Google Maps is going insane

[corco]

Has anybody noticed that Google is getting a bit crazy with some of their directions?

Check this out- from Dickinson ND to Sheridan WY
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=FchRywIdCI7f-SmXXFRRkRcmUzEoNye1szKBxA%3BFQqNqwIdbfqf-SllrW88lPo1UzF71RF7_kc6KQ&q=dickinson+n+dak+to+sheridan+wyo&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.058077,86.572266&ie=UTF8&ll=47.049306,-104.722023&spn=0.09404,0.338173&z=12&saddr=dickinson+n+dak&daddr=sheridan+wyo

Then, the fun part. Try to route it correctly and the Google won't let you.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=dickinson+n+dak&daddr=I-94+W+to:I-94+W+to:I-94+W+to:47.03562,-104.814506+to:I-94+W+to:sheridan+wyo&hl=en&geocode=FchRywIdCI7f-SmXXFRRkRcmUzEoNye1szKBxA%3BFUDazgId-KbB-Q%3BFdSlzgIdGEvB-Q%3BFYxXzgIdFiDB-Q%3B%3BFTaWzQIdM5LA-Q%3BFQqNqwIdbfqf-SllrW88lPo1UzF71RF7_kc6KQ&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=15&via=1,2,3,4,5&sll=47.033689,-104.813733&sspn=0.011758,0.042272&ie=UTF8&ll=47.033016,-104.804034&spn=0.011759,0.042272&z=15

Which apparently adds a good hour and 16 minutes to the trek.

What

Now, try to go from Las Vegas to Laramie via I-70
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=las+vegas+nev&daddr=39.198205,-108.69873+to:laramie+wyo&hl=en&geocode=FdYQJwIdMJoi-SnRffWkgre-gDGjebPV5tXMOg%3B%3BFYdcdgIdw860-Sl5m9qO94RohzGT5cSh98GJjg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=7&via=1&sll=39.419221,-109.621582&sspn=3.411677,10.821533&ie=UTF8&ll=39.69913,-106.674757&spn=0.026548,0.084543&z=14

If I go to Exit 157, which looks more logical, it tells me that's the same number of miles but the Interstate will take minutes longer
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=las+vegas+nev&daddr=I-70+E+to:39.700187,-106.67892+to:laramie+wyo&hl=en&geocode=FdYQJwIdMJoi-SnRffWkgre-gDGjebPV5tXMOg%3BFaaEVQIdxo6E-Q%3B%3BFYdcdgIdw860-Sl5m9qO94RohzGT5cSh98GJjg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=15&via=1,2&sll=39.69989,-106.675315&sspn=0.013274,0.042272&ie=UTF8&z=15

Then, on my travels from New York to San Francisco, it's apparently faster to take the collector-distributor through west Omaha, which I can't imagine to be the case. That's not going to get anybody lost for no reason.

http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=new+york&daddr=san+francisco+ca&geocode=FR1AbQIdK8KW-yk7CD_TpU_CiTFi_nfhBo8LyA%3BFVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=39.77907,-98.21066&sspn=27.072116,86.572266&ie=UTF8&ll=41.22281,-96.085246&spn=0.006488,0.021136&z=16


Then, my favorite. If I'm going from LA to Raleigh, I better not use I-40
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFcDWIQId6hFQ-yn34FGfL1qsiTGt8BGKUraQZw&q=los+angeles+ca+to+raleigh+nc&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.058077,86.572266&ie=UTF8&ll=36.137875,-81.238403&spn=1.783351,5.410767&z=8&saddr=los+angeles+ca&daddr=raleigh+nc

I-40 apparently no longer exists between the Gatlinburg area and Asheville. Can somebody confirm this?
(EDIT)- Actually, it's still there, but it's such a minor road you can't even do driving directions along it
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=los+angeles+ca&daddr=I-40+E+to:35.780883,-83.109126+to:Big+Creek+Rd+to:I-40+E+to:raleigh+nc&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFSRTIgIdlHQL-w%3B%3BFTWXIgIdMz0M-w%3BFVK_HwIdQKkN-w%3BFcDWIQId6hFQ-yn34FGfL1qsiTGt8BGKUraQZw&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=17&via=1,2,3,4&sll=35.782528,-83.108536&sspn=0.003499,0.010568&ie=UTF8&ll=35.739337,-83.028231&spn=0.003501,0.010568&z=17

[rickmastfan67]

