Google Maps just fucking SUCKS now

[CtrlAltDel]

It works for me, though I have to wait about 20 seconds after I release my left mouse button over the road I want to view for it to enter Street View.

I don't know if I would call that working. 

[Scott5114]

The COVID-19 layer on Google Maps displays data at the county level, meaning that it literally took a fucking plague to get Google to let you actually see county lines on Google Maps.

[empirestate]

The COVID-19 layer on Google Maps displays data at the county level, meaning that it literally took a fucking plague to get Google to let you actually see county lines on Google Maps.

To piggy-back on that sentiment, why is there such an apparent aversion among all of the web-based mapping services to providing just a good, general-purpose planimetric base map? I mean, all that's really missing at this point is a comprehensive dataset of administrative boundaries, which any of the traditional mapmakers would have included without a single thought to the contrary.

[tolbs17]

This is jacked up. wtf

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.688191,-78.8420963,16.96z

[hotdogPi]

This is jacked up. wtf

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.688191,-78.8420963,16.96z

What are you complaining about? While there might be issues with the road itself, that's not Google's fault.

[Scott5114]

The COVID-19 layer on Google Maps displays data at the county level, meaning that it literally took a fucking plague to get Google to let you actually see county lines on Google Maps.

To piggy-back on that sentiment, why is there such an apparent aversion among all of the web-based mapping services to providing just a good, general-purpose planimetric base map? I mean, all that's really missing at this point is a comprehensive dataset of administrative boundaries, which any of the traditional mapmakers would have included without a single thought to the contrary.

Thus why I use OpenStreetMap anytime I need general geographic information not related to routing or imagery. I've been told the boundaries aren't 100% accurate, but they are at least usable. I wouldn't put money down on anything depending on that data, but it's generally helpful enough for answering most "does this road enter that county" type questions.

[tolbs17]

This is jacked up. wtf

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.688191,-78.8420963,16.96z

What are you complaining about? While there might be issues with the road itself, that's not Google's fault.

It's under construction and there's two ramps going in the same direction.

[sprjus4]

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

[tolbs17]

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

Because they have 2 ramps going in the same direction!

[empirestate]

Thus why I use OpenStreetMap anytime I need general geographic information not related to routing or imagery. I've been told the boundaries aren't 100% accurate, but they are at least usable. I wouldn't put money down on anything depending on that data, but it's generally helpful enough for answering most "does this road enter that county" type questions.

I used to use Mapquest and/or Bing for county line questions, but neither shows lower-tier boundaries. As I recall, though, Yahoo Maps used to show those, at least for incorporated places. And of course, most DOTs publish a set of general highway maps that show all the basics.

On the other hand, even the venerable USGS has pulled away from including boundaries as a standard layer on their current generation of maps. At least their stated reason is that there isn't yet an accurate nationwide dataset of sufficient cartographic quality (and no, TIGER data doesn't fit that bill).

[JoePCool14]

(Meta) I'm probably going to get some flack for this, but can we please change the title of thread to remove the unnecessary profanity? I don't like constantly seeing this thread with its title in my feed. It doesn't need to be there. It just makes other people ask what kind of website I'm on.

[vdeane]

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

Because they have 2 ramps going in the same direction!

It's a construction configuration.  North Carolina is probably doing some work that necessitated a temporary ramp.  Would you rather Google just pretend the regular ramp never existed and not show it?  That's what they used to do, once they decided to become real-time accurate.  I remember when a huge chunk of I-70 across Colorado was deleted from existence due to a landslide.

[sprjus4]

Because they have 2 ramps going in the same direction!

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

[tolbs17]

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

Because they have 2 ramps going in the same direction!

It's a construction configuration.  North Carolina is probably doing some work that necessitated a temporary ramp.  Would you rather Google just pretend the regular ramp never existed and not show it?  That's what they used to do, once they decided to become real-time accurate.  I remember when a huge chunk of I-70 across Colorado was deleted from existence due to a landslide.

no

Because they have 2 ramps going in the same direction!

Notice how one of them is marked as "closed" ? Also, what if that's the configuration? How is Google wrong?

oh. I see.

