as I could see??)
wakou:
And another thing!
Today was on a multi-drop route in NE London and the SE London. I had forgotton to pack my Garmin, and so I used Road Lords on my phone. The first drop was less than 20 miles from the depot.
I somehow got trapped, further away from the drop, in an inescapable maze of width restrictions. Road Lords has the width restrictions marked, but ignores them and routes you through them!!! Even those with actual concrete width restrictions!
I left the depot at 06:00. First drop, less than 20 miles away, acheived after 09:00. Driver exhausted and near tears! I know I am an idiot, and I do like a challenge, but for a newbie, doing U turns in an 18t truck whilst missing strict deadlines is not much fun.
At one point I was less than a mile from my drop. Looking at a 7’ width restriction. Unable to go forward. The width restriction on this road was NOT signposted!!! (as far as I could see??)
What you’ve described is a bloody good way to learn, the way everybody did once… ie, by mistakes,
By experiencing that it makes you more wary and astute next time…that is the way it used to be before all this stuff came out…
Ain’t got a ■■■■ clue what a ‘Road Lord’ is, but such crap is the reason that drivers no longer actually learn routes but rather go through the motions,.and the reason we have so many crappists masquerading as drivers.
Ain’t saying don’t use all available aids, just saying you learn more (and bettter) if you also do a bit,.and think a bit fo yourself instead of total reliance on electronics.
wakou:
Hi folks… I am a recently qualified Cat C driver. I have a job, multi-drop, 18t and so I “invested” in a Garmin “Dezl” Sat-Nav. It seems to panic if my delivery uses a “7.5T except for access” road and sends me down side-streets, seemingly to avoid the weight restrictions. I found myself in a “Play-Street” the other day! I had to do a three-point-turn, which was not fun. Luckily, people helped. But are Garmins useless? How do I tell it that once I am in a “zone” I cannot use side-streets? My delivery places are mostly big supermarkets, superstores etc, but the route suggested by the Sat-nav was residential and NOT appropriate for a truck! After this, the Sat-Nav was constantly asking me to “tap” and “allow” me to continue? I switched it off. What did I do wrong?
Rob Roy pointed me to this thread , I can’t be bothered to read it all , but I’ve had none of the issues you have with either of my snoopers , the only things the original 1 did is take me up a bus route in Wolverhampton.& it would do everything to route you away from the dart Ford tunnels ( bridge fine ) , new one is fine with tunnels ( yet settings are exactly the same ) , bloody good bit of kit , central London etc , spot on , only negative about new one is it has no tv like old one , & may just be my experience but don’t think much of after sales service , though to be fair I more than had my money’s worth out the original one , just watching tv I didn’t have to buy , new one should keep me going as long as I need it
I’d already brought a new snooper , but they offered me a new at £299 ( so much off for old one ) ,
Id send yours back , I sent a Tom Tom back , hopeless
As for what it costs , my mate was going on about he’d never pay £400 for a sat nav , but he’ll pay nigh on £40,000 for a merc ( pcp at god knows how much a month ) which does exactly what my 6 k focus does , my mrs moans about the cost then spends most of her time at the tanning place , hair dressers , nail place , clothes , bloody clothes , and shoes , there every bloody where , I’ve no doubt the ones moaning about the cost of a sat nav , thinking nothing of ■■■■■■■ £££££££ away every sat night .
Your new , I’ve the sat nav , but to be honest there’s not many places I’ve not been , so as time goes by it will get easier
I think what drivers have to remember is that no matter how many £££ you shell on a sat nav, it isn’t some sort of artificial intelligence… it’s a piece of software programmed to follow set rules.
A piece of software does not know whether a street or junction is big enough to accommodate a lorry. It will view a 7.5t limit as just that, it won’t know whether or not it’s suitable for you to go down there to reach a delivery point. There will likely be errors amongst the mapping as to where exactly limits start & end. It doesn’t know where entrances to sites are in relation to low bridges that are near it (try getting to Staci in Blackburn with a sat nav). It doesn’t know for sure whether the route it’s sending you on is actually in reality the best/easiest for a truck. These are all things you have to figure out yourself as a driver.
dozy:
Rob Roy pointed me to this thread ,I’ve no doubt the ones moaning about the cost of a sat nav , thinking nothing of ■■■■■■■ £££££££ away every sat night .