Then, my favorite. If I'm going from LA to Raleigh, I better not use I-40
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFcDWIQId6hFQ-yn34FGfL1qsiTGt8BGKUraQZw&q=los+angeles+ca+to+raleigh+nc&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.058077,86.572266&ie=UTF8&ll=36.137875,-81.238403&spn=1.783351,5.410767&z=8&saddr=los+angeles+ca&daddr=raleigh+nc

I-40 apparently no longer exists between the Gatlinburg area and Asheville. Can somebody confirm this?
(EDIT)- Actually, it's still there, but it's such a minor road you can't even do driving directions along it
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=los+angeles+ca&daddr=I-40+E+to:35.780883,-83.109126+to:Big+Creek+Rd+to:I-40+E+to:raleigh+nc&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFSRTIgIdlHQL-w%3B%3BFTWXIgIdMz0M-w%3BFVK_HwIdQKkN-w%3BFcDWIQId6hFQ-yn34FGfL1qsiTGt8BGKUraQZw&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=17&via=1,2,3,4&sll=35.782528,-83.108536&sspn=0.003499,0.010568&ie=UTF8&ll=35.739337,-83.028231&spn=0.003501,0.010568&z=17

That's because I-40 is closed there because of that rock slide.  It isn't going to re-open till at least April.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=1868.0

At least in this way by demoting I-40 in that area, nobody will be routed onto it till it's reopened.

[corco]

Ah, I was unaware of that. This is a good thing then

[bugo]

One good thing about Google Maps is that it shows you alternate routes that you might not have come up with on your own.  I found an alternate route to Dallas that I'm probably going to take next week instead of the "standard" route. 

[Scott5114]

Probably in the Glendive example, the issue is caused because Google Maps has never had a designation for business loops. The BL is just signed with the same shields as the mainline. As a result, in this instance, the business loop was probably slightly shorter in distance, so Google Maps tried to route you along the BL.

[corco]

That's an interesting possibility- I always thought the time-distance ratio was line thickness based, not shield based. If it's shield based, then that makes sense.

[Chris]

Google Maps won't let you plan routes via closed roads. You can also not plan routes via high mountain passes in the Alps as well. Apparantly, they got complaints from people who found their Gmaps planned route closed for the season.

[Roadgeek Adam]

When is Google Maps not insane?

[SSOWorld]

obviously GMaps doesn't care if your planning far ahead

[Revive 755]

Then, on my travels from New York to San Francisco, it's apparently faster to take the collector-distributor through west Omaha, which I can't imagine to be the case. That's not going to get anybody lost for no reason.

The C-D lanes on I-80 have a 50 mph speed limit; the mainlanes are posted at 60 (should be 65).
http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=new+york&daddr=san+francisco+ca&geocode=FR1AbQIdK8KW-yk7CD_TpU_CiTFi_nfhBo8LyA%3BFVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=39.77907,-98.21066&sspn=27.072116,86.572266&ie=UTF8&ll=41.223149,-96.09046&spn=0,359.98071&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.223014,-96.090561&panoid=gI2Y9Yn8En-ZccQuQo4Esg&cbp=12,227.37,,0,5.1

[WNYroadgeek]

Screw bad directions, there's a giant pair of pliers in the sky!

http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&cbll=52.472723,-2.086806&cbp=12,334.41,,0,-62.5&ved=0CBUQ2wU&ei=w2GaS8j9Ode2sgbzop2-Aw&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cradley+Heath,+West+Midlands+B645BB,+United+Kingdom&t=h&panoid=Q0qmhOfkInXjBQ9hrwdjzw&ll=52.472749,-2.086791&spn=0,0.000862&z=20

[rickmastfan67]

Screw bad directions, there's a giant pair of pliers in the sky!

http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&cbll=52.472714,-2.086625&cbp=12,106.02,,0,-46.04&ved=0CBUQ2wU&ei=w2GaS8j9Ode2sgbzop2-Aw&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cradley+Heath,+West+Midlands+B645BB,+United+Kingdom&t=h&panoid=hyEWyeTOWGhrtLF4NBQ6xQ&ll=52.470547,-2.080407&spn=0,359.972405&z=15

We're being invaded by aliens!!!!  Get the guns guys!!!!!!!

[Truvelo]

Gosh, isn't it a small world? As soon as I saw Cradley Heath I recognised the name. It's about 5 miles from me.

I wonder if someone deliberately threw them at the camera? Either that or they were doing maintenance on the camera and someone forgot to remove them as when you go to the next image the pliers are still there.

[mapman]

I wonder if someone deliberately threw them at the camera? Either that or they were doing maintenance on the camera and someone forgot to remove them as when you go to the next image the pliers are still there.

