[Luis_A91]

I’ve been using my phone for directions a lot lately and it’s fine most of the time. But last week I went through a long tunnel and the map just froze for a bit. Is that normal or do you guys do something to keep it accurate? I’m not super techy, just wondering if I should be worried about it dropping when I actually need it.

[Derek Sloan]

I’ve had the same thing happen plenty of times. The map doesn’t exactly die, it just gets stuck on the last spot it had before the signal cut out, so you’re basically staring at a frozen dot while you drive. I’ve learned to just keep an eye on the exit signs instead of trusting the screen in there. Mine usually snaps back within a few seconds once I’m out, so nothing has ever stayed broken. The one that gets me is parking garages, because the thing is already confused about which level you’re on before you even lose the signal. Tunnels are at least straightforward, you go in one end and come out the other. It’s annoying but it’s been like that with every phone I’ve had, so I don’t think it’s something you did wrong.

[Dave K.]

Had a similar thing happen driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel last summer. The map froze on the entrance for about ten minutes, then picked up again once we were out. What surprised me was that it actually kept counting down the distance to the exit while the screen sat there frozen. Turned out the navigation had cached the route before we went in, so it was still tracking where we were even without a signal. The screen just looked stuck because it wasn’t updating the map tiles. I’ve noticed the same thing in parking garages since then. The little arrow stops moving but the voice guidance keeps going for a bit. Not sure if that’s just how my phone handles it or if it’s standard, but it’s been reliable enough that I stopped paying attention to it. The only time it really threw me off was in a tunnel with a couple of exits close together, and I had to guess which one to take. Ended up fine, but I did glance at the signs instead of the screen.

[Nina K.]

Mine cuts out in the car wash too, not just tunnels. It’s just the signal getting blocked, nothing to fix. I still keep the phone mount visible so I know which way to turn when it comes back.

[Eddie___K]

I’ve seen the dot drift off on the map in a couple of longer tunnels, but it usually snaps back once I’m out. Mine also seems worse if I’m using an older phone, which makes me wonder if a newer one would hold on a bit better.

[Mike Dunbar]

I still like having the phone up where I can glance at it even if the dot stops moving, mostly so I know roughly how far I’ve gone in. Mine usually catches up once there’s sky again.

[Paul Graves]

I’ve noticed the opposite honestly. When I drive into the parking garage under the mall, my phone still shows me moving pretty well for a bit before it gives up. It’s not perfect but it doesn’t freeze instantly like people say. I’ve started just glancing at it less once I’m underground and following the painted arrows instead. That works fine for me. The map catching up again when I come out is the main thing, and that part always happens. I did have one time where it took a while to figure out which way I was facing after I came out, but it sorted itself out by the next light. So for me it’s a bit better than the horror stories suggest, though I’m not doing anything special to make it work.

[Emma Mirren]

It’s just how phones work in tunnels, nothing is really broken. I’ve noticed mine goes a bit weird in a different way though. Sometimes the dot keeps gliding along at a normal speed even after the signal should be gone, like it’s guessing where I am from the last bit of movement. Then it freezes or jumps once I come out the other side. I don’t think there’s much you can do about it on a normal phone. It’s the same reason my music cuts out in some underpasses. I just keep an eye on the road signs inside the tunnel instead of staring at the screen, since the phone clearly can’t keep up in there. It’s a bit annoying but it always comes back once there’s sky above me again.

[Jenny Flowers]

Mine freezes a little too but usually catches up fine once I’m back out.

[Sarh_Kompress]

Mine actually does the opposite of what you’d expect. The map keeps sliding along for a while after I enter, like it’s guessing where I am, then it snaps back once I get a signal again. So it’s not frozen, just a bit off. Yours freezing sounds like a different thing.

[Kevin Rogers]

Mine does the same thing and it’s been that way with every phone I’ve had, so I just treat it as normal. I still keep the map up because even when it stops updating for a minute, it’s usually close enough to know which way I’m headed. It’s never actually left me stranded or anything.

[Chris Lee]

Mine drops out every single time in the long tunnel on my commute, not just a freeze. It comes back once there’s sky again, but for those few minutes I’m basically on my own. I’ve just learned to check the exit signs instead of staring at the screen.

[Mark Carrell]

Tunnels are just a dead zone for the signal, so the freeze is expected. Mine usually picks up again a couple seconds after I’m out, but there’s a stretch near me where the map has no clue for a good minute. Kind of like the phone holding its breath until it sees sky again.

[Susan Keller]

Mine tends to freeze right when I need it most, of course. I’ve started glancing at the next turn or exit before I go in, just so I have a rough idea if the map goes quiet. Does it usually come back on its own once you’re out, or do you have to fiddle with it?

[Author]

Posts