3 Sons of Bitches I'd love to meet

[racasey]

For years, I thought the dumbest Corporate big shot was the clown at FedEx who scrapped the unique and immediately identifiable name Kinkos and renamed the place FedEx Office.

Then some dumb SOB at the Federal level thought that traffic lights with a delay on green at every intersection was a good idea, and created a whole generation of lethal red light runners, who now are creating spawn, and they exacerbate the problem. 

And then, along comes Mr./Ms. Smartie at Google Maps, and they discard a phenomenal product and leave us with a kneecapped POS.

Before I invest in carrier pigeons, what decent mapping application is replacing Google Maps to work out routes and convey the route to other folks via the web?

Ciao,
Dick

[Triple Jim]

Have you tried Mapquest?

[Hymes Inc.]

I haven't found a good one either. Would like to chat with the folks at google. 

[rocker59]

I use Google Maps all the time, every day.  Works fine.

The smart phone app is limited, but using Google Maps on a computer is no problem.

What problems are you having?

[rocker59]

another thread on this topic:  http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=76367.0;nowap

[rdbandkab]

I've been trying AAA Triptix maps lately.   Has a few nice AAA features, and it looks like it uses Google's street view.
You can set up layers for traffic and exits using the icon in the upper right.  Lower right icons populate map with lodging, fuel, etc.......


http://ttp.aaa.com/TripTik/


richy

[rocker59]

I've wondered why they didn't keep the FedEx-Kinko name, myself.

But, I'm sure the corporate culture required them to assimilate the acquisition and rename it FedEx Office.

And I agree, FedEx has got to be one of the most recognizable names/logos in the world.

[sib]

Let's be clear that two out of the three bozos you mention are/were captains of industry, you know, American private enterprise, and have nothing do do with "SOBs at the Federal level."  (End of political comment).

[rocker59]

And, I thought "delayed green" traffic lights had been dead and gone decades before FedEx took over Kinko.

Are there really still places with delayed green left turn signals?  Left turns are almost always protected by arrows in my part of the country...  And I haven't seen a "delayed green" sign on a traffic light in decades!

[sib]

And, I thought "delayed green" traffic lights had been dead and gone decades before FedEx took over Kinko.

Are there really still places with delayed green left turn signals?  Left turns are almost always protected by arrows in my part of the country...  And I haven't seen a "delayed green" sign on a traffic light in decades!

In my "enlightened" state, RI, they've recently introduced blinking amber left turn arrows, which mean, I think, that you can turn left but you don't have the right of way over oncoming traffic.  Many years ago, we had blinking green lights, which meant, who knows?

[rocker59]

In my "enlightened" state, RI, they've recently introduced blinking amber left turn arrows, which mean, I think, that you can turn left but you don't have the right of way over oncoming traffic.  Many years ago, we had blinking green lights, which meant, who knows?

Yes.  That's a new Federal standard.  The blinking yellow arrow replaces the solid green that used to indicate you could turn left, if clear.

[screamday]

Yes.  That's a new Federal standard.  The blinking yellow arrow replaces the solid green that used to indicate you could turn left, if clear.

Trouble is, they seem to have just sprung this on the public. A lot of drivers don't understand the rules of the road or "Right of Way" or "Yield". I've watched many idiots turn in front of oncoming traffic as soon as the yellow arrow starts blinking, apparently thinking that means they can go. 

[LowRyter]

In my "enlightened" state, RI, they've recently introduced blinking amber left turn arrows, which mean, I think, that you can turn left but you don't have the right of way over oncoming traffic.  Many years ago, we had blinking green lights, which meant, who knows?

we've got 'em in flyover Edmond America too

[rocker59]

Trouble is, they seem to have just sprung this on the public. A lot of drivers don't understand the rules of the road or "Right of Way" or "Yield". I've watched many idiots turn in front of oncoming traffic as soon as the yellow arrow starts blinking, apparently thinking that means they can go. 

Yellow never means go...

However, some of us were taught that it means "go like Hell".

Maybe they're invoking the "go like Hell" rule ?

The yellow flashing arrow was intended to reduce the phenomenon you're talking about.  Previously, a solid green light would come on in the turn lane, and people were supposed to know to yield to oncoming traffic.  But green means go.  So, it's been changed to a yellow flashing arrow so people will understand to yield before turning.

Traffic lights, especially left turn signals, have been constantly refined over my lifetime.  When I first started driving in the 1970s, there were no left turn arrows.  Delayed Green was at almost every left turn.  During the 1980s, all those delayed greens were phased out, and either turn arrows were installed, or signs with "left turn yield on green" signs replaced the "Delayed Green" signs if no turn arrows were installed.  Eventually, around here, most left turns at intersections were protected with left turn arrows.  Solid yellow, solid green, flashing yellow arrow.  Whatever.  It sure beats having to wait for the solid green arrow!!!

[MGPilot]

"3 Corporate Committees following the advice of overpriced marketing firms I'd love to meet"

Fixed it for you.

[sib]

... Previously, a solid green light would come on in the turn lane, and people were supposed to know to yield to oncoming traffic.

In enlightened RI, a green left arrow always meant "it's OK to turn left, the oncoming traffic has a red light."  Presently there are many intersections set up this way.  What used to be infuriating, and is being phased out, is where your light would change from red to solid green, but with no indication that the oncoming traffic still had a solid red light.  You were just supposed to know that it was OK to turn left and the oncoming traffic would stay stopped until some arbitrary time when their light would turn green, without your side having any indication of that.  Is that what is meant by delayed green?  If so, amen to its demise.

[rocker59]

What used to be infuriating, and is being phased out, is where your light would change from red to solid green, but with no indication that the oncoming traffic still had a solid red light.  You were just supposed to know that it was OK to turn left and the oncoming traffic would stay stopped until some arbitrary time when their light would turn green, without your side having any indication of that.  Is that what is meant by delayed green?  If so, amen to its demise.

