Google Maps Steet View is a great resource. It's amazing to be able to scout your route before you go. Often I'll take virtual road trips! Though there is room for improvement though. Some of the views are razor sharp like an actual digital camera photo, but others are downright fuzzy/blurry. Some you can't even read the signage and some clicks skip right past the sign your trying to see. I hope this is something Google will continuously upgrade with better images. On that note, I have to ask why are some images so good and some so poor? The quality is very inconsistent.
I think a lot of it has to do with how recently Google's been in the area. When Street View was new just about everything had some degree of fuzziness. As time's gone on the cameras have gotten better but Google hasn't gone through and redone some areas with the better cameras.
Along with online mapping, Street View is probably my favorite resource of the entire internet. For years I wished there would be something like it, but I never expected it to be as comprehensive as it is. There are so many times in the past I would have used it if it had existed. I too take virtual road trips now-I could and sometimes do spend hours upon hours taking virtual road trips-going along a chosen route frame by frame and taking in all the surroundings and of course reading all of the signs. I too am also annoyed sometimes when it's difficult to read a sign because it goes from an image where the sign is too distant to read to one just past the sign. I also notice particularly here in Nebraska that there are a lot of images that are cloudy-where the camera facing forward appears to be dirty.
Supposedly Google is eventually going to update all older photos with HD images-already most of Europe and some countries in other parts of the world have HD images, and some larger cities in the US have HD images as well. The HD images are so much better than the older ones, especially for signs-it is so much easier to read signs from a greater distance with the HD images.
And the skipping issue isn't an issue with the HD ones because you can actually zoom in and not have everything pixelated. But they seem to have gotten lazy as of late.
I really hope they redo stuff in HD soon. A lot of rural areas are just not very adequate for viewing.
A lot of the urban areas aren't either. Most of the US outside of California, big cities, and some interstates, in fact.
I saw a google streetview car over the summer here in Harrisburg, PA; they've not yet uploaded the new HD shots but I guess they'll get around to it at some point. Right now Philly and Pittsburgh are HD but nowhere else in Pennsylvania. BTW, Belgium was recently added to streetview for those interested.
Pittsburgh got added in no small part due to the opening of a Google office in the city. It's one of the best-covered Street View cities I've seen (and they're not half-bad on Google Earth either).
Quote from: empirestate on December 17, 2011, 09:07:22 PM
Pittsburgh got added in no small part due to the opening of a Google office in the city. It's one of the best-covered Street View cities I've seen (and they're not half-bad on Google Earth either).
Sure, we might have a lot of StreetView here in Pgh, but they need to do some massive updates. Several areas are out of date (they need to redo the entire PA-28 corridor to show off the new construction). For instance, most of the HD stuff is from '08 (I-279 still exists on the Parkway West (http://g.co/maps/cdvh9)), but I've also found some SD stuff from '09 (East Street (http://g.co/maps/7ap9a)). In contrast, Jacksonville, FL (http://g.co/maps/b6d67) just got a major refresh of StreetView down there from April-June of this year (2011).
Quote from: billpa on December 17, 2011, 03:03:04 PM
I saw a google streetview car over the summer here in Harrisburg, PA; they've not yet uploaded the new HD shots but I guess they'll get around to it at some point. Right now Philly and Pittsburgh are HD but nowhere else in Pennsylvania. BTW, Belgium was recently added to streetview for those interested.
I don't know if anybody else does this, but I periodically check the Wikipedia article for Google Street View for updates on what areas they've added. They always have listed on the right side underneath the picture the last major update and what areas were added and in the article they also have a link to a separate article that is a timeline of when every major update was and which areas were added.
Another thing I find helpful is this map:http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/streetview_landing/streetview-map.html (http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/streetview_landing/streetview-map.html)
It is a map of all of the areas covered by Street View-it's especially helpful because you can look at all the areas which are covered without having to drag the pegman icon in order to see it.
Too bad it doesn't tell you which areas have GOOD coverage. A road can have an excellent HD shot or be nothing but black static and it's marked the same.
The Pittsburgh street view led to this classic photo which can best be described as "WTF?" Unfortunately, as you move toward them on the street, Google chose to blur out the two guys fighting where the blurring hadn't been there originally.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=8+sampsonia+way+pittsburgh+pa&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8834f3f63328fabd:0xde82a092616be0ee,8+Sampsonia+Way,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15212&gl=us&ei=DWfvTq2jHYHEtwfX2bCaCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA
Quote from: BamaZeus on December 19, 2011, 11:35:09 AM
The Pittsburgh street view led to this classic photo which can best be described as "WTF?" Unfortunately, as you move toward them on the street, Google chose to blur out the two guys fighting where the blurring hadn't been there originally.
"Hey look, it's a Street View car. Let's stage a fight!" :)
Quote from: pianocello on December 21, 2011, 01:49:30 PM
Quote from: BamaZeus on December 19, 2011, 11:35:09 AM
The Pittsburgh street view led to this classic photo which can best be described as "WTF?" Unfortunately, as you move toward them on the street, Google chose to blur out the two guys fighting where the blurring hadn't been there originally.
