Steps counting while driving

[Rumblebee]

My fit bit counts steps while im driving. Even on a smooth road. So i never really know how far ive gone.

[Rich_Laue]

In the feature request forum there is a request for this feature. 

[fittybittymc]

I’ve tried the option of offsetting the step count by adding an exercise under the category of “driving,” however this still counts as an exercise day under “number of days exercised this week.” Is there a way to have Fitbit categorize “Driving” as non-exercise so it’s not logged under the exercise category? Right now it appears as if I exercised 5 days when one of those was just spent driving. 

[AlvaroFitbit]

@fittybittymc It's nice to have you on board!

Good to hear that you use the driving activity to negate your steps. Regarding your question about not counting as an exercise, currently this isn't available but you can share your idea in our Feature Suggestions board. Search for the idea first to see if one already exists so you can add your vote. The more votes an idea gets the more likely the developers will try to implement it. 

Let me know how it goes.

[fittybittymc]

Thank you for the information! I’ll definitely check that out.

[adferrell1987]

To be clear, this doesn't solve the issue. This is a cumbersome and time consuming work-around that still doesn't completely fix the issue. I have only owned one FitBit product, and it's the only one I'll ever own for this reason

[Shortstep]

I make deliveries. I drive for five minutes and then walk around for 10 and repeat.  Plugging in Fitbit is it really not option and trying to log driving time is not a good option.     Seems that it’s a programming issue with Fitbit that should be fixed.

[AlvaroFitbit]

@Shortstep @adferrell1987 It's great to see that you've visited the Fitbit Community!

Thank you for your input to both of you. @adferrell1987 I do get what you mean this is why you can add your suggestions on how to improve this feature. @Shortstep what I have personally noticed is that the vibration transferred to the car's steering wheel is the one that causes steps to be counted. In my car I don't have this problem but I can see this happening with other cars that have a stronger vibration or stiffer suspension. In your case try wearing your tracker a little bit tighter so it isn't bouncing while driving. Another alternative is using a belt clip tracker like the Fitbit Inspire, this avoids most of the steps counted while driving or when moving your arms.

Let me know how it goes.

[Shadow727]

I am not happy with the two options for solving this issue. If I log my driving time, it’s not too bad if I’m on a long drive and I remember to write down my start and stop times, but if I’m making many stops on my trip, I am more likely to forget to write down each time so I can log it in later. The Fitbit is after all, a tracker of my activities, so it’s inconvenient to track my driving activity manually to un-track something falsely put in there. Then, when I do that, it crowds up my exercise log with driving details that I don’t want and tricks the app into thinking I’ve exercised and have reached my goals, when I haven’t. 
I will have to resort to removing the device when driving, which I also don’t like because the band does not slip on and off easily. 

I’m requesting that you make a ‘hot button’ on the app’s main dashboard screen and another on the Fitbit device to disable step counting, maybe in the area where ‘do not disturb’ is. Thank you. 

[AlvaroFitbit]

@Shadow727 Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you for your feedback. Currently this isn't available but you can share your idea in our Feature Suggestions board. Search for the idea first to see if one already exists so you can add your vote. The more votes an idea gets the more likely the developers will try to implement it. 

Keep me posted.

[NicoRenee]

This is unacceptable. I just went off off roading about 60 miles and it tracked 7000 steps.  RIDICULOUS

[Rich_Laue]

Sorry @NicoRenee but not many watches are able to determine driving, this is frequently mentioned with the Apple Watch

there is an app called travelbit that automatically log the time as driving.

[Sketchythegrea]

I'm a bus driver and drive 11h days with multiple stops and times. Taking my watch off to charge dozens of times a day or logging 20-30 periods of driving activity is insane. This device should be able to tell when the wearer is going at high speeds to stop logging steps and calories unless specified otherwise by the wearer. It's insanity that we have to do manual error correction or disable it via hardware by charging every single time. Most people these days drive to work, or in my case, at work. This is a huge oversight by Fitbit's that's been known for years according to these threads time stamps. I just got my charge 4 last week and assumed it would compensate for driving. It throws off all the stats and makes the step and calorie data unreliable and useless. It's 2021, please Fitbit update your human tracker to recognize when it's no longer reading its human wearer. Thanks.

[Rich_Laue]

Your tracker has no idea how fast you are going. 

The tracker can only see changes in the speed. 

To see how fast will require using GPS. 

The same as you, if you are a passenger with your eyes closed, the car on a freshly paved road. You will only be able to detect changes in speed and direction, with no clue as to how fast. Yes you will know that you are moving, and maybe how fast, but that is because you know more than what forces are on the body. 

This is a great conversation between fitbit users but you may want to add your vote, as suggested, to the feature requests. I searched and now find 2 suggestions that are related, but ask from different angles. 

[JonMN]

Travelbit worked, it was a pain if you forgot to start or stop it before driving.  Has not been available on Android for a few years now.  

[Rich_Laue]

Travebit and Drivebit where automatic, designed to be left running in the background with no need to start are stop. 

Hopefully someone else steps up and replaced these apps. 

Another thought would be to mark use the tracker to mark the time driving as a workout. After a sync this could be changed to driving. 

[Sketchythegrea]

Okay, fair enough... But since 100% of the time we have our cell phones
with us while driving and since the Charge 4 and other models have built in
gps and/or can use the cellphone's GPS to monitor speed/direction, the
software has literally everything it needs to determine the difference
between walking, running and driving.

[Rich_Laue]

Gps is the highest usage of battery on the phone and the tracker. Do you really want the tracker to keep an active GPS lock? 

Some users have reported driving ocaisionly gets recorded as a bike ride. 

I'm wondering if the arm movement during driving is predictable enough to be detected. 

[Sketchythegrea]

I'm using my gps 100% of the time while driving, as do most people who have
lengthy commutes or drive for a living. If it's the difference between my
Fitbit tracking data being correct or way off, then absolutely I'd plug in
my cellphone to use it's GPS as I'm sure most drivers/users would.

It's a far better solution than removing my watch and charging it 20-30
times a day or manually entering the same number of driving activity log
corrections.

This issue continues to be a problem, regardless of how many users take
notice. Very frustrating from a consumer standpoint.

[JonMN]

I don't know anyone that can ride a bicycle over 25 mph .  So why does all my DRIVING over 40m mph get logged as steps?

[Rich_Laue]

And or plug the fitbit in? Bluetooth also uses a lot of power with the small battery. 

My thought I'd this fun time could be added to the phone, no need to add to the tracker.