Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Code Project
  1. Home
  2. The Lounge
  3. Can't always trust Google Maps....

Can't always trust Google Maps....

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
help
34 Posts 17 Posters 0 Views 1 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • C Colin Angus Mackay

    I've never trusted google maps because the first time I used it I tried a route that I already knew quite well. In order to get out of Edinburgh it decided that the best route was to head north out of the city centre, then turn west for about 5 miles, then back south again (to get on the same road that the directions started on), then west along a motorway (for 30 miles) and south along another (for 40 miles) before meeting the route I'd have chosen. Google said its route would take about 2 hours. The route I would have chosen went directly south out of Edinburgh City Centre and along a south-west route once out the city for about 50 miles before connecting with the route google suggested. I know that route would take about 2 hours. I've driven google's route (without heading the wrong way in the city itself) and I know it will take about 2.5 hours.


    Upcoming Scottish Developers events: * We are starting a series of events in Glasgow in 2007. Are you interested in a particular subject, or as a speaker? * Developer Day Scotland: are you interested in speaking or attending? My: Website | Blog | Photos

    M Offline
    M Offline
    Mike Dimmick
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    I live in Reading, north of the Thames. I needed to get to Northampton. Google Maps said to go east down the M4, anti-clockwise on the M25, then up the M1, then A43. MSN MapPoint gave the sensible route of following the A4074 near to Oxford, then M40, then A43. Google's route is nearly 90 miles and reckons it'll take 2 hours. MapPoint's route is a bit under 70 miles and quotes 1 hour 13 minutes. Microsoft bought out AutoRoute many years ago (early 90s?), but the routing component seems as good as ever (we had something like version 6 or 7 for DOS when my Dad was occasionally doing road trips).

    Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

    L 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • L Link2006

      I was reading about James Kim on wikipedia, and came across this: Wow! I wonder if the GPS system in the cars would show a better route than Google maps does. ============================================== Some observers believe that the Kim tragedy highlights the limitations of Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and other online mapping applications. Because the Kims, who did not know the area, had telephoned from Roseburg, Oregon to a motel in Gold Beach, to say that they would be arriving late, it was speculated that James Kim, a technology expert, used online mapping to find the “fastest” route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. During the hunt for the Kims, a number of computer users tested programs such as Google Maps and MapQuest to map the shortest route between the two towns. The programs reportedly listed Bear Camp Road, where the Kims got stuck, as the most efficient shortcut. However, it is rarely used even by local residents due to its difficult terrain and inclement weather.[11] The online mapping programs have apparently changed and as of December 7, 2006, show the drive along Highways 5 and 42 to Coast Highway 101 as the preferred route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim[^]

      M Offline
      M Offline
      Mike Dimmick
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      I use a back route to get to work, rather than the A4 trunk road. On the back route, there is a low railway bridge. I regularly meet large lorries coming the other way, or follow one which suddenly has to stop and turn around on encountering the bridge. I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge. I suspect also that there's no way to tell the software that it will be difficult for lorries to navigate sharp corners, or that the vehicle is heavy and should avoid weak bridges with weight limits. I sometimes see vehicles far too big attempting to get through Sonning, where there is a narrow, weak bridge in close proximity to a sharp corner. With GPS it's far too easy to trust the directions you're being given and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground.

      Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

      L A H T 4 Replies Last reply
      0
      • L Link2006

        I was reading about James Kim on wikipedia, and came across this: Wow! I wonder if the GPS system in the cars would show a better route than Google maps does. ============================================== Some observers believe that the Kim tragedy highlights the limitations of Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and other online mapping applications. Because the Kims, who did not know the area, had telephoned from Roseburg, Oregon to a motel in Gold Beach, to say that they would be arriving late, it was speculated that James Kim, a technology expert, used online mapping to find the “fastest” route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. During the hunt for the Kims, a number of computer users tested programs such as Google Maps and MapQuest to map the shortest route between the two towns. The programs reportedly listed Bear Camp Road, where the Kims got stuck, as the most efficient shortcut. However, it is rarely used even by local residents due to its difficult terrain and inclement weather.[11] The online mapping programs have apparently changed and as of December 7, 2006, show the drive along Highways 5 and 42 to Coast Highway 101 as the preferred route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim[^]

        J Offline
        J Offline
        Jeremy Falcon
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        Well, I don't know about Google maps because I never had to rely on them, but way more than once MapQuest was a bit off when following their directions as well.

        Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • M Mike Dimmick

          I live in Reading, north of the Thames. I needed to get to Northampton. Google Maps said to go east down the M4, anti-clockwise on the M25, then up the M1, then A43. MSN MapPoint gave the sensible route of following the A4074 near to Oxford, then M40, then A43. Google's route is nearly 90 miles and reckons it'll take 2 hours. MapPoint's route is a bit under 70 miles and quotes 1 hour 13 minutes. Microsoft bought out AutoRoute many years ago (early 90s?), but the routing component seems as good as ever (we had something like version 6 or 7 for DOS when my Dad was occasionally doing road trips).

          Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          Mike Dimmick wrote:

          I live in Reading

          Greetings from sunny Thatcham. :)


          Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
          The Rob Blog

          F P 2 Replies Last reply
          0
          • M Mike Dimmick

            I use a back route to get to work, rather than the A4 trunk road. On the back route, there is a low railway bridge. I regularly meet large lorries coming the other way, or follow one which suddenly has to stop and turn around on encountering the bridge. I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge. I suspect also that there's no way to tell the software that it will be difficult for lorries to navigate sharp corners, or that the vehicle is heavy and should avoid weak bridges with weight limits. I sometimes see vehicles far too big attempting to get through Sonning, where there is a narrow, weak bridge in close proximity to a sharp corner. With GPS it's far too easy to trust the directions you're being given and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground.

            Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            Out of interest, where do you work Mike?


            Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
            The Rob Blog

            M 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • L Lost User

              Mike Dimmick wrote:

              I live in Reading

              Greetings from sunny Thatcham. :)


              Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
              The Rob Blog

              F Offline
              F Offline
              Frank Kerrigan
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              I used to Live in Newbury; now in Glasgow,


              Blog Have I http:\\www.frankkerrigan.com

              L 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • T Ted Ferenc

                Last Saturday I was walking in the Peak District (UK). Chatting to the barman in the lunch time pub, it transpired he used to fly the RAF Nimrod planes, they are used for search and rescue. He had a boat in trouble off the south coast (UK English Channel), the GPS co-ords were given to him by the boat, he asked them to recycle the GPS and give him a new reading, which they did. When he said that reading was wrong he was assured that as the GPS said this it was 100% correct! So his comment to the boat was, 'In that case sir, I suggest you follow the M4 to your destination" For non UK people the M4 is a road about 100 miles north of the English Channel. He nickname for the GPS was "God's Positioning System", they are nice toys, I have one for walking, but don't rely on them 100% of the time.


                "Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it." - Ellen Goodman

                A Offline
                A Offline
                Antony M Kancidrowski
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                If this isn't quite true I'd still like it to be true! :)

                Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
                I'm coloured, yet clear.
                I'm fruity and sweet.
                I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return!
                - David Walliams (Little Britain)

                T 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • M Mike Dimmick

                  I use a back route to get to work, rather than the A4 trunk road. On the back route, there is a low railway bridge. I regularly meet large lorries coming the other way, or follow one which suddenly has to stop and turn around on encountering the bridge. I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge. I suspect also that there's no way to tell the software that it will be difficult for lorries to navigate sharp corners, or that the vehicle is heavy and should avoid weak bridges with weight limits. I sometimes see vehicles far too big attempting to get through Sonning, where there is a narrow, weak bridge in close proximity to a sharp corner. With GPS it's far too easy to trust the directions you're being given and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground.

                  Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

                  A Offline
                  A Offline
                  Antony M Kancidrowski
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  My father came across a truck down a country road that was barely wide enough for cars. It was competely stuck there. Apparently it took 3 days to extract the truck cab and trailers from its location. How stupid do you have to be to completely rely on these things!? :rolleyes:

                  Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
                  I'm coloured, yet clear.
                  I'm fruity and sweet.
                  I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return!
                  - David Walliams (Little Britain)

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • M Mike Dimmick

                    I use a back route to get to work, rather than the A4 trunk road. On the back route, there is a low railway bridge. I regularly meet large lorries coming the other way, or follow one which suddenly has to stop and turn around on encountering the bridge. I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge. I suspect also that there's no way to tell the software that it will be difficult for lorries to navigate sharp corners, or that the vehicle is heavy and should avoid weak bridges with weight limits. I sometimes see vehicles far too big attempting to get through Sonning, where there is a narrow, weak bridge in close proximity to a sharp corner. With GPS it's far too easy to trust the directions you're being given and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground.

                    Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

                    H Offline
                    H Offline
                    hairy_hats
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Mike Dimmick wrote:

                    I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge.

                    If the lorry drivers were sued personally for all losses caused by them hitting bridges they'd soon start to take more care.

                    D 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • F Frank Kerrigan

                      I used to Live in Newbury; now in Glasgow,


                      Blog Have I http:\\www.frankkerrigan.com

                      L Offline
                      L Offline
                      Lost User
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      Whoa! Small country. One of my best friends moved from Newbury back to Glasgow a few years ago too. He is living in Cumbernauld. If you ever get a chance to see a local Glasgow band called "The 88s", well, he's the lead singer. :) Just looked at your blog - I am doing an OU degree at the moment and studied MU120 last year (which was a brilliant course). The OU rocks IMHO, so good luck with your studies!