Yeah.  That describes a "delayed green".  Meaning the oncoming traffic would have a delayed green, allowing you to turn left before they got the green.  It used to be set to something like 5-seconds here.  But, there was always a sign on the light post that noted delayed green.  Funny that yours didn't have the sign. 

[charlie b]

Right of way?  What's that? 

I can turn left cause the light is green.  What green arrow?  So what if it turned yellow, it isn't red!  Yield means slow down a little.  Stop means slow down a little more.  If I want in your lane then you have to move over.  My truck is bigger so I can go where I want.  I am towing a trailer so I have the right of way.

I have heard all of these.  Makes you wonder why we have tests or even licenses.

[donn]

Triptik looks OK at first glance.  Doesn't fill up browser history.  I like their street view - less cluttered - but as unpleasant as Google's blurry preview is, from a UI perspective I think it's better than slowly filling completely rendered squares as this one does.  Don't see any traffic congestion display option.

Google's a weird place.  There are some offices around here.  I've never been in, but their employees are supposed to be the cream of the crop, working in fabulous luxury but apparently not very good supervision.

[charlie b]

PS you can still use the old Google Maps.  Yes, I like it better.

https://www.google.com/maps?output=classi

[donn]

I must have done something wrong with that - looked like new maps to me.

[Lannis]

For years, I thought the dumbest Corporate big shot was the clown at FedEx who scrapped the unique and immediately identifiable name Kinkos and renamed the place FedEx Office.

Then some dumb SOB at the Federal level thought that traffic lights with a delay on green at every intersection was a good idea, and created a whole generation of lethal red light runners, who now are creating spawn, and they exacerbate the problem. 

And then, along comes Mr./Ms. Smartie at Google Maps, and they discard a phenomenal product and leave us with a kneecapped POS.

Really stupid moves:

1) Delayed green, check.

2) "Scarified" asphalt and two-inch steps between lanes while paving, check

3) Traffic light sensors that won't detect a motorcycle, check.

4) Wire cable "egg slicer" "safety" guardrails with torch-cut razor-sharp-top I-beam support posts.

5) Hanging a new traffic light over a main through route every time the local chamber of commerce wants more traffic to stop in their stores, check.

6) Putting up "Lane Ends, Merge Left" signs up THE DAY BEFORE the lane is actually blocked, leading to traffic jams for no reason, check.

7) Leaving loose gravel on chip-sealed roads for weeks so that "the traffic will work it into the tar", check.

8) The next store that implements a "Customer Discount Card" to present at the register to add to the 346 you already have.

9) The sign at the intersection of I-40 and I-95 in North Carolina that directs you on I-95 to "Benson" and "Rocky Mount" rather than "New York" and "Florida" when you're trying to decide which ramp to take.

10) And finally, "BP Oil" for implementing their stupid UK color code that uses "Green" pumps for gasoline instead of Red for gasoline and Green for diesel fuel.

I'm sure there's more ....

Lannis

[Stevex]

PS you can still use the old Google Maps.  Yes, I like it better.

https://www.google.com/maps?output=classi

That's new Google maps.
There were a couple of links to the old Classic Google maps, but Google have extinguished them now and Classic appears dead.
I've just dumped the new Google maps from my laptop and am giving Bing maps a go.
Quite why Google decided to replace Classic with a POS I dont know.

[sib]

... "Scarified" asphalt and two-inch steps between lanes while paving, check

Dropped a bike because of that a couple of years ago when I was a newbie (I know, I still am).  Started to turn left, suddenly noticed the two-inch up-step, slammed on the brakes, including the front one, and down I went, of course.  Fortunately, I was nearly stopped and protectively geared, so the only damage, except to my self confidence, was a footbrake stop post.

[Groover]

I have one...

Eye Drop companies that insist on using bottles that look just like Super Glue type bottles.

[Lannis]

I have one...

Eye Drop companies that insist on using bottles that look just like Super Glue type bottles.

Fay was putting drops in my eyes just the other day after I got back from a long dusty ride and first picked up a Lens Cleaner bottle that was exactly like the eye-drop bottle ... even had a little picture of an eye on it ...

Lannis

[HardAspie]

I have oft wondered just how many people die each year because of highway engineers.

[Bill Hagan]

That's new Google maps.
There were a couple of links to the old Classic Google maps, but Google have extinguished them now and Classic appears dead.
I've just dumped the new Google maps from my laptop and am giving Bing maps a go.
Quite why Google decided to replace Classic with a POS I dont know.

Exactly. 

Bill

[Lannis]

I have oft wondered just how many people die each year because of highway engineers.

The worst cussing I ever do is when I'm faced with the result of some mindless "DOT" engineer who has done something really stupid and dangerous on a highway, starting with the list above but going on and on.

They must get the dregs of people who couldn't make it in any other kind of engineering so go to the government where there's no accountability for doing the job right ....

Watching an enormous number of workers "rebuilding" one lane of a bridge month after month when I was commuting ... I never saw 70% of them do ANYTHING except smoke and joke ....

Lannis

[190 Octane]

For route planning I've been using Honda trip planner.  It seems to use an older version of Google maps.  It will import/export GPX files, once I have a GPX file I can use route converter to save it as a TRP file for copilot, or almost any other format.

I do like the blinking yellow left turn arrows.  Many of the lights here went to them about a year or two ago, it works great for when I can't trip the left turn light on the bike. 

For some reason they changed the schedule on when the lights start using the blinking yellow arrow.  When they first changed over it was on every cycle, slightly delayed from when the cross traffic light turned green.  Then it got changed to 7 pm to 7 am, now its only Sundays under a full moon or something.