Comments on: Google's bike maps "filled with potentially fatal flaws" http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: solitaire http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733966 solitaire Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733966 I can see Google producing a GPS/accelerometer blob and asking regular cyclists to volunteer their privacy to improve their routes. I can see Google producing a GPS/accelerometer blob and asking regular cyclists to volunteer their privacy to improve their routes.

]]> By: dragonfrog http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734484 dragonfrog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734484 Thanks Tdawwg - that make some sense. So, if I get what you're saying, the problem is really just that the map is showing a bike lane that has actually been removed, not that the residents of the neighbourhood don't like bikes. Because I was totally picturing some sort of West Side Story scene, but with finger-snapping Hasidic Jews with switchblades, facing off against cyclists in skinny jeans swinging bike locks with casual menace... Thanks Tdawwg – that make some sense. So, if I get what you’re saying, the problem is really just that the map is showing a bike lane that has actually been removed, not that the residents of the neighbourhood don’t like bikes.

Because I was totally picturing some sort of West Side Story scene, but with finger-snapping Hasidic Jews with switchblades, facing off against cyclists in skinny jeans swinging bike locks with casual menace…

]]> By: Tdawwg http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734498 Tdawwg Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734498 O, no, that would be so much cooler and more performative than the admittedly kind-of-cool and quite performative crapfest that currently obtains there. Just some fingerwagging and beardpulling, from what I've seen. The community there does indeed seem to loathe bicycles, but it hasn't deteriorated to the point of a Hasid jihad yet. Nor have the hipsters reciprocated with an all-out arts-festival freakout, as was promised by a naked bike ride that failed to materialize (owing to a snowstorm, ha) last December or so. Both sides seem lovingly addicted to both their demonizing stereotypes of each other and their über-flattering stereotypes of themselves: but no violence or overt confrontations that I've seen or heard of. Your humble correspondent Tdawwg makes sure to mildly antagonize both sides, always! O, no, that would be so much cooler and more performative than the admittedly kind-of-cool and quite performative crapfest that currently obtains there. Just some fingerwagging and beardpulling, from what I’ve seen.

The community there does indeed seem to loathe bicycles, but it hasn’t deteriorated to the point of a Hasid jihad yet. Nor have the hipsters reciprocated with an all-out arts-festival freakout, as was promised by a naked bike ride that failed to materialize (owing to a snowstorm, ha) last December or so. Both sides seem lovingly addicted to both their demonizing stereotypes of each other and their über-flattering stereotypes of themselves: but no violence or overt confrontations that I’ve seen or heard of. Your humble correspondent Tdawwg makes sure to mildly antagonize both sides, always!

]]> By: VagabondAstronomer http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734761 VagabondAstronomer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734761 For the local routes (if you can call them that; I'd like to think of them as "roads to adventure/sheer terror"), Google Maps has been remarkably close. Of course, there are so few of them locally that should really be considered safe... For the local routes (if you can call them that; I’d like to think of them as “roads to adventure/sheer terror”), Google Maps has been remarkably close. Of course, there are so few of them locally that should really be considered safe…

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734519 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734519 More <a href="http://www.theawl.com/2010/01/the-spandex-report-with-erica-sackin-the-great-bedford-avenue-bike-lane-debate">detailed coverage</a> of the hasidim v. bicyclist dust-up at the Awl. More detailed coverage of the hasidim v. bicyclist dust-up at the Awl.

]]> By: andygates http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734010 andygates Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734010 #7's right, every lane is a bike lane. (This is a challenge to bike routing: personal preference scores much higher than it does in car routes - I like it flat and fast, many riders like it twiddly and quiet) #19's right, OSM's bike lane stuff kicks ass. Try maps.cloudmade.com for good OSM bike routing. I have to wonder... where did Google get the bike dataset from? Any ideas? #7′s right, every lane is a bike lane. (This is a challenge to bike routing: personal preference scores much higher than it does in car routes – I like it flat and fast, many riders like it twiddly and quiet)

#19′s right, OSM’s bike lane stuff kicks ass. Try maps.cloudmade.com for good OSM bike routing.

I have to wonder… where did Google get the bike dataset from? Any ideas?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734057 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734057 I bet none of the referred newspapers or people bitching about it have bothered to report the route error to google using the report link included in the disclaimer. "Bicycling directions are in beta. Use caution and please report unmapped bike routes, streets that aren't suited for cycling, and other problems here." (link) I bet none of the referred newspapers or people bitching about it have bothered to report the route error to google using the report link included in the disclaimer.

