Comments on: London tube map with distance grids http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: LightningRose http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1184033 LightningRose Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1184033 That's a good point. Maybe the solution would be to add average wait times at transfer points. Add route planning and this strikes me as a really useful Android/iOS app. That’s a good point. Maybe the solution would be to add average wait times at transfer points.

Add route planning and this strikes me as a really useful Android/iOS app.

]]> By: Hippopotamax http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183653 Hippopotamax Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183653 The idea is great but at least my mind isn't processing the information in anything but a general way. I wouldn't be able to tell from the map that Warren Street and Euston Square are closer together than Euston Square and Euston. The idea is great but at least my mind isn’t processing the information in anything but a general way. I wouldn’t be able to tell from the map that Warren Street and Euston Square are closer together than Euston Square and Euston.

]]> By: Apashiol http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183390 Apashiol Tue, 09 Aug 2011 07:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183390 When I first came to live in London I used the tube to get everywhere, but after about 6 months or so I started to walk -  being a country boy originally I was used to walking 5 to 6 miles without giving it a second thought - and I was really surprised how distorted the sense you got from the tube map was. So then I started to walk everywhere to both save time and get a sense of the overground. It is still how I prefer to travel today and I'll usually only take transport if travelling large distances or am really stuck for time. When I first came to live in London I used the tube to get everywhere, but after about 6 months or so I started to walk -  being a country boy originally I was used to walking 5 to 6 miles without giving it a second thought – and I was really surprised how distorted the sense you got from the tube map was. So then I started to walk everywhere to both save time and get a sense of the overground.
It is still how I prefer to travel today and I’ll usually only take transport if travelling large distances or am really stuck for time.

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183386 penguinchris Tue, 09 Aug 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183386 Google Maps does a transit overlay for at least some major cities (including London), showing the actual route of the lines, undistorted, on top of the regular map. The normal type of transit maps (distorted for clarity) are great once you know where you want to go, but there's no reason why a simple realistic map needs to be complicated or confusing, and it gives you a very good idea about travel times and so on. It looks great in my browser now, but I will say that last time I tried it in NYC a few months ago on my Android phone, it was a little lackluster - the transit lines didn't show up clearly enough and disappeared if you zoomed out past a certain point (too soon of a point) no matter what I tried. However, it does show you precisely where the stops are so you could combine that with referencing the normal transit map (which you can get on your phone with an app) and be good. With some improvement in visual clarity, though, google maps on your phone would be a perfectly great method of figuring out transit lines in a non-distorted way. Google Maps does a transit overlay for at least some major cities (including London), showing the actual route of the lines, undistorted, on top of the regular map.

The normal type of transit maps (distorted for clarity) are great once you know where you want to go, but there’s no reason why a simple realistic map needs to be complicated or confusing, and it gives you a very good idea about travel times and so on.

It looks great in my browser now, but I will say that last time I tried it in NYC a few months ago on my Android phone, it was a little lackluster – the transit lines didn’t show up clearly enough and disappeared if you zoomed out past a certain point (too soon of a point) no matter what I tried. However, it does show you precisely where the stops are so you could combine that with referencing the normal transit map (which you can get on your phone with an app) and be good.

With some improvement in visual clarity, though, google maps on your phone would be a perfectly great method of figuring out transit lines in a non-distorted way.

]]> By: jphilby http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183204 jphilby Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183204 It's certainly much better than a tangled spaghetti. An alternative to the background (its purpose may not be clear, nor is it easy and accurate to consult) would be to put an arrow next to each line segment with a length proportionate to the travel time (along with a number). It’s certainly much better than a tangled spaghetti.

An alternative to the background (its purpose may not be clear, nor is it easy and accurate to consult) would be to put an arrow next to each line segment with a length proportionate to the travel time (along with a number).

]]> By: Jon Sowden http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183178 Jon Sowden Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183178 "I think a better method would be to note the approximate travel time between stations" That works well for sequential stops on the same lines, but doesn't help much if you're trying to figure out whether to walk from - say - Maida Vale to Green Park. The total travel time between stations would help with that only a little because it doesn't factor in waiting time at each station, nor how much time you'll spend waiting for the next train on the next line. “I think a better method would be to note the approximate travel time between stations”
That works well for sequential stops on the same lines, but doesn’t help much if you’re trying to figure out whether to walk from – say – Maida Vale to Green Park. The total travel time between stations would help with that only a little because it doesn’t factor in waiting time at each station, nor how much time you’ll spend waiting for the next train on the next line.

]]> By: spiregrain http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183081 spiregrain Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183081 I no longer have as much free time as I did 5 years ago when making the map - it took ages. I no longer have as much free time as I did 5 years ago when making the map – it took ages.

]]> By: LightningRose http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183070 LightningRose Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183070  Interesting. But as someone who made moderate use of the London tube system in years past, I think a better method would be to note the approximate travel time between stations. Isn't there an app for that, by now?  Interesting. But as someone who made moderate use of the London tube system in years past, I think a better method would be to note the approximate travel time between stations.

Isn’t there an app for that, by now?

]]> By: spiregrain http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183066 spiregrain Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183066 Yes, so you can disregard comments linking it to the current civil unrest. Yes, so you can disregard comments linking it to the current civil unrest.

]]> By: w0mbat http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183064 w0mbat Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183064 That's from 2006. That’s from 2006.

]]> By: Daniel http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183042 Daniel Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183042 Keith - It's only a very short walk, like there is with a lot of london tube stations Keith – It’s only a very short walk, like there is with a lot of london tube stations

]]> By: spiregrain http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183041 spiregrain Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183041 I do need to learn who to use vectors, yes. I do need to learn who to use vectors, yes.

]]> By: Nathan Hornby http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183032 Nathan Hornby Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183032 Someone needs to learn how to use vectors. Someone needs to learn how to use vectors.

]]> By: WaferMouse http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183031 WaferMouse Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183031 Are these spatial distortions responsible for the current troubles? More on this story at 10:00. Are these spatial distortions responsible for the current troubles? More on this story at 10:00.

]]> By: jon_anon http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183013 jon_anon Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183013 It's great - what I would really love to see now is the street map of London deformed by the same grid (i.e. the one spiregrain derived from the tube map). This would give an excellent visualisation of how warped the usual tube map is. Spiregrain can you oblige me? It’s great – what I would really love to see now is the street map of London deformed by the same grid (i.e. the one spiregrain derived from the tube map). This would give an excellent visualisation of how warped the usual tube map is. Spiregrain can you oblige me?

]]> By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183014 AnthonyC Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183014 That's a really cool map. I'd like one for Boston like that. That’s a really cool map. I’d like one for Boston like that.

]]> By: cjeam http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1183006 cjeam Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1183006 London is a little busy being on fire right now. http://t.co/CfP51br Please call back with your improved tube map later. London is a little busy being on fire right now. http://t.co/CfP51br Please call back with your improved tube map later.

]]> By: fraac http://boingboing.net/2011/08/08/london-tube-map-with-distance-grids.html#comment-1182997 fraac Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=112470#comment-1182997 Is Lancaster Gate really close to Paddington? Is Lancaster Gate really close to Paddington?

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