Put Charge 6 in a toll booth 'no track' bag to stop counting driving as steps?

[oldprogrammer]

The Charge 6 is worthless if there is no easy way to stop it from counting driving as steps!  The data is just wrong and misleading!  Would it work to put the Charge 6 in a tin can with a lid or a toll booth 'no track' bag to keep it from counting steps?  (I know I could buy extra charging cables and adapters so all of us in the car can connect them to chargers while traveling in the car, but what about bicycles, subways, trains, busses, and airplanes?)  I'm looking for (1) a *convenient* workaround (editing data online afterwards is not) *AND* (2) word that FitBit has a PLAN to give us new software to FIX this broken functionality.

[bobdob]

If your thinking is to block transmitting of the data from your fitbit while you're driving, that won't help you. Your fitbit can store a couple days' detailed data and even more summary data and it will sync all of it once it can communicate with your phone.

If this is a huge problem for you (it's not for me or I suspect most of us) maybe you could use some kind of padded container to put it in while driving just to keep it from picking up as much vibration.

[skiqueen58]

What?????   it should not be tracking driving as steps!!!!   looking to get a new one since my inspire HR screen just keeps turning off until I plug it in and still using my cracked charge 2.  This charge 2 DOES NOT track driving as steps.  I am hesitant to replace this unit since everyone says some of its best features went away with later Charge devices!!!

[bobdob]

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@skiqueen58 wrote:

What?????   it should not be tracking driving as steps!!!! 

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As a general rule it does not. At least not to a noticeable extent for most of us, except on the lawnmower for me. I have heard a few people say this going back even to earlier models like the Inspire HR, but not a lot. I guess they have exceptionally bumpy drives or faulty units.

[oldprogrammer]

No, I was thinking of stopping the FitBit from getting GPS signals while
driving, which this model uses instead of counting steps, IIUC.  But
then I might get out of the car and the FitBit would instantly register
2,000 steps all at once, right?  It is time for some experiments.

- Aron

[Rich_Laue]

Tracking false steps while driving is the result of the cars suspension. The smoother the ride, the less steps. I agree steps should not be counted, however the only step counter I know of that doesn't count steps are the $5Usd mechanical trackers, because the weight is to heavy. 

Fitbit has an event called driving that use to remove steps, but this function is now broken. 

This seems to be an ongoing issue with every arm based tracker on the market. You may also find steps being added while cooking or sitting at a desk. Your tracker is watching arm motions, not leg movements . 

[bobdob]

No, steps are always measured by the accelerometers. GPS can be used to
track distance during exercise but does not count steps.

[oldprogrammer]

Actually, if you're moving faster than say 15mph, it should not accumulate any steps, because whatever you are doing, I don't think you are walking. 🙂

[gylr1]

I drive a school bus (bumpy country roads all the way)7½ hours a day. My charge 5 registers about 8000 steps just for that. The only way around it is to open the exercise section, click 'add exercise ', them type in 'driving' , select your start time, then put in the number of minutes. You can only do this afterwards,  and cannot just copy day to day. I do this 3 times a day,  5 days a week. It's a real pain, but seems to be the only way.

[oldprogrammer]

The other way seems to be to charge it while driving.

And thank you for working to help kids get an education!