                      Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
                      The Rob Blog

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • L Lost User

                        Out of interest, where do you work Mike?


                        Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
                        The Rob Blog

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Mike Dimmick
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        Currently Cookham, north of Maidenhead. We'll be moving in the next few months - proposed locations: Winnersh or Theale. Most of the staff live east of, or in, Reading so would prefer Winnersh, but the boss moved to Marlborough, presumably to be nearer the parent company in Chippenham. The company has already given notice on our current lease which leaves us a little worried that we'll actually end up in the parent company's building. If that happens, though, I would expect most of the developers to leave. We're rooted in this area (a few rent but most own houses).

                        Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • L Lost User

                          Mike Dimmick wrote:

                          I live in Reading

                          Greetings from sunny Thatcham. :)


                          Kicking squealing Gucci little piggy.
                          The Rob Blog

                          P Offline
                          P Offline
                          p daddy
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          Rob Caldecott wrote:

                          Mike Dimmick wrote: I live in Reading Greetings from sunny Thatcham.

                          And greetings from Caversham! Although I'm at work in Henley :)

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • A Antony M Kancidrowski

                            If this isn't quite true I'd still like it to be true! :)

                            Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
                            I'm coloured, yet clear.
                            I'm fruity and sweet.
                            I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return!
                            - David Walliams (Little Britain)

                            T Offline
                            T Offline
                            Ted Ferenc
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            He did seem genuine! A GPS should be accurate to a few metres, but that assumes the user has set it up to the correct co-ordinate system and knows how to read the display! A friend of mine, a fully qualified sea captain, was bringing a racing yacht from Norway to Scotland, they arrived in the dark and were all tired so he relied on the GPS to get him into the Scottish Loch, he ended up on a sand bank! The GPS position was out by a few hundred metres


                            "Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it." - Ellen Goodman

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M Mike Dimmick

                              I use a back route to get to work, rather than the A4 trunk road. On the back route, there is a low railway bridge. I regularly meet large lorries coming the other way, or follow one which suddenly has to stop and turn around on encountering the bridge. I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge. I suspect also that there's no way to tell the software that it will be difficult for lorries to navigate sharp corners, or that the vehicle is heavy and should avoid weak bridges with weight limits. I sometimes see vehicles far too big attempting to get through Sonning, where there is a narrow, weak bridge in close proximity to a sharp corner. With GPS it's far too easy to trust the directions you're being given and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground.

                              Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

                              T Offline
                              T Offline
                              Ted Ferenc
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              Mike Dimmick wrote:

                              and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground

                              We have that problem locally, where lorries follow the GPS and ignore the road sign that say no HGVs and promptly get stuck on the bends because an HGV can't get round them!


                              "Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it." - Ellen Goodman

                              R H 2 Replies Last reply
                              0
                              • T Ted Ferenc

                                Mike Dimmick wrote:

                                and not pay enough attention to the signage on the ground

                                We have that problem locally, where lorries follow the GPS and ignore the road sign that say no HGVs and promptly get stuck on the bends because an HGV can't get round them!


                                "Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it." - Ellen Goodman

                                R Offline
                                R Offline
                                Rhys Gravell
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                Apparently, the Transport Agenct and various GPS device manufacturers are currently in discussions about trying to provide seperate databases for HGV's and Non-HGV's, with the HGV database having no b roads therein. T'was on one or other news programme this week.

                                Rhys I'm glad I'm not Brezhnev. Being the Russian leader in the Kremlin, you never know if someone's tape-recording what you say. Richard Nixon

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • H hairy_hats

                                  Mike Dimmick wrote:

                                  I'm guessing that there's no way to tell the GPS system that they're using that the vehicle is a particular size and will be unable to pass under the bridge.

                                  If the lorry drivers were sued personally for all losses caused by them hitting bridges they'd soon start to take more care.

                                  D Offline
                                  D Offline
                                  David Wulff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  I don't think you can blame it on the lorry drivers, most of the time it comes down from the haulage firms. Apparently you can buy in-cab GPS systems that are aware of your height and length and can route accordingly, but they are more expensive than the ones you get for cars so many firms don't bother. Personally I use GPS for the map only, so I can see where I am and check I am on the road I am expecting to be on. I find it much easier than constantly tracing a route on a printed map. You would be a fool to ever start driving without knowing the route you were taking, even if it is just writing down a bunch of road names from Autoroute or a book of maps.


