Come on Google
Google Maps has implemented a great new feature to customize your driving route after they give you directions. I’ve used this a couple times since it was rolled out with great luck. Basically, after you put in your start and end points they give you a route as a blue line on the map. Then you can click and drag any point on that route and move it to the route you really want to go. It is useful if you are picking something up along the way or just want to use a different road than they suggest (the “scenic” route for example).
It seemed to work great until tonight. I wanted to give someone not too familiar with the area easy directions into DC via Interstate 66. Google Maps refuses to give directions using I-66 inside of the Capital Beltway going eastbound. I even tried having my starting address as “I-66, Arlington” and the end address being Constitution Ave (which 66 runs directly into). The first thing Google does is exit 66 and take a much more confusing route. No matter how many stops I added, it refuses to use 66 eastbound inside the beltway. It had me literally driving in circles going in and out of DC because it would only drive West across the Roosevelt Bridge.
Anyone else run into this?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:31 am
the navigation in my jeep won’t touch 66 inside the beltway either. maybe it’s navteq? i’ll have to try with my tomtom it uses a different mapping system.
curious to know if other map services (mapquest, msft) does this.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Mapquest handles it like a champ.
Also, since google maps came out, I’ve avoided mapquest because at that point it still had the clunky non-flash interface that needed to refresh the whole page to move around the map. Now the interface looks a whole lot nicer.
July 18th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Also Google Maps seems to think you can only get to the Vienna metro by going west on 66, so if I’m coming to it from the east, it tells me to go on 66 to the beltway, turn around, and come back west.
August 9th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I’ve experienced simmilar problems with google thinking it knows best. I try to map out a familliar route along some county roads, and immediately google finds the nearest highway and redirects my route!
I have to add about 10 different stops just to tell it to follow my route! (go to road X and stop. Follow road X to road Y and stop.)
The whole idea of a custom route is so you can map out exactly what roads you wish to take - if I wanted it to interfere I’d use the directions it gave me instead.
August 21st, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I believe Google Maps does this because of the odd nature of I-66. As you probably know, large sections of I-66 inside I-495 will be made into an HOV lane going only in one direction or another. My belief is that Google Maps doesn’t want to bother with determining whether or not I-66 is open to a driver at a given time and simply avoids the road all together.
September 4th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Yeah, I’m sure it avoids it because 66 inside the beltway is fully HOV-only in the rush hour direction during rush hour.
It’s a little annoying, but perhaps avoiding that strech of 66 is sound advice no matter what time it is :).
Drew
September 17th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Yeah, I absolutely could not coax Google Maps into using 66; it insisted on taking me from Rosslyn to Tysons Corner by way of Route 50, which made about half an ounce of sense. Some sort of HOV checkbox, even if it was buried under an Advanced Options menu, sure would be lovely…
Thanks for the post. It’s good to know that it’s not just me.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:58 am
[...] of time…or so I thought. You see, I have loved Google Maps unconditionally since day one. Even though it refuses to take me on 66E into DC, I still had its back. Until Saturday. Granted, I’m not even sure if Shockeysville is real or [...]
October 17th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
[...] No matter what I do, no matter how hard I prod, Google Maps refuses to allow a route that uses I-66. It used to work fine, pre- this new feature. Now: no dice. This has disabled at least 50% of the usefulness of Google Maps for us Northern Virginia folks. I thought maybe it was just me - but it’s not. [...]
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:03 pm
I agree… I believe they should implement a check mark to remove it from never allowing hov roads. It is extremely annoying on a weekend or late in the evening, when you are certain you could get to where you are going taking 66 but google maps does not map to / from it properly. I am wondering if there is someone to contact to ask for this change.
November 9th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I have been a google convert, as far as online maps go. However, like others I’m now wondering what to do as the it’s refusal to allow travel along I-66 inside 495 is very challenging. I will try to contact them. I like the idea of them having allow/don’t allow for HOV roads. I’ve noticed that it also doesn’t allow Rock Creek Parkway - same issue. For example, try charting from Vienna Metro to National Zoo and it has you go a much longer route!
November 28th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
5 months later and still no dice. Interestingly, I think this is a “new” issue, as I’ve used google maps for years, and only in the lat 6 months I’ve noticed the problem. Alas, now If I need to give directions to someone and I know 66 is involved, I simply point them to MapQuest.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:59 am
This makes total sense, and I applaud Google for NOT USING I-66.
The HOV signs are very confusing, and an out of state drive would have zero chance of understanding the HOV instructions, while going at highway entry ramp speeds and then attempting to make a decision, and get off the highway (if they are driving on at rush hour / HOV times).
The first ticket is $175, while the second is $250 and the third is $500.
This would be a very rude awakening for someone who is simply trying to safely drive from A to B and relying on Google Maps to get there.
I personally would like to see an “End HOV petition for I-66″ to avoid these confusing HOV times & tickets being issued arbitrarily to otherwise good, sign-obeying drivers.
December 15th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I fully disagree with Jay.
Yes, the HOV signs are confusing, but no one I have seen is asking for HOV routes to be added by default. Instead, we should be able to check an advanced option which enables the use of such roads. Simple and clean while still protecting the ignorant.
January 18th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Exactly, have it post a warning, then allow the user to Override it. “Yes, I understand that entrance ramps to I-66 are HOV-only during rush-hour. Click.”
March 25th, 2008 at 10:46 am
They should allow it to map 66 at all times. They’re assuming that no drivers qualify for HOV. If it’s during the restricted hours, it’s my responsibility and I’ll alter the route to avoid 66. Of course, an ignore HOV checkbox would be ideal.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Microsoft does it better: http://local.live.com
It will map 66 and has great aerial photos.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
This aspect of google maps totally sucks. I have a Tomtom and it does map routes on 66. Does Garmin?
June 16th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I believe it may also have something to do with the fact that trucks are not allowed inside the beltway on 66.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:21 am
I just received a Garmin C330 and going home from work last night it was doing everything possible to keep me off I-66 (Tysons to Arlington/Ballston). Once I got home, in the setup I found a checkbox that when unchecked allows carpool lanes. Unchecked it. This morning, it used I-66 to get me back to Tysons.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I live in the DC area and love using Google Maps but hate (I know Hate is a strong word) the fact that Google Map refuses to use I-66. So I just end up using Maps.Live.Com
I wish someone at Google maps would take note of this