"Hey look, it's a Street View car. Let's stage a fight!" :)
I always like this: http://g.co/maps/qjt7k
(Must be a union gig...)
Finally caught my first sighting of a Street View car, earlier this week in downtown Dallas.
The ones I think are the most amusing are the ones that turn off to get gas or something to eat. Part of the route they're supposed to follow ends up being the parking lot or the storefront of a place where they've stopped.
He-Mannnnnnnnn!
A friend of mine happened to be out getting his mail when the truck went by his house and so he waved at the truck and is forever memorialized waving to the camera. He moved a few miles away, but the picture still stands :)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Railroad+Avenue,+Simsboro,+Louisiana&hl=en&ll=32.535128,-92.784004&spn=0.010709,0.016544&sll=33.534348,-117.763717&sspn=0.01066,0.016544&vpsrc=0&hnear=Railroad+Ave,+Simsboro,+Lincoln,+Louisiana+71275&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=32.535148,-92.784187&panoid=WdPPT-oppq05Giwl_K-3UQ&cbp=12,120.7,,1,7.65
I have seen some places that show an empty lot on the side of the road that has been developed for years. Some areas it seems they are lagging in getting captions.
In Houma, LA the Hooters restaurant is still being shown as a Hollywood Video store if you go on MLK Boulevard.
In Clark, NJ the old Clark Circle (Roudabout) is still shown there when the intersection has been modified over 4 years ago.
In Oakridge, NJ the Google car still has not photographed the NB lanes of NJ 23 where there is a super wide median and I cannot see my cousin's business at all.
http://g.co/maps/wg6zn
This an old co-worker of mine. When the google car went by he was out surveying this intersection so that we could replace the traffic signals with a roundabout.
Quote from: roadman65 on December 24, 2011, 09:33:17 AM
I have seen some places that show an empty lot on the side of the road that has been developed for years. Some areas it seems they are lagging in getting captions.
In Houma, LA the Hooters restaurant is still being shown as a Hollywood Video store if you go on MLK Boulevard.
In Clark, NJ the old Clark Circle (Roudabout) is still shown there when the intersection has been modified over 4 years ago.
In Oakridge, NJ the Google car still has not photographed the NB lanes of NJ 23 where there is a super wide median and I cannot see my cousin's business at all.
I haven't seen any place yet that doesn't indicate how old the image is, but based on the images I've seen, there are images as old as 2007 in some places.
Quote from: BamaZeus on December 22, 2011, 02:11:06 PM
A friend of mine happened to be out getting his mail when the truck went by his house and so he waved at the truck and is forever memorialized waving to the camera. He moved a few miles away, but the picture still stands :)
I did something similar when I was stopped at a light and the car was going by on the cross street. The pictures aren't up yet, though.
Quote from: BamaZeus on December 19, 2011, 11:35:09 AM
The Pittsburgh street view led to this classic photo which can best be described as "WTF?" Unfortunately, as you move toward them on the street, Google chose to blur out the two guys fighting where the blurring hadn't been there originally.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=8+sampsonia+way+pittsburgh+pa&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8834f3f63328fabd:0xde82a092616be0ee,8+Sampsonia+Way,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15212&gl=us&ei=DWfvTq2jHYHEtwfX2bCaCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA
This and other scenes on Sampsonia Way were staged as part of this project.
http://www.streetwithaview.com/
If you view the Streetview images directly from maps.google.com, they are now showing the date.
Quote from: huskeroadgeek on December 24, 2011, 12:32:52 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on December 24, 2011, 09:33:17 AM
I have seen some places that show an empty lot on the side of the road that has been developed for years. Some areas it seems they are lagging in getting captions.
In Houma, LA the Hooters restaurant is still being shown as a Hollywood Video store if you go on MLK Boulevard.
In Clark, NJ the old Clark Circle (Roudabout) is still shown there when the intersection has been modified over 4 years ago.
In Oakridge, NJ the Google car still has not photographed the NB lanes of NJ 23 where there is a super wide median and I cannot see my cousin's business at all.
I haven't seen any place yet that doesn't indicate how old the image is, but based on the images I've seen, there are images as old as 2007 in some places.
To find out how old the image is, look at the bottom left in StreetView.
In this example (http://g.co/maps/cdvh9), in the bottom left you'll see the following text:
© 2011 Google | Report a Problem | Image Date: June 2008
;)
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on December 27, 2011, 01:00:49 AM
Quote from: huskeroadgeek on December 24, 2011, 12:32:52 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on December 24, 2011, 09:33:17 AM
I have seen some places that show an empty lot on the side of the road that has been developed for years. Some areas it seems they are lagging in getting captions.
In Houma, LA the Hooters restaurant is still being shown as a Hollywood Video store if you go on MLK Boulevard.
In Clark, NJ the old Clark Circle (Roudabout) is still shown there when the intersection has been modified over 4 years ago.
In Oakridge, NJ the Google car still has not photographed the NB lanes of NJ 23 where there is a super wide median and I cannot see my cousin's business at all.
