Google Maps just fucking SUCKS now

[tolbs17]

Seems like they used Victory lane as an I-40 west exit ramp.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.811419,-80.8545215,16.79z

[webny99]

Seems like they used Victory lane as an I-40 west exit ramp.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.811419,-80.8545215,16.79z

Temporarily, yes...

[TheGrassGuy]

IDK if good or bad, but Google Maps just made the Appalachian Trail a "park" officially

[empirestate]

IDK if good or bad, but Google Maps just made the Appalachian Trail a "park" officially

I'd say that's good, since it sits on official parkland.

[skluth]

Don't know where else to post this. If you take SUCKS part out of the title, you get this Google Street View from Australia.

[LM117]

Don't know where else to post this. If you take SUCKS part out of the title, you get this Google Street View from Australia.

Nothin' spices up your travels like a roadside quickie.

[jakeroot]

Quite odd to see a new story from a "reputable" source about something that happened so long ago:

Oldest story I can find, Apr 2013: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134338/http://hypervocal.com/culture/2013/google-street-view-australia-sexy/

[kkt]

I'm used to traveling with others + luggage + limited car space on road trips, in which case I could never deal with foldable maps. I generally bring at atlas along, but use Google Maps when I need to when off the main highways. I was reminded why last May, when my phone died on the way home from a day trip to the Catskills. We were near Middleburgh, and I had to use on my atlas to find my way back to the Thruway. I ended up following NY 145 to NY 10, but found out after the fact that NY 30>NY 30A>NY 162 would have saved close to ten minutes. It wasn't a big deal, but it was getting late at night and I certainly would have taken the shorter/faster route (and likely less winding/hilly than NY 10 too, plus avoiding Canajoharie) if I had been able to use Google Maps.

Paper maps don't take up that much space.  Put 'em in the door.

Kids these days... ;D

My door is full of paper maps.  Cold dead fingers....

[Bruce]

I've also picked up free paper maps where I can and am still sad that WSDOT never bothered to continue their program (even a PDF online would be nice). The replacement from ScenicWA is fine but not exactly great.

[skluth]

I've also picked up free paper maps where I can and am still sad that WSDOT never bothered to continue their program (even a PDF online would be nice). The replacement from ScenicWA is fine but not exactly great.

By now every state DOT should have the data sets of their highways that could build an interactive ArcGIS map. I know a few states have done this. It shouldn't be difficult for a state to build one that could even print out custom maps; it would only cost the state two or three summer interns.

[Bruce]

I've also picked up free paper maps where I can and am still sad that WSDOT never bothered to continue their program (even a PDF online would be nice). The replacement from ScenicWA is fine but not exactly great.

By now every state DOT should have the data sets of their highways that could build an interactive ArcGIS map. I know a few states have done this. It shouldn't be difficult for a state to build one that could even print out custom maps; it would only cost the state two or three summer interns.

I'm more concerned about leaving archiveable materials for future researchers. A printed map with online copies is a fixed document that can be reliably sourced to a certain point in time, while an interactive map is so much harder to archive properly.

[jakeroot]

I've also picked up free paper maps where I can and am still sad that WSDOT never bothered to continue their program (even a PDF online would be nice). The replacement from ScenicWA is fine but not exactly great.

By now every state DOT should have the data sets of their highways that could build an interactive ArcGIS map. I know a few states have done this. It shouldn't be difficult for a state to build one that could even print out custom maps; it would only cost the state two or three summer interns.

I'm more concerned about leaving archiveable materials for future researchers. A printed map with online copies is a fixed document that can be reliably sourced to a certain point in time, while an interactive map is so much harder to archive properly.

As I'm sure you're well aware, this has already become a headache with newspaper archives. The News Tribune (in Tacoma) stopped archiving scanned copies of their newspapers in the 1990s, opting for digital only. They only switched back to full page scans a few years ago. While the text is there and, in some ways, easier to search, being able to search through an entire scanned newspaper definitely has its advantages.

[vdeane]

Is Google Maps failing to load data for anyone else?

[CtrlAltDel]

Is Google Maps failing to load data for anyone else?

Yes. It's been a problem all morning.

[Rothman]

Is Google Maps failing to load data for anyone else?

Yes. It's been a problem all morning.

Yep.  Same here.  But only through a desktop browser.  Mobile's fine.

[02 Park Ave]

Is Google Maps failing to load data for anyone else?

Yes. It's been a problem all morning.

Yep.  Same here.  But only through a desktop browser.  Mobile's fine.

It is not loading data on my desk-top nor on my i-pad.

[Rothman]

Is Google Maps failing to load data for anyone else?

Yes. It's been a problem all morning.

Yep.  Same here.  But only through a desktop browser.  Mobile's fine.

It is not loading data on my desk-top nor on my i-pad.

Well...I guess when I move away from already downloaded maps, I'm not getting anything but a base map.  Awesome.

So yeah, it sucks.

