Is WAZE the way forward
Discussion
It is OK, although I notice it has started to show adverts when stopped, even just for a few seconds at junctions, which I find distracting. Rural routing leaves something to be desired, seeming not to differentiate between single track lanes and two lane roads.
Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
Used the paid Tom Tom app previously, would probably go back to it if I ventured further afield more often.
Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
Used the paid Tom Tom app previously, would probably go back to it if I ventured further afield more often.
928 said:
It is OK, although I notice it has started to show adverts when stopped, even just for a few seconds at junctions, which I find distracting. Rural routing leaves something to be desired, seeming not to differentiate between single track lanes and two lane roads.
Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
Really? It was showing my true speeds this weekend, even when they were +50%.Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
buggalugs said:
Waze is the best for traffic and cameras, I do get the feeling though that sometimes it's sending me through a half hour rat run to save 30 seconds when really I'd rather have just sat there.
I found it too obsessive about rat runs to save seconds, however it was not realising that these small streets with their limited passing spaces could be more trouble then they were worth. Uninstalled Waze a while ago and went back to google maps.I swore by Waze for a bit, but don't seem to use it anymore.
It was great for camera tip offs, and avoiding traffic a few times. But it often just took you a mad route to save 30 seconds on your journey too.
The pop up adverts annoyed me on occasion too. When I was getting close to somewhere so needed to concentrate on the map, an advert came up asking if I wanted to be redirected to the local Mazda dealer to buy a car from them while I was passing through.
It seems a little slow to start up and get going too, whereas Google is ready to take you to your destination as soon as you've opened the app and typed in the postcode. The interface is cleaner too.
It was great for camera tip offs, and avoiding traffic a few times. But it often just took you a mad route to save 30 seconds on your journey too.
The pop up adverts annoyed me on occasion too. When I was getting close to somewhere so needed to concentrate on the map, an advert came up asking if I wanted to be redirected to the local Mazda dealer to buy a car from them while I was passing through.
It seems a little slow to start up and get going too, whereas Google is ready to take you to your destination as soon as you've opened the app and typed in the postcode. The interface is cleaner too.
tomtom used to do a dedicated speed camera app which was great, I don't want a bloody map on screen all the time, I want a gps speedo and an alert, so that was perfect.
A few months ago though they stopped supporting it so I now use the tomtom app (subscription was transferred).
It's OK but I don't use it as a nav - I have apple car play so why would I?
The reason for sticking with tomtom though is (and this info may be out of date) they used the road angel database. Having had a road angel in the past I trust their info.
To get what I need (just a camera alert) I may well go back to buying a road angel
Waze, seems a bit too happy-clappy for my liking, although I did use it in my old car to avoid traffic on the way to/from work.
I really don't like the game-ification of the thing though, I'm on my way home from work, I don't want to be competing or scoring points (of any kind)
A few months ago though they stopped supporting it so I now use the tomtom app (subscription was transferred).
It's OK but I don't use it as a nav - I have apple car play so why would I?
The reason for sticking with tomtom though is (and this info may be out of date) they used the road angel database. Having had a road angel in the past I trust their info.
To get what I need (just a camera alert) I may well go back to buying a road angel
Waze, seems a bit too happy-clappy for my liking, although I did use it in my old car to avoid traffic on the way to/from work.
I really don't like the game-ification of the thing though, I'm on my way home from work, I don't want to be competing or scoring points (of any kind)
Hackney said:
Waze, seems a bit too happy-clappy for my liking, although I did use it in my old car to avoid traffic on the way to/from work.
I really don't like the game-ification of the thing though, I'm on my way home from work, I don't want to be competing or scoring points (of any kind)
Then don't compete, or contribute. It's up to you.I really don't like the game-ification of the thing though, I'm on my way home from work, I don't want to be competing or scoring points (of any kind)
The scoring points thing is automatic, but you don't have to care
(though thankyou for contributing the vehicle speed data and the route data that you do).Thing is, the app grew up that way, with the idea being that the more folks use it, and contribute, in terms of traffic information, police cars on the slip information, and road closures, the better it is for everybody. Its not a tricky concept, and there is room enough for a few leechers
motco said:
I would happily contribute to Waze far more than I actually do if it didn't involve diverting attention from road to phone. I'd hate to become "vehicle stopped on shoulder ahead" by colliding with something while adding a warning icon.
Fair enough. Worth noting that the location where you press the report button is where it will be reported. You can save the rest of the clicks until it looks safer, but I understand what you mean. I've tried training the missus, with few successes so far.randlemarcus said:
motco said:
I would happily contribute to Waze far more than I actually do if it didn't involve diverting attention from road to phone. I'd hate to become "vehicle stopped on shoulder ahead" by colliding with something while adding a warning icon.