I haven't seen any place yet that doesn't indicate how old the image is, but based on the images I've seen, there are images as old as 2007 in some places.
To find out how old the image is, look at the bottom left in StreetView.
In this example (http://g.co/maps/cdvh9), in the bottom left you'll see the following text:
© 2011 Google | Report a Problem | Image Date: June 2008
;)
Yes, I know that they indicate how old the images are-in fact, I said something about it in another thread. I understood the post I quoted to be saying that maybe they haven't put it in on all images yet and of all the ones I have seen that 2007 is the oldest I have seen that any images were taken.
Well the service was launched in mid-2007, so you wouldn't expect anything older...
Somewhere in west Texas, there is a street view of the Google driver stopped at a rest area, taking a picture of the landscape. I'd have to root around in my PC to find the image, though.
OK, I found my pictures. Here's my Google street view fun.....
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1092.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi410%2Fkphoger%2FGSV1.png&hash=9fdccb3f5506f3e20f510ee29ea550a503a414cd)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1092.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi410%2Fkphoger%2FGSV2.png&hash=b2d7b317d998a9c8948e28e41e756ae786e25189)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1092.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi410%2Fkphoger%2FGSV3.png&hash=1142029269599557779441b85c2a86233a59e403)
Second Google guy gets out to look at the camera: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=67.336951,-134.881897&spn=0.118264,0.528374&gl=us&vpsrc=6&t=m&z=12&layer=c&cbll=67.337068,-134.881906&panoid=hslZo6TwGAwKRAKaaImF2w&cbp=12,45.61,,1,9.15
Wow, those cars take a beating, huh? Kinda surprised they don't use something more substantial in such remote areas.
Hey what is up on the Tobin Bridge in MA? Try getting the street view along NB US 1, as soon as you reach the Little Mystic River Bridge (the smaller Warren Truss span) it takes you upstairs to the Southbound Lanes. Matter of fact, it shows two lines for both levels, but you click on either one and you end up on the upper level. I was trying to see what the lower level looks like underneath the toll plaza, but it will not let you do it.
Quote from: roadman65 on February 16, 2012, 06:14:07 PM
Hey what is up on the Tobin Bridge in MA? Try getting the street view along NB US 1, as soon as you reach the Little Mystic River Bridge (the smaller Warren Truss span) it takes you upstairs to the Southbound Lanes. Matter of fact, it shows two lines for both levels, but you click on either one and you end up on the upper level. I was trying to see what the lower level looks like underneath the toll plaza, but it will not let you do it.
They have problems when it comes to bridges and tunnels, especially when double decked. But even in two or three distinct tubes they'll jump between tunnels.
Doesn't have to be a bridge or tunnel...they'll get confused with any closely space alignments, and Street View has no concept of grade separation either. It's easy to jump from one level to another going through even the simplest of interchanges. Interestingly, while they'll shunt you to the same carriageway no matter which side of a divided highway you select, they'll likewise flop you back and forth between sides of what is ostensibly a single-barrel highway.
Google Maps posted a link to a Street View survey (http://support.google.com/earth/bin/request.py?contact_type=use_cases) on Facebook a few hours ago. I made the comment that some imagery is of poor quality, and some is even pitch black (I'm assuming it was taken at night).
How often do GSV cars drive up and down every aisle at a shopping center?
http://goo.gl/maps/cnlGA
Do they adhere to the NAVTEQ data that adds vectors for mobile home parks, shopping center aisles, etc. without question? :ded:
Quote from: Alex on December 04, 2012, 03:35:18 PM
How often do GSV cars drive up and down every aisle at a shopping center?
http://goo.gl/maps/cnlGA
Do they adhere to the NAVTEQ data that adds vectors for mobile home parks, shopping center aisles, etc. without question? :ded:
The only high-quality street view images in the OKC Metro area is in an Academy Sports & Outdoors parking lot in Edmond: http://goo.gl/maps/g0VmK (http://goo.gl/maps/g0VmK). So it has happened before.
They've started doing indoor Street Views: http://maps.google.com/?ll=42.980246,-78.827287&spn=0.004811,0.006899&t=m&layer=c&cbll=42.980246,-78.827287&panoid=sGAGTRdxBrgp0m2y-n2hNg&cbp=12,309.49,,0,2.12&z=17
Quote from: WNYroadgeek on December 04, 2012, 10:54:20 PM
They've started doing indoor Street Views: http://maps.google.com/?ll=42.980246,-78.827287&spn=0.004811,0.006899&t=m&layer=c&cbll=42.980246,-78.827287&panoid=sGAGTRdxBrgp0m2y-n2hNg&cbp=12,309.49,,0,2.12&z=17
Yeah, they announced that about a year ago, there was an open call for photographers with 360-degree capable equipment. It's basically meant to be a way for businesses to promote themselves. (And this particular one interests me, they've got some good stuff. Shame I'm nowhere near it. :P)
Sweet! The Midway Islands are on Street View.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1092.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi410%2Fkphoger%2Fmidway_zpsc5b2d805.png&hash=b13c361d709336e455f203b026b79fa62eb0a167)
I've recently learned of a very useful resource:
http://www.instantstreetview.com/
You just start typing an address and it jumps to it, rather than requiring you to navigate in through the map service. Half the fun is having it jump various places around the country based on the partial address you've typed.
