Prevent Zumo XT from recording speed

[Rofor]

My Zumo 660, like many (not all) garmin units records highest speed, however it does not record when or where the speeds were achieved, so would be useless for any prosecution.

You're sure about this? The 660 may not display the achieved top speed and display it on a summary page - but if you look at a recorded track in Basecamp or a similar software, there should be the archived speed for any track point recorded!

@mad-dawg - i still can't see, were the problem is? The Zumo XT has a data page, were you can see the achieved top speed of all your rides since you bought it (or have done a reset). Nobody, which accessed this page can see, when or where this top speed has been driven! You could be on a race track or on a private road or on a german highway time ago, where it is legal to drive at such a speed - nobody can tell...

[lkraus]

Garmins have been recording "top speed" for many years, never heard of it being used for a prosecution. The data is not very reliable and with no law enforcement officer actually observing the infraction it would never stand up in court. In the U.S., it might even require a warrant to get access to the data.

If you have Travel History turned on you can see the resulting Active Log in Basecamp, with the calculated speed between track points. You will also see that many of the calculations are ridiculously wrong. The log will show you cruising along at 50 mph between points, then it will randomly show a single point with zero speed , followed by a point at 100 mph, then back to 50 mph to the next point. You know you did not (can not) accelerate/decelerate that quickly.

If you don't want to worry about it, turn off Travel History, reset the Trip Computer regularly, and don't speed.

I'd worry more about my phone being tracked.

[mad-dawg]

Robert
My issue is that Garmin have produced a device that records information that serves no purpose but I am unable to stop it doing so.
What is the point in recording the highest speed ever reached if it does not indicate when this occurred? Who cares if I did 96mph at some point in the last 7847 miles?

The point I was making is that the XT is a sat nav (not a very good one) and has been bloated with useless apps and features which cannot be turned off.

Switching lights and the washing machine on when 200 miles from home is not my thing, for those that want this connectivity, good luck to them.

[Peobody]

My issue is that Garmin have produced a device that records information that serves no purpose but I am unable to stop it doing so.

I understand and respect this point of view. No device or product should record information without explicit consent, clearly differentiating between information required for proper operation and that which is for informational purposes only.

[Les]

You're sure about this? The 660 may not display the achieved top speed and display it on a summary page - but if you look at a recorded track in Basecamp or a similar software, there should be the archived speed for any track point recorded!

I can't imagine any police officer having handy access to Basecamp though..

[electro_handyman]

I will say that the only sure fire way for the XT to not record your activities is to leave it at home, or not turn it on..... if you don't like it don't use it. Problem solved.

[Rofor]

And not to forget - this is no 'extra' Zumo XT feature! The whole Zumo series does this and display this on the data screen for a really long time - as @electro_handyman said - if you don't like this feature, you shouldn't buy any of the Garmin's motorbike or offroad navigation units.

@mad-dawg: This is no 'extra' recorded information - it's extracted and displayed from necessary data, without the unit won't work properly - if you don't want to see this data, just simply do not access this extra screen.

For me, it's a complete useless discussion here and i'm out of it...

[jfheath]

Top Speed shows the maximum calculated speed since the last reset of the data. But the top speed readout is not accurate at all. You only have to go into a road tunnel at 30mph, and speed up to 40mph when you are in there. Satnav continues showing an assumed 30mph - it has no other information. When you exit, the satnav thinks you are further back than you actually are when you hit the daylight. The calculated speed is that long distance from way back, divided by the 1 second that it took you to travel it. Top speed 140mph. Easy. But completely wrong.

You can turn off the track logs, but whether or not that prevents all record of your location and speed, I don't know.

There's no data protection issue here. It is recorded on the XT that you own. No one else can access to it, unless you provide the means.

But the satnav track logs aren't your only thing to worry about. Dash Cam evidence, Mobile speed enforcement vehicles with 2 mile range cameras, mobile phones, members of the public submitting camera footage to online police sites, GoPro evidence, ....

But I don't care. I don't break the speed limit.

[Fxwheels]

Like others said, how would police know where this was done. Maybe you rode an autobahn or a racetrack? Once on an airplane I left it on and it recorded 180 mph on takeoff before losing reception . I think the XT can tell you where the speed cameras are (with a phone app connection). I'm not sure as in my state the cameras are not legal, and in 48 states you can use a radar detector.
But yes, I don't think they have rights to check you gps. The only thing you can do is to reset the max speed at each stop, or upon destination.

[rbentnail]

The only thing you can do is to reset the max speed at each stop, or upon destination.

Turning off the gps is an option. As is not being a hooligan.