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It would be nice if they could offer an option to avoid roads with histories of crashes (like tolls and ferries). One example I have is there is an intersectio
by drewg123 4y ago
It would be nice if they could offer an option to avoid roads with histories of crashes (like tolls and ferries).
One example I have is there is an intersection on my way home that Tesla maps (and Google maps) wants me to turn left at. The problem is that its a left turn without a signal, across 4 lanes of traffic with limited visibility. This is a recipe for crashes, and I've seen multiple crashes here. However, if you go 1/4mi out of your way then you go under a bridge and wind up at an on-ramp to the same road .. no left turn needed.
It took me a while to discover this route when I moved here. It would be nice if there was a "safer route detected, +1 minute" option presented to me.
- kqr2 4y agoIt would be nice if there was an option to avoid uncontrolled lefts on busy intersections in general, aka "UPS mode" which supposedly UPS does: https://hbr.org/2014/04/ever-notice-that-ups-trucks-rarely-make-left-turns https://hbr.org/2014/04/ever-notice-that-ups-trucks-rarely-m...
- gibspaulding 4y agoI've been wishing for this too. Not fastest or most fuel efficient, but the easiest route. Really just as few turns as possible, but especially avoiding things like two way stops and uncontrolled left turns.
- Scoundreller 4y ago“Lowest cognitive difficulty”
- mkmk 4y agoWise Waze
- joshbuckler 4y agoEase Waze
- fire 4y agoWaez
- mouly 4y agoEspecially when driving short distances in new cities, a route with fewest turns would be useful.
- TranquilMarmot 4y agoI would love this. Driving in Seattle is such a massive pain sometimes, and Google Maps just loves to make you take crazy turns across 3 lanes of traffic when there's a ramp or a light two blocks away. My partner who has lived here her whole life is always telling me that I'm taking bad turns when I'm following Google Maps haha
- colechristensen 4y agoSame in the Bay Area. Google maps was always trying to get me to take crazy turns instead of the straightforward way. Save 30 seconds by going on the 101 for an eighth of a mile instead of just driving straight on el Camino. There were a bunch of places i thought were far away because of the crazy routes that turned out to be really convenient to get to once the crazy uncle shortcuts were left behind.
- mertd 4y agoUnprotected left turns into El Camino are the worst. There is always a light two blocks away in some direction. It's in Google's backyard. How they get this one wrong is puzzling.
- emilburzo 4y agoThe option to "avoid difficult intersections" should get you most of the way there https://www.pcmag.com/news/waze-wants-to-help-you-avoid-difficult-intersections https://www.pcmag.com/news/waze-wants-to-help-you-avoid-diff...
- hyperionplays 4y agoAt least in Australia, this doesn't avoid many uncontrolled right (same as left in freedom land) turns across 4-8 lanes of traffic.
- Swizec 4y agoApple Maps has this mode at least when picking a route. It usually gives a fastest and a fewer-turns option. I’ve also found their turn by turn directions less stressful to follow than google maps because they announce like a human codriver not like you’re an AI. At least a few years ago it felt like Google Maps didn’t do the whole “go through this light then at the next one turn left”, which is easier than a last minute “turn left now!!”
- gibspaulding 4y agoI've gotten this sense as well, but have been trying to convince myself that it's just me thinking that the "grass is always greener". It's crazy to think that Apple maps might actually end up being what makes me finally ditch Android.
- novia 4y agoI've been leaving feedback in Google Maps with exactly this suggestion every time it takes me to one of those dangerous left turns. If presented with one on my route I always take a right and then do a u-turn.
- loeg 4y ago> If presented with one on my route I always take a right and then do a u-turn. Sometimes called a "Michigan left." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_left https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_left
- dietr1ch 4y agoGoogle maps has not been getting the hint at forbidden left turns :/ I'd guess that if you consistently avoid a left turn it could be because it's forbidden instead of because you miss it every single time. It's safe to assume that by now they take this kind of implicit feedback, but it either takes a long time to be processed or it's not happening on time-restricted left turns..
- gregoryl 4y agoIt's bizarre that TikTok can genuinely determine roughly what I am in the mood for within a few videos, but Google Maps can't learn my preferences based on how I travel. The former seems far, far harder - and Google has almost my entire location history recorded from the last 10ish years!
