Google Maps

[bukhrn]

Has anyone else noticed that Google Maps has absolutely lost it's mind ?
I was looking for the mileage from Madison junction, in Yellowstone, to Bakers Hole CG, just north of W. Yellowstone, now I know it's approximately 14 mi from the JCT. out the West entrance to West Yellowstone & roughly 9 mi. up to Bakers Hole, I was looking for the exact mileage.
Google has always been pretty good, but in this case, it tried to send me all the way down to Jackson in the Grand Teton area, then up Rt 22/33 to Rt 20 up to Bakers Hole, a total of 242 miles & 5 hours ?? :h :S What the heck is up with that.

[caver]

You can switch back to an older version of Google Maps.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

paulj wrote:

Germania wrote:
...The Garmin would not show the route on the Park roads it kept showing routes outside park.

Was the GPS set to exclude toll roads? Park entrance fees might count as 'tolls'. Digital databases don't make all of the distinctions that we humans expect.

Yes - to the GPS world - roads in National Parks where there is an entrance fee are 'toll roads'.

Google Maps will also exclude such roads as 'toll roads' if you do not update the settings - which are PITA.

[Lantley]

I imagine Google made the change because someone(with a lawyer) tried to hold Google liable for being stranded on a closed road during the winter.
Of course it was Googles fault they were stranded, much in the way people blame their GPS when they end up going down a deserted dirt road.
Google simply takes the easy way out and does not route anyone into closed areas during the winter.

[rockhillmanor]

The whole google maps site has changed for THE WORSE. And now wants your info to use it. What a joke.

I want the old one back! What the hell were they thinking changing it to something that doesn't even work with twenty different boxes to click etc.

On the original website You could get directions and then click street view and see what it looked like in an instant anywhere on your route. I've yet to find and have any thing work on the new site for a street view that actually works. :

AND I keep seeing 'login in here' or 'sign up now'for certain functions to work, etc.

Ya like I will be loging into google for anything let alone to use their direction/maps. Just another scam to get more info for them to sell off to other companies.

That's why they changed it.

[rockhillmanor]

.

[MPond]

paulj wrote:
Yes this a winter closure issue. Notice also the warning: 'This route includes roads that are closed in winter.'

It won't let me put a destination point anywhere on the West Entrance - Norris - Mammoth road (except the junctions). So that's flagged as closed. Looks like someone entered incomplete, and possibly unnecessary, road closure information for the park.

Ideally it should let you specify when you are traveling, but for now it's taking the 'safe' choice and assuming you want to travel now. Programs like this have gotten a lot a flack for recommending impossible or unsafe routes.

It's definietly a winter closure issue. The old version of Google Maps had a setting to turn this off, but I can't find it right now on the new version.

[paulj]

Germania wrote:
...The Garmin would not show the route on the Park roads it kept showing routes outside park.

Was the GPS set to exclude toll roads? Park entrance fees might count as 'tolls'. Digital databases don't make all of the distinctions that we humans expect.

[Germania]

Wasn't really using it for navigation at that point, I use it as much for distance and approx. arrival times as anything.

[2gypsies1]

Ditch the GPS and use the easy to read park brochure for getting through the park. 🙂

[Germania]

Had the same problem with my Garmin a couple of years ago, we were in Cody heading to W.Yellowstone thru the Park. The Garmin would not show the route on the Park roads it kept showing routes outside park.

[john_bet]

Just another reason I have not used them in all the years since '67 that I have traveled around this great country. I have not been lost or failed to be where I needed to be on time.

[paulj]

Yes this a winter closure issue. Notice also the warning: 'This route includes roads that are closed in winter.'

It won't let me put a destination point anywhere on the West Entrance - Norris - Mammoth road (except the junctions). So that's flagged as closed. Looks like someone entered incomplete, and possibly unnecessary, road closure information for the park.

Ideally it should let you specify when you are traveling, but for now it's taking the 'safe' choice and assuming you want to travel now. Programs like this have gotten a lot a flack for recommending impossible or unsafe routes.

[sch911]

The road may be closed for weather or construction. This can cause these unusual routings.

[Pangaea_Ron]

I've had them route me around mountain passes and roads that are closed in the winter.

We live in the land of Microsoft, and S&T insists on routing me East from Anacortes, North to Bellingham, before it turns me around, and heads me South to Seattle. It adds about 60 miles. Adding waypoints solves it.