Google Maps Adds UK Cycling Directions 62
judgecorp writes "Google Maps has added cycling directions for the UK. The directions aim for safety rather than speed — for instance advising me to take a gentle route through the Park instead of speeding through the Hyde Park Corner underpass."
Not only UK, also many other European countries (Score:5, Informative)
According to the H, UK was only one of many European countries for which cycling directions were enabled:
Cycling maps are available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway and the UK. Cycling directions are available at least in both Austria and Switzerland in addition to the UK.
Source: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Google-Maps-jetzt-auch-fuer-Radfahrer-in-Europa-1637428.html (German)
CycleStreets is often better (Score:5, Informative)
While Google do now have many cycle routes marked, I still prefer CycleStreets [cyclestreets.net] (which uses the same data as OpenCycleMap [opencyclemap.org], i.e. OpenStreetMap). That gives a choice of three routes (fast, balanced, quiet), and has more cycling-related data on the map. Sometimes the routes can be a bit wiggly, but I think they're working on this.
However, it's great to see the cycle routes on Google, which will make them visible to lots of people -- hopefully those that don't realise their trip to the shops or work is faster by bicycle.
Re:Not only UK, also many other European countries (Score:4, Informative)
According to the H, UK was only one of many European countries for which cycling directions were enabled:
Cycling maps are available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway and the UK. Cycling directions are available at least in both Austria and Switzerland in addition to the UK.
Source: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Google-Maps-jetzt-auch-fuer-Radfahrer-in-Europa-1637428.html [heise.de] (German)
You can overlay the cycling information for maps, but it doesn't seem to do the route planning for cycling; the only options there remain "per car" and "on foot". So for the time being, for actual cycling route planning in Germany, Komoot [komoot.de] seems to remain the only good option for now.
Re:CycleStreets is often better (Score:4, Informative)
While Google do now have many cycle routes marked, I still prefer CycleStreets [cyclestreets.net] (which uses the same data as OpenCycleMap [opencyclemap.org], i.e. OpenStreetMap). That gives a choice of three routes (fast, balanced, quiet), and has more cycling-related data on the map. Sometimes the routes can be a bit wiggly, but I think they're working on this.
However, it's great to see the cycle routes on Google, which will make them visible to lots of people -- hopefully those that don't realise their trip to the shops or work is faster by bicycle.
Both have problems OpenCycleMap gives me a track which is through deep mud on the way to work, but then correctly gives me a cycle track at the end. Google maps keeps me on less muddy routes but sends me down a dangerous dual carriageway when there is a cycle track as an alternative.
Google maps India is awesome! (Score:5, Informative)
Last trip there, I was pleasantly surprised to see the maps.google.co.in giving directions based on landmarks and the street names were shown in fainter font. It had three or four "mode"s. Car, motorcycle/scooter, public transportation. It knew the bridge across Cauvery at Anaikkarai was closed for repairs. Granted, that bridge has been down for about six years. But none of the printed maps were more recent than six years. It was able to find a very new apartment complex near Chennai when even the local Electricity Board meter reader guy could not help us.
Of course there were some funny stuff. The Old Mahabalipuram Road, (three lanes up, three lanes down, center median toll road) was shown with same level of prominence as Pillaiyaar Koil Street that was barely wide enough to accommodate an autorickshaw. But this is great progress. I would strongly advice people to get a USB stick 3G service and carry a laptop and you can find things your own cabby or autorickshaw driver or even the electricity board meter reader guy does not know.
My brother was joking, "all these techies go to USA with dreams of working for Google. Then they get a job in Google and the assignment they get is to punch in the local town bus timings of their own rural home town! "
Re:Not only UK, also many other European countries (Score:4, Informative)
You can overlay the cycling information for maps, but it doesn't seem to do the route planning for cycling; the only options there remain "per car" and "on foot". So for the time being, for actual cycling route planning in Germany, Komoot [komoot.de] seems to remain the only good option for now.
In Switzerland, cycling directions are available (in addition to car, foot and public transport).