Option to turn off step count (or add "Driving Mode") to avoid erroneous steps/floors

[MacWade]

I just got home yesterday from a driving 6 hours in my car and I checked my Fitbit. I was really suprised to see it had given me almost 8,000 steps, 3.24 miles, 134 floors, & way more calories thank I burned while I was sitting in my car.  I looked on the forum to see how to easily delete the steps, miles, floors, and calories so my data would be accurate.  The only way people are fixing it is by manually logging the activity "Automobile or light truck (not a semi) driving" and entering in the duration.  I think that is a cumbersome way to fix the issue everytime I drive because I have to make sure I write down what time I get into and out of my car so I know the start time and duration.  And how does it automatically know the calories burned when everyone burns calories when they are sedentary at different rates.

I think they should add a "Drive Mode" feature that when turned on it won't add steps, distance, floors, & will only add calories burned equal to you sitting in a chair.

You could access the "Drive Mode" either on your Fitbit One or on your phone app to turn it on/off.  If you have a Fitbit One you could press the button till the "Drive Mode" icon appears then hold the button down for 2 seconds to turn it on or off.

On the phone apps you would just go to your device under "Account" and there you could turn it on or off.

You could also have the option to give you an alert when you unlock the phone that reminds you that it is in "Drive Mode" so you don't forget to turn it off when you get to your destination.  It would also be cool if you could use Siri to turn it on by saying "Turn on Fitbit Drive Mode" or "Turn off Fitbit Drive Mode".

[Stevenew]

Had a go on both channels, if enough people do it we may just get an answer!

[SetxSpyder]

I just tweeted this.Everyone looking at a @Fitbit Versa should look elsewhere. There is a known bug whereas it counts hundreds and thousands of steps when you are driving a car or other transportation. Ignored in their community for years.

[MartinJar]

It’s not just the verse, mine is a charge 3

Sent from my iPhone

[Stevenew]

>From what I read, it is all of them including the Charge 3 whichbis what I have too.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi there
I would be interested in your idea, I’m disgusted that Fitbit don’t seem to care. They had the FB 3 voted best tracker of the year. I took mine back, would of been my 4th FBit. I liked the weight of it and waterproof feature. I am happy with my Charge 2 but for the weight of it. I can’t believe they aren’t doing anything. Not sure if many know it was a new development team who had not even looked at the Charge 2 prior to working on the Charge 3.

I’m not sure where to look for another tracker or to hold off for the Charge 3 to be tweeked.

Cheers Felicity

Sent from my iPad

[NeilO91]

Whilst the steps whilst driving problem is annoying I am not telling anyone not to buy a Fitbit.  I am perfectly happy with mine apart from that, so please don't attributes to any of my comments to your Instagram.  

[LeahLiv]

I'd be happy with mine too..... but if the company doesn't care to rectify
it...... then it truly renders the device useless. The point of it is
accuracy. What's the point if a tracker puts on thousands of steps? Then
not just that is inaccurate. The reading for calories become null and void.
Heart rate...etc. I'm using the only thing they understand....something
that affects sales.... public shaming. All these concerns are here locked
away on their private website. They know noone sees them until they already
buy it. They keep getting sales from fitness enthusiasts siting 'accurate
information' but it's far from the truth. If they fix it or even reply I
will delete the page etc. Until then I'm the only one actually doing
something to get their attention for this to get fixed vs whining in this
group. But I won't use any of your comments Neil or whatever....

[Stevenew]

Hi Leahliv, what a shambles they are. Time for them put put their heads up and give a timeline on sorting the issue rather than pretending it is not there.

Pathetic.

[Stevenew]

With you, I will continue to post when ever and where ever I can. Had I seen these issues prior to investing, I would not have done so.

Driving is not the only issue, but it is the worst. Comparing steps and distance to my iPhone, there is a marked difference so after going out and counting/measuring I found the iPhone to be more accurate than the Fitbit which is silly really when you consider a phone is in your pocket. With much less data from the accelerometers than the Fitbit on your wrist.

Keep it up, I will!

Although from the reaction so far, I believe it is all falling on deaf ears.