There's more... https://maps.google.ca/?ll=44.499566,-80.306625&spn=0.042792,0.104628&t=m&z=14&layer=c&cbll=44.500019,-80.316085&panoid=rQkLwF4AvXKjl1KfiGLgpA&cbp=12,30.12,,0,-0.81
This has been a fun discussion to read. I love Street View, and like others, I often take virtual road trips from my desk at home or on my lunch hour at work. It's a blast!
For traveling, it's nice to scout the area in advance with Street View and then recognize it in person. Thanks for all the fun pictures and helpful resources!
Quote from: kphoger on January 31, 2013, 06:00:06 PM
Sweet! The Midway Islands are on Street View.
Including runway coverage! (http://goo.gl/maps/9Xuve)
This is not a crosswalk. (http://goo.gl/maps/mn3pE)
Inside the White House, one can explore the interior. The camera appears to be mounted on a wheeled cart pushed by the photographer, as seen in this view.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=38.897738,-77.034481&spn=0.004509,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.897738,-77.036507&panoid=bt51vp8AYmU5Y1HJf5HIlA&cbp=12,271.34,,1,3.66
This was one of the few clear photos I could find of the actual camera. Most of the time, when the camera apparatus passes a mirror, Google Maps blurs it out.
I like the fact that you can go see what Busch Gardens is like within the park. I was impressed that Busch Entertainment, or who owns it now, allowed it
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tampa,+FL&hl=en&ll=28.035253,-82.421376&spn=0.00482,0.010568&sll=28.417774,-81.581219&sspn=0.004841,0.010568&oq=tam&t=h&hnear=Tampa,+Hillsborough,+Florida&z=17&layer=c&cbll=28.035363,-82.42143&panoid=zZA1qCK4WAl7_mOESUQgxg&cbp=12,164.09,,0,0
Unfortunately, Disney does not allow it just like local news are not allowed to film coverage inside the resort. All Disney related things are shown with a reporter standing on FL 535 at the Disney entrance with sign in the backround along with footage of the story.
Quote from: empirestate on February 17, 2012, 02:29:25 AM
Doesn't have to be a bridge or tunnel...they'll get confused with any closely space alignments, and Street View has no concept of grade separation either. It's easy to jump from one level to another going through even the simplest of interchanges. Interestingly, while they'll shunt you to the same carriageway no matter which side of a divided highway you select, they'll likewise flop you back and forth between sides of what is ostensibly a single-barrel highway.
Yeah, the GSV "stops" and "jumps across" when it approaches the George Washington Bridge from either side - even on the upper deck of the crossing.
But it is possible to "drive across" Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge in both directions in GSV. Added bonus - the westbound side was apparently imaged in the afternoon peak period, with eastbound traffic running in what is usually the westbound left lane.
Annoyingly, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was only imaged northbound (with quite a few gaps), and it was (apparently) run when the conditions were
very foggy, so it is not possible to get a feel of the
scale of the facility - and just how cool this magnificent crossing is.
"Staging" scenes for GSV is quite popular, as found in this tour of a store in France might suggest. Make sure to go through the entire store - and go out to the street and come back in, too.
https://maps.google.fr/maps?q=Krakatoa&hl=fr&sll=44.883004,6.625085&layer=c&cid=5250865211998137208&panoid=uvzxz5gcpUvejlo68yh1ZQ&cbp=13,255.04,,0,16.55&gl=FR&hq=Krakatoa&t=m&cbll=44.883017,6.624978&ie=UTF8&hnear=&ll=44.883003,6.625019&spn=0.001555,0.004128&source=embed
Quote from: kphoger on February 01, 2013, 04:54:00 PM
Quote from: kphoger on January 31, 2013, 06:00:06 PM
Sweet! The Midway Islands are on Street View.
Including runway coverage! (http://goo.gl/maps/9Xuve)
This is not a crosswalk. (http://goo.gl/maps/mn3pE)
BULZAI! (http://goo.gl/maps/tfzAA)
-That Japanese pilot
Quote from: cpzilliacus on February 02, 2013, 10:06:38 PM
Quote from: empirestate on February 17, 2012, 02:29:25 AM
Doesn't have to be a bridge or tunnel...they'll get confused with any closely space alignments, and Street View has no concept of grade separation either. It's easy to jump from one level to another going through even the simplest of interchanges. Interestingly, while they'll shunt you to the same carriageway no matter which side of a divided highway you select, they'll likewise flop you back and forth between sides of what is ostensibly a single-barrel highway.
Yeah, the GSV "stops" and "jumps across" when it approaches the George Washington Bridge from either side - even on the upper deck of the crossing.
But it is possible to "drive across" Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge in both directions in GSV. Added bonus - the westbound side was apparently imaged in the afternoon peak period, with eastbound traffic running in what is usually the westbound left lane.
