Steps while driving

[Ajhend]

My fit bit is adding 1000s of steps per drive.... my partner is a truck driver and his counted an extra 30k worth of steps? How is this an accurate counting of steps? Would never have purchased if I knew this. Completely defeats the point of the product. How do we fix this?

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Community Forums @Ajhend. Thanks for sharing your Fitbit experience us. 

I'd like to mention that Fitbit devices use a 3-axis accelerometer to understand your motions. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking.

The algorithm determines whether a motion's size is large enough by setting a threshold. If the motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If the threshold is not met, the motion won’t be counted as a step. Other factors can create enough acceleration to meet our threshold and cause some over counting of steps, such as riding on a bumpy road. 

In other words, since Fitbit trackers have been designed to feel the vibrations on your body to track steps, your Inspire HR might confuse the vibration while driving. You can try these suggestions to avoid getting steps while driving from @MakMak! 

For those extra steps that your Inspire got while driving you can delete them by doing the following: 

1. Log into your fitbit.com dashboard using a computer or your phone browser.
2. At the top of the screen click Log > Activity.
3. Find the data you want to negate by selecting a date range.
4. In the activity menu, type in "Driving" and enter the duration and start time.
5. Click Log Activity. Your steps and calories burned will decrease for the time period you specified.

If your prefer to use your Fitbit App in a mobile device to delete your steps. Go to your Fitbit Account > Tap on the "Track exercise" tile > Tap on log log > type in "Driving" and pick the option that will show up.

Finally enter the date and the period of time you want to delete.

Give it a shot and let me know if that works.

[Ajhend]

Have changed the activity to driving, however it has not decreased the
number of steps for that time period. Are we missing something?

[cmegs]

I discovered this morning that if you charge the device it doesn't count anything. My Inspire HR was counting roughly 1000 steps in a half hour drive as i drive on dirt roads. If your able to maybe try that? i don't know if overcharging will have any effect on the battery life though.

[Ajhend]

I have been doing that as I only drive 2 times a day, however not great for
my partner who is in and out of his truck mulitple times a day.

[cmegs]

Yeah i can understand that, my partner is a truck driver too. I cant really think of a fix that wouldn't be a huge hassle... i dont see why Fitbit can't come up with a simple feature on the fitbit that pauses steps... 

[Ajhend]

Would be sooooo helpful. He downloased drivebit but it hasnt helped. Will
keep trialling different things.

[cmegs]

I have heard of TravelBit but it seems that is no longer available for download. Can i ask where you found DriveBit as i'd like to give it a go. I have a Samsung device and just searching for it in Google Play gives me nothing, or is it exclusive to Apple? 

EDIT: after a bit of googling it seems neither TravelBit or DriveBit are available on the Google Play store. I can't believe that Fitbit don't have a simple solution to this, it seems many people have been complaining about this for several years. If i would've know about this i would've gone with a different company! 

[Ajhend]

I have no idea, he has an iPhone so possibly an apple only product. I
havent purchased it myself, it isnt working for him however.