[kphoger]

oh. I see.

Think before you type.

[Rothman]

oh. I see.

Think before you type.

It's a bit late in suggesting this correction.

[SectorZ]

https://goo.gl/maps/DUhxvYdTZUusFEYZ9

They may suck, but I admire their dedication to update GSV while fording roads underwater during an ocean storm.

[thspfc]

A few changes I noticed today regarding alternate routes of major highways. One good and one bad.

Bad: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9882796,-89.3876359,12z
From a distance, Google only shows this segment of US-14 (the north/south freeway in the middle) as "US-18 Alternate", which makes no sense. Even less so because it's not as if US-18 is significantly more important than US-14. In fact, it really plays second fiddle to US-151 along that concurrency.

Good: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.3665169,-89.3927615,15.32z
On this segment of US-51 there is written text that denotes it as the alternate route for I-39/90/94, which it is. However, from a distance only the US-51 shield shows up.

[thspfc]

(Meta) I'm probably going to get some flack for this, but can we please change the title of thread to remove the unnecessary profanity? I don't like constantly seeing this thread with its title in my feed. It doesn't need to be there. It just makes other people ask what kind of website I'm on.

+1

[Rothman]

I'm tired of the overlaid coloring in the background.  Can't tell if it's terrain or parkland because even if it's the latter, half the time you can't find the label.

[TheGrassGuy]

GSV Impossible Challenge #2: Put Pegman inside St Martin-in-the-Fields.

(Also, for official GSV imagery that looks like custom imagery for a change, try going to The Serpentine in Kensington Gardens.)

[english si]

I'm tired of the overlaid coloring in the background.  Can't tell if it's terrain or parkland because even if it's the latter, half the time you can't find the label.

In my area, which is dominated by protected area, it's a total mess to see anything else that's meant to be green (woodland, golf courses, etc) as they are in the protected area and so the background is green anyway.

(Also, for official GSV imagery that looks like custom imagery for a change, try going to The Serpentine in Kensington Gardens.)

The Serpentine is in Hyde Park. Which goes back to Rothman's point about park labels being rather hidden.

GSV in London is often awkward. There's the many buildings they've done 'see inside' for, there's the user contributions, there's the zig-zagging in squares, covering all the paths in major parks and other major footpaths. The Serpentine seems to be like a building 'see inside', but also part of the Royal Parks coverage.

I did initially think they did Olympic Venue coverage back in 2012, hence why they had a pedalo trip in the Serpentine covered (they did outdoor swimming there), but they didn't. It would have been something worth doing. They do have some random offices in what was the Press Centre, and also the Gym in the Aquatics Centre, as part of their 'see inside' stuff. They did St Pancras in the ~100-day (?) window in 2012 between unveiling the rings there, and having to take them down at the end of the games as the rings are a trademark.

[jakeroot]

Noticed some pretty big changes for Google Earth lately (starting maybe a month or two ago, with big changes recently):

First, some layers have "outdated" labels:

* Borders and Labels (Outdated)
* Places (Outdated)
* Roads (Outdated)

However, all three have been replaced by identical layers (apart from roads which now has "...and Transportation" tacked on) that have much newer information that appears to be loaded directly in from Google Maps.

The new 'transportation' addition means that rail lines, etc are visible.

The roads themselves look much more like how they look in Google Maps, which makes for some odd results when 3D is enabled ("terrain" must be checked). If it's not clear (see the originals on Flickr), the road lines start to disappear when 3D imagery is turned on:


Google Earth w/ 3D by Jacob Root, on Flickr


Google Earth no 3D by Jacob Root, on Flickr


There is definitely some big changes that have to occur under-the-hood before Google Earth (Desktop) is fully up to speed with current info from Google Maps, especially trying to get it to work in 3D. But it's great to have more current data, since Earth was sorely out of date.

[Rothman]

Is Google Maps broken for anyone else?  Can't get driving directions at all, no matter the origin and destination.

[webny99]

Huh, I am having the same issue. Worked fine earlier today (can't remember exactly when I last used it).