Annoyingly, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was only imaged northbound (with quite a few gaps), and it was (apparently) run when the conditions were very foggy, so it is not possible to get a feel of the scale of the facility - and just how cool this magnificent crossing is.
We recently had similar problems at work. The cable techs of ours who drive company trucks have GPS units on board, and they have speeding alerts set up. Some places, it's a blanket 80 mph cap: no alerts are sent out until the driver hits 81 mph. But, in other places, there's a 10-mph-over-the-limit cap.
Now, the program we use to track speed has many roads' speed limits on file, but others just use the historical average speed of other users of the same program as its "speed limit". Those are usually ignored by management, and no one's too quick to do a write-up on it, because they don't actually know by the alert what the actual speed limit is. But, when someone is going 60 mph in a
posted 30-mph zone, you can believe they jump on that! And that's exactly what happened: they got multiple alerts from the same driver that he was going 60 in a 30.
He challenged it. When they looked into it further, they found out he was actually on a highway. But, when he would cross over a minor street on a bridge, the program would momentarily switch to the speed limit for the minor street underneath instead.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Carteret,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.780005,-74.052229&spn=0.007003,0.013797&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=8.300816,14.128418&oq=carter&hnear=Carteret,+Middlesex,+New+Jersey&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.780155,-74.052348&panoid=GnAHTCs-Wpar0k5Liz6YPQ&cbp=12,315,,0,-0.11
GSV captured NJ 495 during morning rush hour, when the Exclusive Bus Lane was in use. Even if you jump back and forth between the two sides, it seems both captions (EB and WB) were both done during the XBL use.
A couple of things I noticed. First, the street view shots of my street end 3 lots before where my house is. I can see down the street past my house, but not a detailed shot. I can tell it was shot during a local festival because the parking lot down my street was packed with cars, and it's really the only time that the lot is totally full. Second, the coverage at border crossings is spotty. For example, I'll scan along one road up to the US/Canadian border, then it jumps about a half mile past the border into the other country.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on February 03, 2013, 11:47:56 PM
A couple of things I noticed. First, the street view shots of my street end 3 lots before where my house is. I can see down the street past my house, but not a detailed shot. I can tell it was shot during a local festival because the parking lot down my street was packed with cars, and it's really the only time that the lot is totally full. Second, the coverage at border crossings is spotty. For example, I'll scan along one road up to the US/Canadian border, then it jumps about a half mile past the border into the other country.
Yeah. Not all GSV drivers carry the required documentation.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on February 03, 2013, 11:47:56 PM
A couple of things I noticed. First, the street view shots of my street end 3 lots before where my house is. I can see down the street past my house, but not a detailed shot. I can tell it was shot during a local festival because the parking lot down my street was packed with cars, and it's really the only time that the lot is totally full. Second, the coverage at border crossings is spotty. For example, I'll scan along one road up to the US/Canadian border, then it jumps about a half mile past the border into the other country.
Heh. Our neighborhood was not on GSV for a long time and I kind of liked it. Unfortunately it just showed up recently, and it's pretty damn funny that I can pinpoint the exact week when the GSV car must have come through because my wife's car was parked in our driveway, it had a Romney/Ryan sticker on the rear window (had to be last fall), and neither of our other two cars was anywhere to be seen (so (a) last fall the convertible was in the garage since the driver's window got stuck partway closed, (b) normally my sedan would have been in the driveway, (c) my wife's car would have been in our neighbor's driveway since the lady next door has been out of town a lot and suggested we park there, and (d) since my wife's car was in our driveway it means we were out of town, and that pinpoints it to a five-day period in October).
I've noted that just about none of the border crossings are actually shown and that the GSV car usually takes the last exit prior to a crossing, or else perhaps shuts off the camera before proceeding. I've long wondered if it's some sort of security issue.
Regarding the other comment in an earlier post about "staged" GSV scenes, we could probably devote a whole thread to that topic. Search for 33 Sampsonia Street in Pittsburgh and pan the view to the empty lot. Move the vantage point if you can't see the "staged" scene.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 04, 2013, 11:08:40 AM
Move the vantage point if you can't see the "staged" scene.
indeed, there is one frame where it is completely blurred out. moving one atom to the left gives you the scene, albeit with the people fuzzed. one atom to the right is a worse view of the scene, but no fuzzing.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 04, 2013, 11:17:15 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 04, 2013, 11:08:40 AM
Move the vantage point if you can't see the "staged" scene.
indeed, there is one frame where it is completely blurred out. moving one atom to the left gives you the scene, albeit with the people fuzzed. one atom to the right is a worse view of the scene, but no fuzzing.
Yeah. I kind of like the way the guy on the bike is staring at them with a "WTF" kind of look.
Since our house surfaced on there, I became curious whether my parents' had (they live about 20 minutes away from us and theirs wasn't visible either). Sure enough, there it was.....right after my father had had all the grass killed in preparation for re-sodding the lawn. :-D
There are some fully visible border crossings through, such as I-81 entering NY. It would be nice if more of them were; it's handy for clinching highways that end at the border without adding in a trip to Canada.
