Which is better fastest route or shortest

Thanks for the fast reply, been using fastest but sometimes it takes me through country lanes / back roads not good when i have hospital patients on so i thought maybe i was using the wrong setting.

Ive been using my Go 510 (with updated maps) which i know is easily 6 years old lol, but its never let me down up until yesterday so ive just bought a Go live 820

Hi

I never use the "Shortest Route" option because in one town it guided me though some of the dodgiest back streets I have ever seen

ATB YFM

You can find the version numbers of application and map using the links I posted in my second reply.

Okay, thanks. You have the latest application and a map that is half a year old. That should not give any problems. Do you have any restrictions set (such as avoid toll ways, or use a limited maximum speed)? Do you remember the route that gave problems? If so, you can try the route using the online route planner: https://discussions.tomtom.com/t5/forums/replypage/board-id/car_navigation/message-id/routes.tomtom.com" target="_blank to see if it also gives the issue. 

I have tried using both fastest routes and shortest routes - both have taken me on "shortcuts" across minior roads to cut a corner on a major road.  Not a problem when I have some idea of where I am, as I simply ignore it, but when relying solely on tomtom in a strange (often foreign) country or in the dark, it can be disconcerting to be led up a farm track with no certainty of being able to get out at the end!

Shouldn't there be an option to only use roads above a certain standard?

Hi aspectvic. I have exactly the same question you raise and I see you get no answer. 

I have a VIA 135 and recently had a great trip through France. The TOMTOM was great - except for the way it cuts corners to, theoretically produce the shortest route. 

When I knew what it was doing I could ignore the turn into a very minor road and TT would recalculate the route. OK. But when you don't know to do it it is very alarming to get a narrow country road for ten miles instead of a good main road for 12 miles.

There must be an algorithm that TT can work out that says the savings in time are not worth the effort. If I go on a main road through a right-anglr triangle A-B-C and TT says it quicker to go A-C - but on narrow roads, I'd rather go ABC.

Whay can't TT figure that out and let us chose that way?

I write this comment in response to your year-old comment in the hope the TT will post a reply. But I won't hold my breath.

Thanks for the tip, Lars. I've now set my TT to ECO route. I won't be able to test it on the French route but I'll see if I can find an equivalent back here in the UK. Cheers.