Google - Ipswich to Newcastle via Holland??

[Darren]

Another of my many hobbies. electronics, drew me to this great little story.

Maker Faire, the US Electronics Hobby empire are hosting a two day Maker Faire event as part of the Newcastle ScienceFest.

A group of enthusiasts, designers and artists, the Curiosity Collective, will be there displaying some of their creations.

One evening over a pint they decided to see what route Google suggested for the trip from Ipswich to Newcastle only to find it suggested they go via Holland using two ferries!

And so a plan was formed! Why not walk to Newcastle following Google's route via Harwich, a ferry to the Hook of Holland, IJmuiden and another ferry to Newcastle!

Madness to some perhaps but they're already on their way. They're taking with them as many of their gadgets including a home made sextant, an iPhone based geographical 'misinformation' system (Google Maps?) and an Arduino based pedometer.

You can follow them on their journey via their blog here and if anyone is in the area, Maker Faire takes place 13/14th March, more details here.
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Darren Griffin

[proctog]

I think they're trying to generate some free publicity at Google's expense. I've used Google Maps for that and similar routes in the past (and just now, to check) and it's always suggested reasonable routes.

Glenn.

[Darren]

Of course it is all a bit of fun but the route is a genuine one as suggested by Google when 'pedestrian' mode is selected.

Presumably Google think the ferry is a timesaver but if you want a walking route then that is counter intuitive

But whatever, this is meant to be a bit of fun and not one for serious debate!


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Darren Griffin

[GerryC]

I wouldn't be surprised if the ferry 'speed' is the same whether walking or driving. You'll get across in the same time either way. If you were seriously going to walk from Ipswich to Newcastle, you'd plan it one day at a time. Also, if you were planning to walk from London to Paris, taking a ferry for part of the route would be a valid option.

Still it sounds like the sort of plan you'd make over a few pints.
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Gerry
TomTom730T
Cameralert for Android
Brodit ProClip mount

[Darren]

[BigPerk]

Maybe they had the 'Avoid Suicidal Roads' option set?
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David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[DennisN]

Surely the fastest pedestrian route is to pedestriate from your front door to the car, drive lunatically up the Suicidal Routes to get to the car park at the place and then pedestriate into the venue.

I'm a great walker myself and that's what I'd do.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[spook51]

For route planning lunacy try Plymouth to Aberdeen on Google maps(walking) then check out the second suggested route via Rosyth and Zeebrugge.

[DennisN]

This is beginning to have the makings of a shaggy dog story. May I suggest we hold a competition to see who can find the daftest example, maybe Gillingham to Southend via Esbjerg?
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[nickhoare]

I use Mappoint (Autoroute) professionally and it does the same thing from time to time. From one street in Dover, to get to Ipswich it insists on taking the ferry to Calais, a quick spurt up the coast and then a ferry, rather than take the roads. From a street just a couple of hundred yards away it took a more sensible route.
All to do with optimistic crossing times and the fact that it doesn't take into account any waiting, boarding or disembarking times, I think.

[GerryC]

Not really in the same vein but to get from the loading dock at Liverpool to the loading dock at Dublin (direct connection with the boat in front of me), I've been told to drive to Hollyhead to catch a different one.

Gerry

[Tom59]

Have Google got shares in P&O?
Why does it not make you walk to the nearest railway station or bicycle hire shop?
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Firmware 9.430. Map: Western Europe V 875.3613

TT iPhone app
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TT iOS Go Mobile
V 1.1 Map: Western Europe 965.7248

[tsdinos]

I remember in the past where navteq maps were incomplete for Greece and local companies used to sell an additional greek map made from a third party company. The problem was that the overlaying third party map didnt have any connecting points with the navteq one, so I remember one time it suggested me to go from gythio (near sparta) to athens through bulgaria, then salonica and down to athens!
If you check on the map sparta is down to peloponese and Athens is on a fairly straight route of around 250km, but the route was over 1000km long!

[Darren]

Early adopters will recall the now farcical situation where in one PocketPC nav app, map data was loaded by county.

To navigate across country you needed to plot a route to the border of each county and then when you arrived, load up the next county and plot your route across it.

Of course back then it was all so new and amazing that you lived with it but that particular app caused me so much frustration that I ripped the PDA off the screen mount and threw it against the centre console.

The PDA did not survive (a first gen Compaq iPAQ).
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Darren Griffin

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