2) My second biggest gripe is that drivers often program their GPS devices to take FULL advantage of highways and avenues
-in most cases, this strategy hurts them financially (because the minimum distance is quite generous), but it wastes a LOT of time (e.g. Hongmei Lu to Xujiahui should NOT route via IKEA, and should NOT require 30 minutes... I could almost walk it in less time)
-in short, be prepared to play the "navigator" role
--> they usually do ask if you have a preferred route, but yes the influx of new and more drivers has meant a lot of them doing this are new or are doing it for fun. One other option is to open Baidu Maps on your phone and tell the driver the recommended route. Baidu often gets it right.
I now have enough data points under my belt to conclude that "they" usually DO NOT ask about preferred routes. Rather, the SOP is to enter the destination address into their GPS devices and follow the ensuing directions blindly. I don't need Baidu/Google to set them straight because my Shanghai geography is on point (to the extent that I know traffic patterns and one-way streets cold), but on occasion I give drivers the benefit of the doubt, and get bitten.