Driving Radius

  • Updated

In the example below, notice the three rings around our stop in Dallas, TX. This is called the driving radius and it is designed to give you an idea of how far you can travel in a single day based on the Driving Estimates you entered in your Trip Settings.

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To set up your Driving Radius, click the Trip Tools Wrench in the Trip Drawer and select Trip Settings when the Trip Tools Drawer opens.

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Next, select the Routing & Driving Tab and scroll down using your mouse to view the Driving Radius area.

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To activate your Driving Radius, you have the option of selecting from either the Classic Driving Radius or the Advanced Driving Radius. However, before we get into the details of these two options, let's first talk about how a driving radius is calculated.

When you first selected the Routing & Driving Tab you might've noticed the Driving Time Estimates section at the very top. If you are currently in the Driving Radius section of the Routing & Driving Tab, scroll up now using your mouse to view.

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As you can see, Driving Time Estimates are calculated one of two ways:

  • Use Routing Engine Estimate -- When this method is used, RV LIFE Trip Wizard will calculate driving time based on posted speed limits used by the mapping engine. It will not factor in delays due to traffic, construction or sudden road closures.

  • Use My Average Speed -- Rather than rely on posted speed limits, Trip Wizard will calculate your Driving Time Estimate using an average speed per hour that you enter multiplied by the number of hours you plan to drive each day (see below). This is especially valuable for RV owners who may not choose to drive at the maximum posted speed limit.

For demonstration purposes, let's choose Average Driving Speed and enter 45 in the field to the right.

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Next, scroll down with your mouse to the Driving Distance section  at the very bottom. Enter 6 in the Average Hours Per Day field (note: you should click the radio button for Average hours per day before this field will appear).

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With the information you have  entered, your mileage radius would be as follows:

6 Hours Per Day     X Average Driving Speed of 45 mph    = 270 total miles (Your Driving Radius)

Now let's talk about the two options available in determining your final driving radius:

  • Classic Driving Radius -- When selected, Trip Wizard will calculate your Driving Radius as the crow flies (disregards posted driving routes).

  • Advanced Driving Circle -- When selected, this option calculates Driving Radius based on existing roads/routes and posted speed limits.

Adding Multiple Driving Radii

Trip Wizard gives you the option of adding multiple driving radii to your trip leg. This can come in handy if you want to calculate different driving distances. For the following example, go ahead and select the radio button for Show Classing Driving Radius, then to make the below options appear, select Set distance minimum, middle, and maximums.

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As shown in the example above, let's say my maximum daily drive is about 240 miles (set as the Max Distance) and my minimum daily drive is 160 miles (set as the Minimum Distance). Lastly, and this is optional, I'll set the Middle Distance halfway between the two, at 200 miles, to give me a better idea of where I'm at in my journey compared to the other two. Click the red Save button to save your changes. The following circles should appear:

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The reason for the three rings is to provide you with the flexibility you need to find that perfect park or destination. As you can see, the red ring represents the outermost radius (in this case, 240 miles) from your current stop. The innermost ring (160 miles) is shown in green. And the yellow ring shows your middle radius at 200 miles.  You can, of course, choose 1, 2, 3, or no radii at all. It’s entirely your choice and you can change it at any time to find out what works best for you.

The same principle applies to the Advanced Driving Circle option, though the radii do look a bit different as shown below:

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Each time you open a trip, the radii will be shown at the start point. In some cases, the map may be zoomed in so close you may not see your driving radii. To adjust this, simply click the minus (-) button in the upper right hand corner of the map (under your name) to zoom out and see your radii. You may have to do this more than once, depending on the mileage numbers you added in the radius boxes.

Now that your radii are clearly visible, let’s say you are ready to add a stop. Just click on the campground or park icon where you wish to stop and the following popup will appear.

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From here, you can add this stop just as you would in the Planning Your Trip section. Each time you add a stop, the radii will re-center itself based on the new location. Of course, if you wish to remove the driving radius entirely, simply return to the Driving tab and select Don’t Show a Radius.

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