“Bicycling directions are in beta.
Use caution and please report unmapped bike routes, streets that aren’t suited for cycling, and other problems here.” (link)

]]> By: Drang http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733803 Drang Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733803 Even in the sedate suburbs, following Google's biking directions too closely <a href="http://www.leancrew.com/all-this/2010/03/google-bike-directions/">will get you killed</a>. But I'll bet they'll be very good a year from now. Even in the sedate suburbs, following Google’s biking directions too closely will get you killed. But I’ll bet they’ll be very good a year from now.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733812 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733812 i tried their walking directions ages ago and it directed me to walk through a street that had no sidewalks and specifically said no pedestrains. if they can't fix their walking maps they shouldn't have even tried the bike ones. i tried their walking directions ages ago and it directed me to walk through a street that had no sidewalks and specifically said no pedestrains.

if they can’t fix their walking maps they shouldn’t have even tried the bike ones.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733813 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733813 There are a lot of these articles out, and I guess to a certain extent they're deserved, but really this just underscores how difficult a problem bike pathing is. Google is not having trouble doing anything that I haven't struggled with doing by hand using a combination of local bike maps and Google maps previously. At least now Google recognizes the ability to go places where cars can not. There are a lot of these articles out, and I guess to a certain extent they’re deserved, but really this just underscores how difficult a problem bike pathing is. Google is not having trouble doing anything that I haven’t struggled with doing by hand using a combination of local bike maps and Google maps previously. At least now Google recognizes the ability to go places where cars can not.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733817 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733817 read this -- http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2010/03/right-of-way-watching-where-youre-going.html read this — http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2010/03/right-of-way-watching-where-youre-going.html

]]> By: Teresa Nielsen Hayden http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733818 Teresa Nielsen Hayden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733818 If you want NYC cycling maps, go to the <a href="http://www.transalt.org/resources/maps">Transportation Alternatives</a> site. If you want NYC cycling maps, go to the Transportation Alternatives site.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733824 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733824 Bah...I'm perfectly willing to bike down the interstate. The only feature I want from google maps bike is to get me to where I need to go the fastest I possibly can via both bike trails and roads. Don't try to protect me from myself. Bah…I’m perfectly willing to bike down the interstate.

The only feature I want from google maps bike is to get me to where I need to go the fastest I possibly can via both bike trails and roads.

Don’t try to protect me from myself.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733830 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733830 Bullshit. Every lane is a bike lane. Bullshit. Every lane is a bike lane.

]]> By: jasoncardillo http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733833 jasoncardillo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733833 As BikeSnobNYC points out, just like the driving directions, providing information doesn't mean you get to turn off your brain. If you get there and it looks sketchy, and you ride the route anyway, it's your own bloody fault. As BikeSnobNYC points out, just like the driving directions, providing information doesn’t mean you get to turn off your brain. If you get there and it looks sketchy, and you ride the route anyway, it’s your own bloody fault.

]]> By: Alex Barclay http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734346 Alex Barclay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734346 Not just killed. Probably arrested and sent to Gitmo! I was planning my route from Delta, BC to Pt Roberts (Good ole USA) last weekend and they directed me to just "hop" over the border, rather than going through the actual border crossing. Not just killed. Probably arrested and sent to Gitmo!

I was planning my route from Delta, BC to Pt Roberts (Good ole USA) last weekend and they directed me to just “hop” over the border, rather than going through the actual border crossing.

]]> By: Teresa Nielsen Hayden http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733845 Teresa Nielsen Hayden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733845 Then BikeSnobNYC is a posturing idiot. You don't last five minutes on a bicycle in NYC if you've got your brain switched off, no matter how you work out your routes. Then BikeSnobNYC is a posturing idiot. You don’t last five minutes on a bicycle in NYC if you’ve got your brain switched off, no matter how you work out your routes.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734103 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734103 google maps has a nonexistant street passing directly through my house. google maps has a nonexistant street passing directly through my house.

]]> By: sarliaee http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733853 sarliaee Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733853 The people at the New York Post are fools. Bad maps don't create traffic hazards. Treacherous tranverse roads, truck-riddled thoroughfares and holding up motorists are all just part of daily life for a bike commuter. No map is going to be perfect, it took too long for google for create bike maps but at least they're here now. Commuting by bike is and always be best the best way to get to know a city intimately, knowing which routes are fastest and safest are just second nature to a weathered bike commuter. I doubt the maps will ever be that useful, conditions constantly change, from an annual to a weekly to a second by second basis. You never know when, all of a sudden you're going to be thrust in to traffic between two trucks. Having a correctly routed map is going to prevent this. The people at the New York Post are fools. Bad maps don’t create traffic hazards. Treacherous tranverse roads, truck-riddled thoroughfares and holding up motorists are all just part of daily life for a bike commuter.
No map is going to be perfect, it took too long for google for create bike maps but at least they’re here now.
Commuting by bike is and always be best the best way to get to know a city intimately, knowing which routes are fastest and safest are just second nature to a weathered bike commuter. I doubt the maps will ever be that useful, conditions constantly change, from an annual to a weekly to a second by second basis. You never know when, all of a sudden you’re going to be thrust in to traffic between two trucks. Having a correctly routed map is going to prevent this.

]]> By: sarliaee http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733855 sarliaee Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733855 Having a correctly routed map ISN'T going to prevent this Having a correctly routed map ISN’T going to prevent this

]]> By: Nash Rambler http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734117 Nash Rambler Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734117 As someone else said above, that only covers Chicago, Austin and New York City. As someone else said above, that only covers Chicago, Austin and New York City.

]]> By: Jon Adair http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734118 Jon Adair Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734118 The route it suggested for me cuts through Tampa International Airport, right across the taxiways. The route it suggested for me cuts through Tampa International Airport, right across the taxiways.

]]> By: CrackWilding http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734886 CrackWilding Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734886 It weirdly tells me to take a busy highway from my house to Stone Mountain, GA, even though there's a bike trail that parallels the highway for the whole distance. It weirdly tells me to take a busy highway from my house to Stone Mountain, GA, even though there’s a bike trail that parallels the highway for the whole distance.

]]> By: tstockma http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733865 tstockma Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733865 I just moved to a new part of Denver, and Google bike maps aren't helping me here...someday maybe, but I have no need to click on this link for another year or two. I just moved to a new part of Denver, and Google bike maps aren’t helping me here…someday maybe, but I have no need to click on this link for another year or two.

]]> By: widnoon http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733868 widnoon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733868 I tried it today and it gave me a better route than the one I was planning on taking. I tried it today and it gave me a better route than the one I was planning on taking.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733877 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733877 Google Bike maps is a huge fail for fixie riders. Where are all the stops for PBR and Plastic Camera photo opportunities? Google Bike maps is a huge fail for fixie riders.
Where are all the stops for PBR and Plastic Camera photo opportunities?

]]> By: Moriarty http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734135 Moriarty Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734135 The hoverbike mapping is all straight lines. The hoverbike mapping is all straight lines.

]]> By: maxoid http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733883 maxoid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733883 did they miss that you can submit these errors to the project's team, and they will be taken into account? it ain't ever gonna be perfect, but it can't get better if nobody makes a helpful effort. did they miss that you can submit these errors to the project’s team, and they will be taken into account? it ain’t ever gonna be perfect, but it can’t get better if nobody makes a helpful effort.

]]> By: Zadaz http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-733884 Zadaz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-733884 So what was the excuse for all the hazardous, dangerous, and downright stupid cycling I saw before the Google maps? Oh, right. Sometimes I think things get posted to BoingBoing not because it's something work knowing but because it lets us post "Morons!!" comments like this one. So what was the excuse for all the hazardous, dangerous, and downright stupid cycling I saw before the Google maps?

Oh, right.

Sometimes I think things get posted to BoingBoing not because it’s something work knowing but because it lets us post “Morons!!” comments like this one.

]]> By: PrettyBoyTim http://boingboing.net/2010/03/11/googles-bike-maps-fi.html#comment-734407 PrettyBoyTim Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-734407 To be honest one of the problems is that different cyclists have very different needs. If you're an experienced rider looking to get somewhere quickly you'll want a very different route than if you're someone wanting a quiet ride somewhere with your children. To be honest one of the problems is that different cyclists have very different needs. If you’re an experienced rider looking to get somewhere quickly you’ll want a very different route than if you’re someone wanting a quiet ride somewhere with your children.

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