[jmacswimmer]

MDOT's CHART website even has a disclaimer about it at the moment:

[jlam]

Google Maps appears to fully be back up.

[Bruce]

As I'm sure you're well aware, this has already become a headache with newspaper archives. The News Tribune (in Tacoma) stopped archiving scanned copies of their newspapers in the 1990s, opting for digital only. They only switched back to full page scans a few years ago. While the text is there and, in some ways, easier to search, being able to search through an entire scanned newspaper definitely has its advantages.

The News Tribune was added a few months ago to Newspapers.com, with full pages from the 1890s to the early 2000s.

[SkyPesos]

Google maps directions really sucked when I was in Texas the past week

- Half of the time, it doesn't tell me which exit it is from a freeway. Skips that step and tells me to turn left from the frontage road even when I was still on the freeway
- When it does mark it as an exit from a freeway without exit numbers, it sometimes says "exit to [frontage road name]" instead of the perpendicular road name denoted on the BGS. That's as useful as not telling me anything.
- On the contrary, exit ramps have been marked as "right turns" on the GPS more than once.
- Lane markings aren't correct sometimes either. For example, it only showed one left turn lane at an intersection when there were really two.
- Had me make a random U-turn on a freeway (I ignored it of course)
- Doesn't distinguish between toll roads and toll roads that are only for people with a certain transponder.
- Highway designation error:

[HighwayStar]

Google maps directions really sucked when I was in Texas the past week

- Half of the time, it doesn't tell me which exit it is from a freeway. Skips that step and tells me to turn left from the frontage road even when I was still on the freeway
- When it does mark it as an exit from a freeway without exit numbers, it sometimes says "exit to [frontage road name]" instead of the perpendicular road name denoted on the BGS. That's as useful as not telling me anything.
- On the contrary, exit ramps have been marked as "right turns" on the GPS more than once.
- Lane markings aren't correct sometimes either. For example, it only showed one left turn lane at an intersection when there were really two.
- Had me make a random U-turn on a freeway (I ignored it of course)
- Doesn't distinguish between toll roads and toll roads that are only for people with a certain transponder.
- Highway designation error:

Texas roads are really too good for Google Maps in many cases. Its easier to just put down the computer and navigate the system with its Texas U turns, etc. by intuition and signage.

[SkyPesos]

Google maps directions really sucked when I was in Texas the past week

- Half of the time, it doesn't tell me which exit it is from a freeway. Skips that step and tells me to turn left from the frontage road even when I was still on the freeway
- When it does mark it as an exit from a freeway without exit numbers, it sometimes says "exit to [frontage road name]" instead of the perpendicular road name denoted on the BGS. That's as useful as not telling me anything.
- On the contrary, exit ramps have been marked as "right turns" on the GPS more than once.
- Lane markings aren't correct sometimes either. For example, it only showed one left turn lane at an intersection when there were really two.
- Had me make a random U-turn on a freeway (I ignored it of course)
- Doesn't distinguish between toll roads and toll roads that are only for people with a certain transponder.
- Highway designation error:

Texas roads are really too good for Google Maps in many cases. Its easier to just put down the computer and navigate the system with its Texas U turns, etc. by intuition and signage.

Except Texas doesn't have exit numbers on a lot of non-interstate freeways (and I think they should, but whatever). Easier to remember a single number than a long road name, if I'm not going to use a GPS in unfamiliar territory.

[HighwayStar]

Google maps directions really sucked when I was in Texas the past week

- Half of the time, it doesn't tell me which exit it is from a freeway. Skips that step and tells me to turn left from the frontage road even when I was still on the freeway
- When it does mark it as an exit from a freeway without exit numbers, it sometimes says "exit to [frontage road name]" instead of the perpendicular road name denoted on the BGS. That's as useful as not telling me anything.
- On the contrary, exit ramps have been marked as "right turns" on the GPS more than once.
- Lane markings aren't correct sometimes either. For example, it only showed one left turn lane at an intersection when there were really two.
- Had me make a random U-turn on a freeway (I ignored it of course)
- Doesn't distinguish between toll roads and toll roads that are only for people with a certain transponder.
- Highway designation error:

Texas roads are really too good for Google Maps in many cases. Its easier to just put down the computer and navigate the system with its Texas U turns, etc. by intuition and signage.

Except Texas doesn't have exit numbers on a lot of non-interstate freeways (and I think they should, but whatever). Easier to remember a single number than a long road name, if I'm not going to use a GPS in unfamiliar territory.

While I agree on the need for numbers (and actually signing those roads as interstates or at least US routes), having to remember Preston Road or Spring Creek Parkway is not really that problematic to me. However where numbers do become an issue are for things like Belt Line Road, which intersects the same tollway more than once, making it possible to take the wrong Belt Line Road exit.
Nevertheless I find Texas one of the easier states to navigate without GPS

[jlam]

Google Maps has BUS I-90 through Spearfish signed as BUS US 90.