Fair enough. Worth noting that the location where you press the report button is where it will be reported. You can save the rest of the clicks until it looks safer, but I understand what you mean. I've tried training the missus, with few successes so far.
I've been an active Waze user since before they had base maps and the community was tasked with paving out all the roads and then going back home to the editor and joining all the wiggly lines up and turning them into roads that worked as routes, it was an interesting time but the addition of a base map was a huge bonus and made adding extra details much easier.
As with anything that's essentially built by the community it's very reliant on quality area managers and local editors ensuring that all the roads are categorised correctly, have all the right permissions applied and actually link together, one edit could easily see a rural road disconnected but still appear OK and end up with people being routed 100 miles around it. In a well managed area it's great, in others less so. It's a big help when users report issues but often rogue editors just close them down because they are hungry for points and rankings - the new cameras on the M1 seem to be appearing and disappearing in Waze constantly for example.
These days I'm a beta tester and area manager for Waze and use it on a regular basis to navigate but also have it running on all journeys in order to provide traffic data. This is where I feel it falls behind Google despite being owned by them. Maps / Google navigation seems to pull in data from Google location services even if people aren't running the apps actively, Waze only has the info from active Waze users. As such the routing on Waze isn't as proactive as it could be at times but as the app gains popularity this seems to be improving.
Where it really works for me is for things such as random speed checks - it only takes one Waze user to report and then everyone on that route gets a warning instantly, other navigation software I've used only seems to be geared up for fixed cameras.
I think it'll only get better once Android Auto integration finally works but at times they seem to be obsessed with adding more and more features when the basics still need some enhancement. It's evolving nicely but in my experience Google Maps & Navigation with some Waze features added would pretty much cover it all, I don't understand why they continue to run the two products separately but clearly pull a lot of the Waze community efforts (car parking for example) into Google.
At the moment they seem to be using the Waze user base as free labour to make Google Maps better.
I don't think I've actually said anything useful there, erm.... yes I like it, it could be better but ultimately it's free and with the support of users it can only get better. A new road or a change can be added in days rather than the year it sometimes takes TomTom for example, even Google seem to be slowing things with the removal of their map editing system.
As with anything that's essentially built by the community it's very reliant on quality area managers and local editors ensuring that all the roads are categorised correctly, have all the right permissions applied and actually link together, one edit could easily see a rural road disconnected but still appear OK and end up with people being routed 100 miles around it. In a well managed area it's great, in others less so. It's a big help when users report issues but often rogue editors just close them down because they are hungry for points and rankings - the new cameras on the M1 seem to be appearing and disappearing in Waze constantly for example.
These days I'm a beta tester and area manager for Waze and use it on a regular basis to navigate but also have it running on all journeys in order to provide traffic data. This is where I feel it falls behind Google despite being owned by them. Maps / Google navigation seems to pull in data from Google location services even if people aren't running the apps actively, Waze only has the info from active Waze users. As such the routing on Waze isn't as proactive as it could be at times but as the app gains popularity this seems to be improving.
Where it really works for me is for things such as random speed checks - it only takes one Waze user to report and then everyone on that route gets a warning instantly, other navigation software I've used only seems to be geared up for fixed cameras.
I think it'll only get better once Android Auto integration finally works but at times they seem to be obsessed with adding more and more features when the basics still need some enhancement. It's evolving nicely but in my experience Google Maps & Navigation with some Waze features added would pretty much cover it all, I don't understand why they continue to run the two products separately but clearly pull a lot of the Waze community efforts (car parking for example) into Google.
At the moment they seem to be using the Waze user base as free labour to make Google Maps better.
I don't think I've actually said anything useful there, erm.... yes I like it, it could be better but ultimately it's free and with the support of users it can only get better. A new road or a change can be added in days rather than the year it sometimes takes TomTom for example, even Google seem to be slowing things with the removal of their map editing system.
TheInternet said:
DSGbangs said:
I loved waze, until i realised anyone with your phone number and the app can pretty much stalk you, other than that, it's brilliant.
Do go on....Zod said:
928 said:
It is OK, although I notice it has started to show adverts when stopped, even just for a few seconds at junctions, which I find distracting. Rural routing leaves something to be desired, seeming not to differentiate between single track lanes and two lane roads.
Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
Really? It was showing my true speeds this weekend, even when they were +50%.Speed disappears when the over-speed warning shows, I'd rather know I'm doing 32/35 and the limit rather than re-checking speedo.
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