I think it was those teenagers on the side of the road.  If you go one picture east on Compton Road, the pliers are gone, but there are now two teens standing on the narrow green box.  They look like their up to no good.   

[J N Winkler]

Is it the kind of neighborhood where you need a hooded sweatshirt and a big dog (Great Dane minimum) to be left alone?

Also--the green boxes are junction boxes for street lighting, aren't they?

[Truvelo]

The green box in my street is for cable television.

[joseph1723]

I think it was those teenagers on the side of the road.  If you go one picture east on Compton Road, the pliers are gone, but there are now two teens standing on the narrow green box.  They look like their up to no good.   

Looks like it to me, they even look like they're holding something ready to throw at the car. 

Also--the green boxes are junction boxes for street lighting, aren't they?

The ones on my street is a power transformer for the houses.

[rickmastfan67]

Here's a new one that I just discovered.  Google disconnected I-95 going NB in Jacksonville.  There is no way to make a route using it..........

Google disconnects I-95 NB in Jacksonville, FL

And before you guys ask, yes, I just reported it today since I spotted it today.  But it wouldn't hurt for you guys to report this one also.  This is the biggest mistake I've found on Google in a long time.

[corco]

Google Maps seems to have un-gone insane. It looks like they re-wrote the entire western US speed algorithm, placing less emphasis on "lets get to the interstate as soon as possible" and now does things like:

McCall ID to Seattle WA
Now: SH-55 to US-95 North to US-195 to SR 26 to I-90 (this is the fastest)
Before: SH-55 to US-95 South to US-30 to I-84 to I-82 to I-90 (or SH-55 to US-95 North to US-195 N to SR 23 N to I-90 depending on the iteration, this was is really stupid)

Laramie WY to Casper WY
Now: US-30 W to WYO 487 N to WYO 220 E (this is the fastest)
Before: I-80 E to I-25 N

Laramie WY to Wheatland WY
(same as above, sub WYO 34 for 487/220, this is the fastest)

Laramie WY to Logan UT
Now: I-80 W to US-30 W to WYO 89 S to Utah SR-30 W (this is the fastest)
Before: I-80 W to I-84 W to US-89 N

Laramie WY to Fort Collins CO
Now: US-287 S (this is the fastest)
Before: I-80 E to I-25 S

It still doesn't recognize roughly following US-287 from Laramie all the way to Fort Worth to get to Dallas, which is the fastest, but this is still a huge improvement.

[Alps]

Google Maps seems to have un-gone insane. It looks like they re-wrote the entire western US speed algorithm, placing less emphasis on "lets get to the interstate as soon as possible" and now does things like:

Problem: They re-wrote the entire US, not just the west.  Getting around NJ is a whole lot tougher if you use their directions.

[Scott5114]

This is one of those things you need to have a switch for.

*Avoid freeways (for weirdos like Jake and people using spare tires)
*Do not prefer freeways
*Prefer freeways

[agentsteel53]

*Avoid freeways (for weirdos like Jake and people using spare tires)

I don't think I could ever program Google maps to accurately represent my preferences, which include "if there is 600 feet of old alignment heading out of town and then dead-ending at the bypass without an on-ramp, take me down there anyway, and never mind that I've run off the road, and now I need a spare tire."

[TheStranger]

This is one of those things you need to have a switch for.

*Avoid freeways (for weirdos like Jake and people using spare tires)
*Do not prefer freeways
*Prefer freeways

Doesn't Mapquest have options like that available?  Shouldn't be so hard to put something like that in...

[corco]

Google Maps has an option to avoid freeways as well.

That said, the idea should be to find the fastest route- 99% of people don't care if they're on freeway or not, they just want to get there the fastest. It used to be that the algorithm that worked well in urban areas failed horribly in rural ones (going from Laramie to Casper via Cheyenne adds about an hour to the trek, increasing the travel time by a full 50%), but now it works well in rural ares but fails horribly in urban ones. That's not good!

It may be too much work, but it seems to me that they need to figure out how to attribute roads on an individual (or regional) basis, since it seems like right now there's just sort of blanket assumptions across the entire USA, which can't be right.  I think the interstates are done on that sort of basis (it assumes I'll be travelling 75 MPH most of the way across Nebraska, for instance), but secondary highways aren't. It seems like the model doesn't take into account things like traffic lights and passing through towns- and a model that accounts for these things wouldn't be too hard to develop. All you'd have to do to get a useful ballpark figure is say major road x is passing through an area with a density of intersections y, so the expected speed should be z

[Bickendan]

Google Maps has an option to avoid freeways as well.

It's the 'walking' option, right?