6 ms·

It 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/

by kqr2 4y ago

It 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 ago
I'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 ago
    Wise Waze
    - joshbuckler 4y ago
      Ease Waze
      - fire 4y ago
        Waez
- mouly 4y ago
  Especially when driving short distances in new cities, a route with fewest turns would be useful.
- TranquilMarmot 4y ago
  I 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 ago
    Same 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 ago
      Unprotected 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 ago
  The 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 ago
    At 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 ago
  Apple 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 ago
    I'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 ago
I'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 ago
  Google 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 ago
    It'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 ago
      What 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 ago
        For 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 ago
I'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 ago
  Maybe it’s just in my head, but I think Apple Maps is already less likely to suggest left turns than Google.
  - cschmittiey 4y ago
    at 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 ago
https://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.

by kqr2 4y ago

gibspaulding 4y ago

I'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 ago
  Wise Waze
  - joshbuckler 4y ago
    Ease Waze
    - fire 4y ago
      Waez
mouly 4y ago
Especially when driving short distances in new cities, a route with fewest turns would be useful.
TranquilMarmot 4y ago
I 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 ago
  Same 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 ago
    Unprotected 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 ago
The 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 ago
  At 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 ago
Apple 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 ago
  I'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 ago

I'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 ago
Google 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 ago
  It'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 ago
    What 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 ago
      For 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 ago

I'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 ago
Maybe it’s just in my head, but I think Apple Maps is already less likely to suggest left turns than Google.
- cschmittiey 4y ago
  at 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 ago

https://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.