[LeahLiv]

Thanks Stevenew.
I guess people are content complaining on here where it will never see the
light of day. But as soon as you need to take real action they want to
cower. Well I'm not Rich. When I spend my hard earned money on something
claiming to be of value....I need it to truly work as said. I can't afford
purchasing apple watches and garmin or Samsung watch on a whim cuz I can.
Will no one see the bigger picture. They basically continue to screw us
over simply cuz they can. Well I work hard. So I cannot afford to allow
that. I can't play with my money. If you can ...feel free too. Hell, send
me some.... so I can afford a Garmin or Samsung watch.

[Stormrayge]

I understand you're upset. That doesn't mean no one else is doing anything.
We are voting with their feet and our wallets by buying other products. We
are using word-of-mouth. Taking your complaint to other platforms is fine,
but you're spamming this thread a bit, LOL. I would like to see this
problem addressed as well, but considering that it is five years old I
don't think they're going to so I'm simply buying a different tracker.

[LeahLiv]

Noted Stormrayge
But alot of us can't just up and buy stuff can we. This tracker was
expensive. Others like it are too. Would be nice if it functions as they
said it does. Or fix the minor problems.

[Ton]

@LThdwYm4

Yeah, surely more flavoury...

[Angie16]

Please take mine out as well. I want the issue fixed.

[MartinJar]

Recently was in a flight from Dallas to the Bahamas, some how my Fitbit counted 8,000 steps plus the calories and the rest during the flight.

Sent from my iPhone

[MaRaNtZ]

I love fitbit devices, even if they are absolutely overpriced, even if
their policy is to replace the whole device only because a damage in the
strip rubber,
even if their software is full of bug and they developers are
unresponsive dubmass.
But for the same exact reason, i wont NEVER buy a fitbit again.

--

[troyvishy2]

I think having a driving button is really good idea and will save many users from hassle of logging Diving hours via app 

[Ton]

@MaRaNtZ

Exact same mind here, with the plus that I'm also dissuading everyone who might be thinking of buying one and asks my opinion.

[Xipher_404]

Hello All,

I originally posted this in the Ionic Product Help forum and was directed to post it here. Below is that thread, in relation to ways that may address the phantom steps issues that continue to plague our beloved Fitbit devices.

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

So, the watch has a GPS, and can also connect to your phone.

While some of us are amazing athletes, none of us are running >15 mph. So, if the watch is "moving" greater than a speed we can set in the app, don't count any movement as steps. This whole "getting steps while driving in the car" thing needs to stop, and there are ways to address that with a little clever engineering/thought.

I WILL POST IMAGES OF FOLKS REPLIES

[Sarah4321]

This is a good idea, since even the latest Charge 3 is terrible at recording floors. Mine records about 1 in 3 flights of stairs I actually climb, but gave me 39 flights while I was riding a scooter. 

As this discussion began 4+ years ago, and nothing has been done, I won't hold my breath. I'm still in the return window for my fitbit. Given the company's refusal to address years of the same customer complaint, I'm soured on this product. 

[LThdwYm4]

There are all kinds of things they could do to stop counting fake floors and steps like checking the speed the person is traveling and also ensuring that they're actually moving and not standing or sitting still but they don't seem to care to fix it.  None of the data out of this thing is accurate for me except swimming but for unknown reasons they stop the heart rate censor when swimming.  So dumb. 

iPhones have been able to track this much more accurately for years yet this purpose built device is terrible at it.

[Vibhor]

I already sold my fitbit and bought a Samsung watch..

[Niki3185]

Please consider adding an option that allows Fitbit users to delete floors, reset steps and pause the tracker when driving/riding. My Fitbit One (which I lost and miss DEARLY) was incredibly accurate when counting floors when I first bought it, but an update made it just as inaccurate as the new Versa I have. Hopefully, a better software update can help solve this issue. Also, an option to allow users to pause the tracker when necessary, for instance when driving and/or riding would be incredibly helpful. Maybe even add the ability to set a duration for the pausing and have the tracker notify you periodically to resume counting your steps. I hope the next software update adds these features. 🙂

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Niki3185 ! Great suggestion, thanks for sharing your idea. I've moved it into a similar request. I think this option would help a lot of drivers to have control on their steps and floors while driving. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.

[Ton]

.

@YojanaFitbit

Well, the more the merrier...
Funny how this same thing seems to happen consistently from time to time: a moderator out of the blue comes in and says "oh yes this last post is a good idea. I'll move it blah blah blah". But Fibit keeps ignoring a thread which is 5 years old! You guys must be thinking that the Fitbit customers are a bunch of dummies! I personally feel like you're adding insult to injury!