I do note that there is a border-straddling road, serving properties on both sides (their equal to Canusa St in Derby Line, VT) that runs eastward from the I-15/AB 4 crossing at Sweet Grass, MT/Coutes, AB and that the Streetview car drove it from the Canadian side.
Kind of interesting and unless you knew that it straddled the border, you'd never guess that from just looking at most of the images.
Mike
And all the intersecting roads have no barricades or customs stops...
I would like to know how the Google car managed to let NASA security to allow it on to the restricted area of Kennedy Space Center in Florida? You can actually virtually drive the road next to the crawler way almost to the launch pads.
You figure that would be a way for Bin Laden and his goons to scope the area out when the program was in effect or anyone of the same modus operandi.
Quote from: roadman65 on February 04, 2013, 06:06:50 PM
I would like to know how the Google car managed to let NASA security to allow it on to the restricted area of Kennedy Space Center in Florida?
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/streetview.html
Quote from: deanej on February 04, 2013, 11:26:40 AM
There are some fully visible border crossings through, such as I-81 entering NY. It would be nice if more of them were; it's handy for clinching highways that end at the border without adding in a trip to Canada.
San Ysidro to Tijuana is also pretty much continuous coverage.
I saw one of my old girlfriends walking out her side door. Her face wasn't clear, but I could tell it was her by her appearance and clothes. I didn't expect that.
Sesame Place in Bucks County is on Street View. I was surprised to see various rooms of The White House on it. It was nice of The White House to allow that since most people can't visit The White House without being screened in advance. People aren't allowed to take pictures or video in The White House, which I think is ridiculous considering that it is a symbol of the United States, but that's for another forum. Back to Google Street View...
I saw a house in South Philadelphia that was completely blurred. I also noticed that most of Camden, NJ is not on Street View; only the Camden Waterfront area and the main roads. I'm guessing that they were too scared to drive on the Camden streets considering the high crime rate. However, they did drive through high crime areas of Philadelphia.
Another weird thing I've noticed about Google Street View is that you often can't "drive" continuously through an international border crossing. The imagery will stop at the border crossing and pick up after it. You have to drag Pegman (the yellow man near the zoom controls) past the border to continue.
And what's with Disney World not allowing Street View and the media to take pictures inside the parks? Everyone that visits Disney World takes pictures and/or video. Corporate greed (wanting people to pay to visit) or copyright nuts, perhaps?
I found this Oops the other day: bus repairs along the side of the road.
http://goo.gl/maps/9NCZ0 (http://goo.gl/maps/9NCZ0)
Google Guy getting out of Google Car, talking on Google Phone: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.601959,-81.351094&spn=0.004295,0.008256&gl=us&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=28.602005,-81.350807&panoid=M-nn51SHHKmMG92pSlmcQg&cbp=12,330.16,,0,43.8
This is one of the cooler things I've seen on Street View. Greensboro College's (a small liberal arts college in downtown Greensboro, NC) graduation march got captured. If it wasn't intentional planning it's one hell of a coincidence. - http://maps.google.com/maps?q=greensboro+college&hl=en&ll=36.072985,-79.80016&spn=0.009418,0.021136&sll=28.602005,-81.350807&sspn=0.001288,0.002642&gl=us&hq=greensboro+college&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=36.072971,-79.799982&panoid=xdO5lJiJMFuL_QZQX8AQzw&cbp=12,245.38,,0,1.87
Looks like a huge addition of SV imagery came out. Just noticed that a lot of New Jersey and Pennsylvania roads have HD imagery now; there's probably a lot more as well.
Quote from: Mr. Matté on July 03, 2013, 12:34:35 PM
Looks like a huge addition of SV imagery came out. Just noticed that a lot of New Jersey and Pennsylvania roads have HD imagery now; there's probably a lot more as well.
Yeah updated enough that my then 21-year old face is on it. (https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1005590_445931105505809_512584883_n.jpg)
Quote from: Mr. Matté on July 03, 2013, 12:34:35 PM
Looks like a huge addition of SV imagery came out. Just noticed that a lot of New Jersey and Pennsylvania roads have HD imagery now; there's probably a lot more as well.
Nebraska was updated with a lot of HD imagery as well as some in surrounding states too. I'm guessing they updated a lot nationwide.
I like to take virtual roadtrips on Street View but after doing some in other countries that have HD imagery, I had stopped doing it in the US since HD imagery was so scattered and once you get used to the HD imagery, it's hard to go back to the older pictures. Now it looks like I can start up again since they are getting more and more areas of the US in HD. I'm especially excited about my homestate of Nebraska getting a lot of HD imagery because there was none before. They also finally got I-80 from Sidney to the Wyoming border covered, which had no images at all before, one of the few sections of interstate highway that did not have any Street View images.
