4 ms·

You study the roads by driving them everyday. It makes you familiar with traffic patterns, POI, and small details that a GPS simply won't give you, (ie. when pr

by yardie 12y ago

You study the roads by driving them everyday. It makes you familiar with traffic patterns, POI, and small details that a GPS simply won't give you, (ie. when primary schools let out avoid this route). I've met some Uber drivers who are using the service as mileage builders until they are ready to take the tests.

unfamiliar 12y ago
Google or Apple maps could easily suggest you "avoid this route when primary schools out" because they have average traffic speed data and can see that around those areas at those times traffic moves slowly. They don't have to know the underlying cause to be effective.
- gambiting 12y ago
  They could,but they don't. Also it would be good if they could predict traffic, like if there is a game in town or a planned protest, then don't take certain routes, even though they might be completely empty right now. A good cabbie will know that, sat nav - not a chance.
  - danudey 12y ago
    Google also doesn't know when there's roadwork, and will happily suggest that you take a street that's going to add 15-25 minutes to your journey, but only this weekend. I once had it give me three routes: head down 210th until you're halfway to your destination, then take a right and drive to 220th, then keep going; head down to 220th until you're halfway to your destination, then take a left and drive to 210th, then keep going; or head down to 220th and drive the whole way. My wife, who grew up in the area, said 'that's stupid', drove down 210th the whole way, and got us there faster than we would have otherwise (because we weren't taking any left turns on busy routes the whole way).
allegory 12y ago
Been driving into the city for 22 years, not as a cabbie but a frustrated commuter. There is no knowledge that can predict a system as complicated as London, as you will see by the number of taxis wedged in all the traffic jams. The utility of the cabbie is mostly mysticism and religious thought if you ask me. However, the all seeing eye of Google Maps for example which aggregates just about every bit of info there is is all powerful. "drive home" - 42 mins, 8 mins of traffic, pick a route, gets worse on the way home, "faster route found!"
- rmc 12y ago
  Yeah, this isn't the USA with it's perpendicular grid of streets, named 1st street, 2nd street etc

by yardie 12y ago

unfamiliar 12y ago

Google or Apple maps could easily suggest you "avoid this route when primary schools out" because they have average traffic speed data and can see that around those areas at those times traffic moves slowly. They don't have to know the underlying cause to be effective.

gambiting 12y ago
They could,but they don't. Also it would be good if they could predict traffic, like if there is a game in town or a planned protest, then don't take certain routes, even though they might be completely empty right now. A good cabbie will know that, sat nav - not a chance.
- danudey 12y ago
  Google also doesn't know when there's roadwork, and will happily suggest that you take a street that's going to add 15-25 minutes to your journey, but only this weekend. I once had it give me three routes: head down 210th until you're halfway to your destination, then take a right and drive to 220th, then keep going; head down to 220th until you're halfway to your destination, then take a left and drive to 210th, then keep going; or head down to 220th and drive the whole way. My wife, who grew up in the area, said 'that's stupid', drove down 210th the whole way, and got us there faster than we would have otherwise (because we weren't taking any left turns on busy routes the whole way).

allegory 12y ago

Been driving into the city for 22 years, not as a cabbie but a frustrated commuter. There is no knowledge that can predict a system as complicated as London, as you will see by the number of taxis wedged in all the traffic jams. The utility of the cabbie is mostly mysticism and religious thought if you ask me. However, the all seeing eye of Google Maps for example which aggregates just about every bit of info there is is all powerful. "drive home" - 42 mins, 8 mins of traffic, pick a route, gets worse on the way home, "faster route found!"

rmc 12y ago
Yeah, this isn't the USA with it's perpendicular grid of streets, named 1st street, 2nd street etc