The 'Traf' Button

[Gadgetjq]

Many of our radio head units have a "Traf" button. The owners manual merely says something about receiving traffic information when the button is pressed (it actually initiates a scan for an fm radio station side frequency broadcasting the info) but nothing about 'what kind' of information or when.

I live in a major metropolitan area (San Diego) and have never found any information after pressing that button, even when I know there are accidents (even SIG alerts) in the area. Curiously my GPS alerts me well ahead of time when there's an accident in the area (even routes me around it)

Is this one of those features that seemed like a good idea at the time and has since been abandoned? Have any forum members ever received traffic information in any form after pressing that button?

Maybe it's a button that could be used for another function? (that would be cool).

Cheers

[[SMAN]]

XM radio as well as ClearChannel (FM) offer a NavTraffic service for an extra fee. It gives you accident and congestian data very similar to what google maps offers. That is most likely what the button you see is for.

[MCOjerry]

That button is the button you push when there is too much traffic on the roads. Push once, Everyone moves over to the right. Push twice, the 50MM cannons pop out from the sides and mow down all the cars in front of you...


Seriously, that button ain't worth crap.

[PXLpainter]

I thought it tuned to like 530AM for traffic conditions in the mountain passes, etc...

Well - around here and when I visit other metropolitan areas, I use Google Maps traffic on my Blackberry. That saves me literally hours a week and a lot of frustration getting through traffic!

[Gadgetjq]

XM radio as well as ClearChannel (FM) offer a NavTraffic service for an extra fee. It gives you accident and congestian data very similar to what google maps offers. That is most likely what the button you see is for.

Thanks SMan. I'm familiar with the NavTraffic service, it works fine with my GPS. It's just been a mystery why that alert would pop up but there wouldn't be any information at all after doing a 'traf' scan.

As another member has posted, 'just a useless button' I guess.

Cheers

[philosophicaljt]

my navi has it too.

[NeFaRiOuS_SLE]

Yeah, when I rented a Corolla (my Solara's stock radio didn't have it, neither does my Pioneer HU), it had that button too, but I tuned it to AM AND FM and didn't do nothing... Not to mention that except in certain areas, there's no such thing as a constant traffic channel; I found out the faster way using TellMe (800-555-TELL)...

...Bottom line, you're better off printing a sticker that says "DECOR" and putting it over the button, because that's all it was when I was running late for work when I dropped off my 'Lara first thing in the morning and drive past 2 almost undamaged cars with no cops on the scene .