Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google Maps Hacks

simonweckert.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 397 posts

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#131

Post by ryanmcdonough »

AlexandrB wrote: post #128
spookyuser wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes! Or maybe a radius around around your house where navigation stops, just like how you can set an area of maps which is downloaded. I guess, though, I would probably only want navigation to stop if I'm going to my house, not from it.

The case I find most annoying is driving from one city to another. I don't need directions on how to get to the highway, nor on how to drive straight for 200km[1]. I just want directions when I get close to the city I'm unfamiliar with. Currently, the best solution is turning on directions only when I get a chance to stop near my destination city. [1] It seems this has gotten better in recent years with less frequent…

It’s maybe different in the UK but it’s great to have it for motorway (highway) journeys where a closure of a section of road can leave you dealing with a 4 mile route around winding roads. It’s also great for avoiding the traffic in the first place.

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#132

Post by hosanex »

Please thing I never understood was there app insisting on this is still the fastest route. As if it's supposed to be anything else when you searched for the fastest route to start with.

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#133

Post by avh02 »

andrepd wrote: post #116
viburnum wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish it had a “no left turns” feature like they have for avoiding tolls.

I wish cities had roundabouts instead of intersections, so that would not be a problem :)

They take space for anything at reasonable size I'd guess.

Strangely enough though it's one of the few things I miss about the city I grew up in (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) - lots of outdoor art and sculptures because they had lots of very large roundabouts (check Google images to see what I mean about the outdoor art).

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#134

Post by sosborn »

big_chungus wrote: post #91
Swizec wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently tried walking directions to JapanTown in SF on both Google Maps and Apple Maps. gMaps took us to the restaurant on the shortest path - straight through the heart of Tenderloin. My girlfriend was sketched out as heck and almost made us take an Uber. On our way back from the restaurant, we used Apple Maps. It took us on what looked like a longer route but lo and behold, it took a wiiiide berth around the Ten…

> On our way back from the restaurant, we used Apple Maps. It took us on what looked like a longer route but lo and behold, it took a wiiiide berth around the Tenderloin. We saw not a single sketchy thing on our entire night time walk. Microsoft patented such an "avoid ghetto" idea year ago, but people got mad and called it racist: https://www.npr.org/2012/01/25/145337346/this-app-was-made-f... https://www.cnet.com/n…

My opinion: If the model is based on crime stats, it’s ok. If it’s based on demographics, it’s a problem.

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#135

Post by beamatronic »

spookyuser wrote: post #121
dangerlibrary wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife and I regularly talk about how "Thanks Google, I'll take it from here" is the best Maps features that doesn't exist.

Yes! Or maybe a radius around around your house where navigation stops, just like how you can set an area of maps which is downloaded. I guess, though, I would probably only want navigation to stop if I'm going to my house, not from it.

I want the screen to stop dimming when navigating crucial junctions.

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#136

Post by celticninja »

gbea42d4 wrote: post #129
AlexandrB wrote: post #115

Navigation apps have mostly settled into a comfortable state of "good enough" mediocrity. In addition to the "red but no traffic" problems highlighted by others I find turn by turn directions are incredibly annoying while driving in areas I'm intimately familiar with and there's no way to say "I know what I'm doing when I'm in this area" or "pause giving me voice directions for 10 minutes". Additionally: * I can't co…

It's also important for these apps to consider if it's really legally allowed for the current driver of the current vehicle to drive on that street.

How can an app tell what vehicle it is in and what qualifications the driver has?

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#137

Post by TimTheTinker »

big_chungus wrote: post #91
Swizec wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently tried walking directions to JapanTown in SF on both Google Maps and Apple Maps. gMaps took us to the restaurant on the shortest path - straight through the heart of Tenderloin. My girlfriend was sketched out as heck and almost made us take an Uber. On our way back from the restaurant, we used Apple Maps. It took us on what looked like a longer route but lo and behold, it took a wiiiide berth around the Ten…

> On our way back from the restaurant, we used Apple Maps. It took us on what looked like a longer route but lo and behold, it took a wiiiide berth around the Tenderloin. We saw not a single sketchy thing on our entire night time walk. Microsoft patented such an "avoid ghetto" idea year ago, but people got mad and called it racist: https://www.npr.org/2012/01/25/145337346/this-app-was-made-f... https://www.cnet.com/n…

“Racist”, “terrorist”, “sexist”... my sense is that intellectual thinking often stops when these terms are introduced, especially in an accusation.

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#139

Post by generalk »

TooSmugToFail wrote: post #114
Spooky23 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This happens on NY 73, which is a road in the Adirondack High Peaks region between the highway and Lake Placid. It’s legit — even though cars are parked, you still need to slow down! I usually avoid Google maps for traveling in areas that I don’t know. It takes you off on stupid routes that save marginal time (if any) too much. Waze is good for interstate travel, but IMO Apple is better for giving you the “right”, lo…

>I usually avoid Google maps for traveling in areas that I don’t know. It takes you off on stupid routes that save marginal time (if any) too much. We relied on GMaps on a recent (my first ever) visit to Malta, and it took us through some pretty dodgy, steep and narrow, local roads on our way in. We didn't know of this GMaps' preference of, erm, interesting routes, so we figured that's just how Malta is. A few days l…

I would definitely love to see a setting for "if this one-lane back road route saves me less than ten minutes, just take me on the big main street."

Re: Google Maps Hacks

#140

Post by erikpukinskis »

a3n wrote: post #82
tokai wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scary, that could kill someone.

No problem, we have Terms of Service to avoid that liability.

Is it your opinion that Google (TOS aside) would be legally responsible for accidents that result from hazards on routes that Google directs propel to?
Post reply on HN