I’m getting a strong vibe that you’re implying that there’s a connection between your two points there doze mate. 
Tbf though, you maybe ain’t far off. 
Do I spend half my week’s wage on summet I don’t need, or maintain a decent social life…hmmmm.
wakou:
And also Garmin assumes that EVERY lay-by is a gents and ladies lavatory.
To be fair…
It’s correct in that assumption.
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?
I don’t have a Garmin but on the TomTom devices it highlights restricted or closed roads in a different colour which you can only see if you “zoom in” on the map display.
It’s quite possible there are roadworks with temporary lane restrictions/closures authorised which the satnav will obey even if in fact the lanes are not closed at that specific time.
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wakou:
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?
Your trailer length is set too long. It avoids the tunnel because of this. Bridge is fine. I am a new pass and ended up going the long way round the M25 because I didn’t know any better 
wakou:
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?
So how many extra miles was that exactly for no reason?
Did you follow the ‘advice’ or make a contrary decision yourself?
AdamST205:
wakou:
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?Your trailer length is set too long. It avoids the tunnel because of this. Bridge is fine. I am a new pass and ended up going the long way round the M25 because I didn’t know any better
That’s not the case in the OP’s example - AIUI his Dezl is still routing him via the Dartford tunnel but instead of simply swinging right from the M23 onto the M25 anticlockwise, it has him going LEFT onto the clockwise carriageway, then leaving at the next junction to immediately double back onto the anticlockwise carriageway.
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wakou:
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?
Have you got it set to avoid tolls?
fingermissing:
wakou:
I have a Garmin Dezl…
Twice now, returning home to Essex from the South coast, I have been on the M23, expecting to hit the M25 and “turn right”, heading for the Dartford Crossing etc.
My Sat-Nav advises me to “turn left” … I assumed it knew of some horrible traffic…
But no! It advises me to head West at the junction of the M23 and M25, go to the next junction (Reigate), come off, round the junction, and rejoin the M25 headed in the other direction.
Can anyone explain why it might do this?Have you got it set to avoid tolls?
It’s not avoiding the Dartford tolls though is it? - it’s avoiding the straightforward merge onto the M25 from the M23.
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One possibility for its routing, is if they had diversions on that junction in last month maybe, requiring the need to take that route, and for some reason yours isnt updating that its no longer needed.
the other is revenge, its got AI and voice activation, and after last time hearing you call it a ■■’n ■■■■ for making such a choice, it though screw you, and did it again…
TonkaBoy:
One possibility for its routing, is if they had diversions on that junction in last month maybe, requiring the need to take that route, and for some reason yours isnt updating that its no longer needed.the other is revenge, its got AI and voice activation, and after last time hearing you call it a [zb]'n [zb] for making such a choice, it though screw you, and did it again…
Ha! It is possible, I do swear at it sometimes! (a lot!)
To answer a couple of other questions. Not tolls etc… Not trailer (I don’t have one!)
@robroy The first time I just ignored it and headed to the Dartford Tunnel as I would have done normally and without a Sat-Nav. 2 hours queuing to get through tunnel… (this is not unusual!) Second time, I surmised that traffic was again horrible, and that the Dezl had calculated that it was quicker to go the long way, clockwise, and so I followed the instructions, only to be routed as in the orig post. This adds, I guess approx 10 Km or so?
Possible that @TonkaBoy’s suggestion of a re-route due to works etc that are no longer there?
Just for clarity, this it what it was suggesting:
There’s another possibility - perhaps there was indeed significant congestion at the tunnels but it could have been clearing. As you approached the M25 it was quicker to go the long way, but by the time you’d actually joined the clockwise carriageway and started to go the long way round the traffic had cleared a bit.
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