Quote from: huskeroadgeek on July 03, 2013, 03:10:46 PM
I like to take virtual roadtrips on Street View
has anyone made a "street view driver" app yet? give someone a broadband connection and one can simulate going 80mph down the roads, as opposed to the ~5mph and endless clicking which is currently the case, and makes the idea of "driving" via street view absolutely tedious.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on July 03, 2013, 03:17:50 PM
Quote from: huskeroadgeek on July 03, 2013, 03:10:46 PM
I like to take virtual roadtrips on Street View
has anyone made a "street view driver" app yet? give someone a broadband connection and one can simulate going 80mph down the roads, as opposed to the ~5mph and endless clicking which is currently the case, and makes the idea of "driving" via street view absolutely tedious.
There's one on Mapchannels. Unfortunately, you can't choose your own location. You have to pick a city from the list of them. Also, the maximum speed on there is 60, but it does do the street viewing for you.
http://www.mapchannels.com/mm/streetview/driver.htm
StreetView finally found our road. Was at home when it happened, but no idea till now that they had been on our road.
I think they are updated areas that have experienced population growth and in major cities. Rural areas, unfortunately, aren't usually updated as much. :(
Huntsville is in the process of being re-street-viewed.
High-res imagery of the Appleton, WI area that was shot in September of 2012 was just posted, too.
:cool:
Mike
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyscrapercity.com%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fprevious.gif&hash=ee51c7adb39e56ca899032f44ba303cf3aec9604)
Madison was also just updated BUT most of the images are already two years old (Summer 2011). Eau Claire got a nice update with stuff from last year though.
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 04, 2013, 03:21:52 AM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyscrapercity.com%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fprevious.gif&hash=ee51c7adb39e56ca899032f44ba303cf3aec9604)
Madison was also just updated BUT most of the images are already two years old (Summer 2011). Eau Claire got a nice update with stuff from last year though.
Same with Rochester. I wonder why Google sometimes waits two years to post imagery and sometimes does it immediately. Rome is still in the old quality, with very spotty coverage at that. Almost nothing except the arterials is covered here.
They should decide to do what Disney does, and take old street view shots out of the "vault" a few decades from now, with a bunch of hype attached.
Quote from: kphoger on July 04, 2013, 11:12:21 AM
They should decide to do what Disney does, and take old street view shots out of the "vault" a few decades from now, with a bunch of hype attached.
Somebody needs to do a cheesy parody of the Disney commercials for the old street view shots.
They definitely did Nassau County, NY. Coulda used that when I was compiling my county route list there...
Last summer I drove past a Streetview car in west Durham NC. My car shows up in two Streetview images there now.
They updated Boone, NC. I would have never realized if not for this thread. Awesome! :D
Now they just need some new aerial imagery to replace the 5-year-old low-res mess that they have for the area now.
I'd like for them to put in new imagery for Massena, NY/Cornwall, ON; they still show the old border crossing!
Sometimes the Google camera vehicle is pulling a trailer.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=35.730706,-81.363566&spn=0.003584,0.005284&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=35.730635,-81.364567&panoid=G3XFuvHO-KhVhlOvknuyqQ&cbp=12,354.52,,0,14.23
Bump, as I observed a Street View car up close.
I encountered a Street View car in a parking lot yesterday. I walked around the car peering into the windows for about a minute or two, before the driver exited the building to their car. The driver stated that they worked for a temp agency as opposed to Google Directly, and didn't seemed too pleased that I was taking pictures of the car while they were inside a nearby business.
Of note is the California license plate, despite being in Colorado. Inside, the rear seat is cluttered with cardboard boxes. In the passenger seat, a Netgear wireless router is on the floor, with a desktop monitor and keyboard precariously sitting on the actual seat. Two "cord tubes" protrude from the top of the right-rear window to the camera unit attached on top of the vehicle. Due to the rain (which is also why I don't have any presentable pictures; the camera kept focusing on the rain drops), the camera unit was covered with a black fitted cover.
I thought this here photo taken along US 9W at the NY-NJ Border is an interesting find of the Welcome To New York sign bent over backwards off its moorings.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.001358,-73.911717,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syULTepP62MhnVsGODfiITw!2e0 (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.001358,-73.911717,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syULTepP62MhnVsGODfiITw!2e0)
I thought that I would make a thread for any other interesting finds on Google that anyone here has noticed.
The reason some images are blurry and some aren't is because some images are older than others. Many images taken around 2007-2010 are a little blurry, but images taken 2011-present are much less blurry. But Google Maps Street View is very convenient for the most part and I love it.
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on July 15, 2014, 12:59:30 AM
The reason some images are blurry and some aren't is because some images are older than others. Many images taken around 2007-2010 are a little blurry, but images taken 2011-present are much less blurry. But Google Maps Street View is very convenient for the most part and I love it.
They do use much higher resolution camera rigs now compared to a few years ago, but they also use software that automatically 'fuzzes' things that look (to the program) to be either license plates or human faces. Thus you'll also see signs that are mysteriously fuzzed.
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on July 15, 2014, 10:30:07 AM
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on July 15, 2014, 12:59:30 AM
The reason some images are blurry and some aren't is because some images are older than others. Many images taken around 2007-2010 are a little blurry, but images taken 2011-present are much less blurry. But Google Maps Street View is very convenient for the most part and I love it.