                                  Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
                                  Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                  I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                  H 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • L Link2006

                                    I was reading about James Kim on wikipedia, and came across this: Wow! I wonder if the GPS system in the cars would show a better route than Google maps does. ============================================== Some observers believe that the Kim tragedy highlights the limitations of Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and other online mapping applications. Because the Kims, who did not know the area, had telephoned from Roseburg, Oregon to a motel in Gold Beach, to say that they would be arriving late, it was speculated that James Kim, a technology expert, used online mapping to find the “fastest” route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. During the hunt for the Kims, a number of computer users tested programs such as Google Maps and MapQuest to map the shortest route between the two towns. The programs reportedly listed Bear Camp Road, where the Kims got stuck, as the most efficient shortcut. However, it is rarely used even by local residents due to its difficult terrain and inclement weather.[11] The online mapping programs have apparently changed and as of December 7, 2006, show the drive along Highways 5 and 42 to Coast Highway 101 as the preferred route between Roseburg and Gold Beach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim[^]

                                    R Offline
                                    R Offline
                                    rollei35guy
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    That is a tragic story. I generally view technology with some level of skepticism for such reasons. Recently we got a auto GPS unit. Over all it works quite well but recently we were looking at property in north west Georgia (USA that is). Keyed in an address and the device plotted a route. The route was straight up the side of a mountain on a very narrow and VERY steep gravel road. I don't think we were in any danger but if a car had come the other way it would have been interesting since there were not even pull off areas to let oncoming traffic by. At least I got to say "I wasn't the one who wanted a GPS". After that we selected the 'avoid unpaved roads' option. I was impressed that the mapping software 'knew' about this gravel road and apparently forrest service roads as well.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • C Colin Angus Mackay

                                      I've never trusted google maps because the first time I used it I tried a route that I already knew quite well. In order to get out of Edinburgh it decided that the best route was to head north out of the city centre, then turn west for about 5 miles, then back south again (to get on the same road that the directions started on), then west along a motorway (for 30 miles) and south along another (for 40 miles) before meeting the route I'd have chosen. Google said its route would take about 2 hours. The route I would have chosen went directly south out of Edinburgh City Centre and along a south-west route once out the city for about 50 miles before connecting with the route google suggested. I know that route would take about 2 hours. I've driven google's route (without heading the wrong way in the city itself) and I know it will take about 2.5 hours.


                                      Upcoming Scottish Developers events: * We are starting a series of events in Glasgow in 2007. Are you interested in a particular subject, or as a speaker? * Developer Day Scotland: are you interested in speaking or attending? My: Website | Blog | Photos

                                      M Offline
                                      M Offline
                                      Matt Newman
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      Before I moved into my current apartment I entered the address into mapquest (as I wasn't sure where it was). I was reading the directions and something struck me as odd and it didn't really register with me until I got to that point in the directions... It wanted me to go the wrong way down a one-way. I agree it would have been the fastest and shortest route, but certainly the most dangerous.

                                      Matt Newman
                                      Even the very best tools in the hands of an idiot will produce something of little or no value. - Chris Meech on Idiots

                                      D 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • M Matt Newman

                                        Before I moved into my current apartment I entered the address into mapquest (as I wasn't sure where it was). I was reading the directions and something struck me as odd and it didn't really register with me until I got to that point in the directions... It wanted me to go the wrong way down a one-way. I agree it would have been the fastest and shortest route, but certainly the most dangerous.

                                        Matt Newman
                                        Even the very best tools in the hands of an idiot will produce something of little or no value. - Chris Meech on Idiots

                                        D Offline
                                        D Offline
                                        Dan Neely
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #22

                                        Matt Newman wrote:

                                        t wanted me to go the wrong way down a one-way.

                                        I don't think any of the mapsites or MS streets and trips 06 have oneway data for secondary roads in thier databases.

                                        -- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • D David Wulff

                                          I don't think you can blame it on the lorry drivers, most of the time it comes down from the haulage firms. Apparently you can buy in-cab GPS systems that are aware of your height and length and can route accordingly, but they are more expensive than the ones you get for cars so many firms don't bother. Personally I use GPS for the map only, so I can see where I am and check I am on the road I am expecting to be on. I find it much easier than constantly tracing a route on a printed map. You would be a fool to ever start driving without knowing the route you were taking, even if it is just writing down a bunch of road names from Autoroute or a book of maps.


                                          Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
                                          Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                          I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                          H Offline
                                          H Offline
                                          hairy_hats
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #23

                                          David Wulff wrote:

                                          I don't think you can blame it on the lorry drivers, most of the time it comes down from the haulage firms.

                                          :confused: It's the haulage firms' fault that their drivers don't (1) know the heights of their vehicles and (2) read road signs? I can't agree. It's like a passenger telling you to go the wrong way down a wrong way street and you doing it regardless of what the signs say. It's the driver's fault for not driving safely and paying attention to the roads.

                                          D 1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • World
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups