The Butt Ugly Weblog

I'm sure the locals will have plenty of folk names for the streets. But he the point of naming is to improve navigation, there's not much point the mapco's naming streets if they're not going to be erecting street signs.

GPS voice: in 100m, take the next left down Grape Lane. Driver: er, which of these anonymous streets is Grape Lane? GPS voice: in 50m, take the next left down Grape Lane. Driver: yeah, but which... GPS voice: you have missed your turning. Recalculating route. In 500m, take the next right down Letsby Avenue. Driver: ... Stupid machines ...

Bonus link: http://xkcd.com/461/

--Hugo, 18-Aug-2008

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For the first one, yes. For the next one, maybe. But after a few hundred users, all complaining to the locals that the street sign is missing, it might start to work.

Note that currently most GPS devices don't say the road names - and since the roads don't have names, it would be like "turn left on the third anonymous street", anyway. So no real difference...

--JanneJalkanen, 19-Aug-2008

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So, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Have I missed the point, what is the actual challenge to navigation?

--Hugo, 19-Aug-2008

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It *is* broken. It's just that unless the streets are named, you can't move forward. This is essentially taking a temporary hit to make it better in the long run...

--JanneJalkanen, 19-Aug-2008

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I bought my first auto GPS unit and it, fortunately, does call out the street names. I feel fortunate. I thought they all did that. I cringe, however, when I hear the words, "Recalculating route." It would be more interesting to have her say something like, "You missed the bloody turn you fool. Now you must turn around, as I am not going to recalculate this whole trip!"

--Richard, 22-Aug-2008

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Heh. Maybe there should be a "mother-in-law" -option in GPS devices.

--JanneJalkanen, 25-Aug-2008

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what I love are the units that translate 'st' to Saint instead of street. keeps the drive interesting, that's for sure!

--Wanda, 08-Sep-2008

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