- danuker 4y agoWhat benefit does Google get from improving Maps? Does it make them more money? They get location data even if you don't use Maps.
- photonbeam 4y agoFor iOS, google maps is very often the only way google can geographically target you with accuracy for better ads, as users will deny location requests to the other google apps
- odysseus 4y agoI've been wanting this for years. And just left feedback for Apple Maps for exactly this feature: https://www.apple.com/feedback/maps-ios-ipados.html https://www.apple.com/feedback/maps-ios-ipados.html
- fshbbdssbbgdd 4y agoMaybe it’s just in my head, but I think Apple Maps is already less likely to suggest left turns than Google.
- cschmittiey 4y agoat least on the latest public beta, Apple Maps will suggest a “less turns” route in most cases. At least it did for me earlier
- 0ct4via 4y agohttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2014/04/09/the-case-for-almost-never-turning-left-while-driving/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2014/04/0... is a better link, which has the full story (not just a paragraph). Archived at http://archive.today/92Ghx http://archive.today/92Ghx
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago>option to avoid uncontrolled lefts on busy intersections in general They could shadow enable this option for people whom they deem need it based on location data. This would be to everyone's benefit.
- hundchenkatze 4y agoWaze has an option to avoid difficult intersections under Navigation settings. https://i.imgur.com/7tvbYw3.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/7tvbYw3.jpeg
- drewg123 4y agoNice, I had no idea. I admit that I've never used Waze.. maybe I should start.
- epivosism 4y agoGoogle Maps is stagnant. All new feature development happens in Waze.
- aembleton 4y agoGoogle Maps has more efficient driving routes. I've been using Waze for years, but recently switched back to Google Maps for this reason after I noticed Waze taking me a much further route to save about ten minutes but use a lot more fuel.
- michaelcampbell 4y agoWaze has always been the driving equivalent of "knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing" app, IME. It'll take me through weird neighborhood streets that see (and probably SHOULD see) very little traffic to "save" 0.1 mi on a trip, ending with a cross-traffic uncontrolled turn costing me 3, 5, 8 minutes. I like it for intra-town commutes where I know where I'm going already and just want to possibly try something new, but if I've never been to a place before or want the "works best 80% of the time" route, maps all the way. YMMV.
- flybrand 4y agoMaps will often load faster.
- AussieWog93 4y ago
- kmlx 4y ago> The problem is that its a left turn without a signal, across 4 lanes of traffic with limited visibility. this seems to me like a regulation issue. basically that left turn should be either not possible or with a dedicated left turn traffic light.
- fredophile 4y agoMy number one request would be a way to avoid counties with a history of civil asset forfeiture. Hopefully having the option would draw attention to the issue and I don't want to stop for food, gas, etc in places that use it.
- prash_ant 4y agoWould there be such a curated list available, to begin with, including value by year?
- fredophile 4y agoThere probably isn't a handy pre-made list but there should be court filings that are relatively easy to search. Typically it would be something like Foo vs $xx,xxx since the seized money is on trial, not a person. I'm sure a company as big as Google or Apple could figure out some way to gather and parse that data if they wanted to.
- dpkirchner 4y agoIt'd be good to have a way to avoid sundown towns, too. I wouldn't personally be subject to hate but I don't want to accidentally give them any of my time or money.
- dsfyu404ed 4y agoa) Keeping and curating a list of sundown towns (or choosing some 3rd party who's list they like) is exactly the kind of issue big tech shouldn't be wading into. b) I'm going to laugh my butt off when they, in an attempt to be neutral, define it algorithmically and all the rich waspy inner ring suburban enclaves that HN loves because "good schools" wind up on the list too.
- SauciestGNU 4y agoWhy do you think tech companies shouldn't make the equivalent of a little green book available? Do you think they (or a third party) will get it wrong?
- julianlam 4y agoIronically, Conan O'Brien visited Waze headquarters in Tel Aviv and jokingly complained about just this problem (although I'm sure it's not the same intersection).
- xenospn 4y agoBeverly blvd in LA is like this. And every maps app wants you to turn left.
- rmnwski 4y agoThis shouldn’t be an option. It should be the default.
- nsxwolf 4y agoThe option I want is “old people are in the car. Choose a route that won’t make them scream ‘where are you going?? I’ve been taking the same route for 40 years!’”
- _25h2 4y ago15