They do use much higher resolution camera rigs now compared to a few years ago, but they also use software that automatically 'fuzzes' things that look (to the program) to be either license plates or human faces. Thus you'll also see signs that are mysteriously fuzzed.
Mike
I actually came across a street view where the person's face was not blurred out. I found it last week but for the life of me I can't remember where is was! The area was under construction and a worker was inside a tunnel sitting on some sort of metal truss., he had a look of "what the..?"
Edit: I remember! Brisbane, Australia http://goo.gl/maps/TPJM8
Quote from: mgk920 on July 15, 2014, 10:30:07 AM
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on July 15, 2014, 12:59:30 AM
The reason some images are blurry and some aren't is because some images are older than others. Many images taken around 2007-2010 are a little blurry, but images taken 2011-present are much less blurry. But Google Maps Street View is very convenient for the most part and I love it.
They do use much higher resolution camera rigs now compared to a few years ago, but they also use software that automatically 'fuzzes' things that look (to the program) to be either license plates or human faces. Thus you'll also see signs that are mysteriously fuzzed.
Mike
I love the new resolution, but I despise the blurring of most street signs. It makes doing a quick existing sign check for a project very difficult. :banghead:
In the event of sign blue I'm usually able to go backwards and zoom in to get a clear picture. Not always though. Vermont state highway shields are particularly problematic.
Since this seems to be the thread for sightings of the Google StreetView car...well, I've never spotted it in the field yet. However, I did just now spot the Apple Maps van, which is their version of the same thing! It was in Putnam Valley, NY, some 50 miles north of NYC, which is one place where they've announced (http://maps.apple.com/vehicles/) they'll be collecting data.
Quote from: empirestate on June 26, 2015, 02:41:24 PM
Since this seems to be the thread for sightings of the Google StreetView car...well, I've never spotted it in the field yet.
I spotted it once while I was participating in a protest. I thought the protest would appear on Street View, but it did not.
It went through our business parking lot the other day and seemed to do the same at the next strip shopping center down. I had never seen the GSV car actually enter a parking lot just to dart out the other side before. I wonder if they were trying to get closeups for the business names, but half the time they blur those out anyway.
Just found this oddity today. I don't think you're supposed to be there Google (https://goo.gl/i0DcIC)
Is this the right thread for "Google Street view oddities"?
Quote from: intelati49 on June 29, 2015, 03:45:09 PM
Just found this oddity today. I don't think you're supposed to be there Google (https://goo.gl/i0DcIC)
Is this the right thread for "Google Street view oddities"?
Very strange that the GSV car managed to get through a closed road without moving the construction barriers.
Quote from: intelati49 on June 29, 2015, 03:45:09 PM
Just found this oddity today. I don't think you're supposed to be there Google (https://goo.gl/i0DcIC)
Is this the right thread for "Google Street view oddities"?
Except if you follow the path back it's obvious there aren't any barriers in the way and there's no visible "ROAD CLOSED" sign in place, so the GSV car's path was presumptively legal. Someone else has moved the barriers aside and apparently forgot to put them back in place.
Don't know where to put this, but I just saw a Street View car go by. I stuck my head out of the sunroof so I could get in the picture.
Has anyone else noticed this?
In Street View, Google has added a "Google, Inc." byline in the upper left corner, below the current location but above the date selector. Presumably, this means Google will be using alternate street view imagery providers in some situations...? Has anyone seen another provider listed?
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4406/36673810970_e7fb032271_o.png)
Quote from: briantroutman on September 06, 2017, 03:21:24 PM
Has anyone else noticed this?
In Street View, Google has added a “Google, Inc.” byline in the upper left corner, below the current location but above the date selector. Presumably, this means Google will be using alternate street view imagery providers in some situations...? Has anyone seen another provider listed?
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4406/36673810970_e7fb032271_o.png)
Users can submit panoramic shots to be used on street view, and it's always listed their names. I guess that Google just decided to standardize it and include their name on the shots they take as well.
Is there any law against street photography in national parks like there is on the George Washington Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing? Why is there only old street view on many roads in Acadia National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Crater Lake National Park?
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on February 21, 2021, 01:53:14 PM
Is there any law against street photography in national parks like there is on the George Washington Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing? Why is there only old street view on many roads in Acadia National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Crater Lake National Park?
Yellowstone is fully represented, so I have to believe that there's no blanket law against GSV in National Parks. Border crossings are another story, both on the US and Canadian/Mexican side.
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on February 21, 2021, 01:53:14 PM
Is there any law against street photography in national parks like there is on the George Washington Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing?
I'd imagine security concerns are why major bridges like the GWB and Verrazano Narrows lack GSV. How valid those concerns might actually be is another matter...
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on February 21, 2021, 08:44:02 PM
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on February 21, 2021, 01:53:14 PM
Is there any law against street photography in national parks like there is on the George Washington Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing? Why is there only old street view on many roads in Acadia National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Crater Lake National Park?
Yellowstone is fully represented
Norris Canyon Rd isn't.