Google Maps transit is still a frustrating experience
These all seem like nitpicks. Maps transit is still the best way to figure out to go between points and it works in multiple countries with the same interface.
It’s quite decent in the UK. But I wish it had more customisability. Sometimes it cannot understand that I’d rather walk 15 minutes than buy a bus ticket for a 3 minute bus ride. But if someone was disabled and got free bus rides because of that, then of course it would make sense for them.
It can tap into bus data to see when it’s late and stuff. But sometimes the bus company messes up the data. Oops.
Yea, like, basically the complaints boil down to, why am I not being handheld throughout the process more?
For me I just need the general direction and what bus/train line direction to take.
Feels like people in general are getting worse at basic spatial awareness.
The missing features are very basic things, like showing stops on a map or which location within the stop the bus stops at.
If I didn’t have Google Maps Transit to navigate western Europe, Singapore and even Los Angeles I’d be completely screwed because I come from a country with next to no public transport and had no idea how it was meant to work
I usually check navigation on both google maps & citymapper and follow the one that give the most sane directions.
I kind of assumed most people working on Google maps are car first people, and the transit stuff was a second class concern. This isn’t based on any facts, just a gut feeling.
The most annoying things for me are how it’s kind of hard when looking at the map to see what stops are where. Like, I have to fuck with the zoom to get it to show me DeKalb Ave is there, and then it doesn’t even tell me which trains stop there.
And forget about getting any useful bus info. I know generally where the b41 goes. Why isn’t it easy to see on the map?
Well, yeah, just look at the latest Google Maps update. The new maps layer overemphasizes highways with high contrast. Even places like Amsterdam. Doesn’t matter zoom level. If you are not getting around by a car, everything is low contrast shit.
Weirder still is that they emphasized highways but always make people drive through small residential neighborhoods, back alleys, and parking lots to save a minute or two.
I need a maps alternative that focuses on keeping me on roads meant for actual through traffic.
Yes, it’s so freaking annoying that I’ve to constantly fiddle with zoom levels just because I want my fucking map to show me the names of the stations and streets. I guess the technology isn’t there yet. But somehow, Google has figured out how to constantly display the names of businesses which have paid them.
Anyway, I’ve been using more and more of Open Street Maps with the Organic Maps app, and it’s a refreshing experience
