Monday, April 18, 2011

Not so smart - Google Maps

It's brilliant in so many ways; not to mention plug-ins like Google Earth. But it does seem to be a little flawed. If you ask for driving directions from Sydney Australia to New York, NY, you'll get the usual highly detailed street directions .... try it for yourself.

You'll get told that it is a 56 day drive, but instruction 123 on my test was "kayak across the Pacific" (from Tokyo to Hawaii) . I want to know why I would have to kayak, when there's perfectly good luxury liners offering passage. Is it something to do with carbon footprints, or an economy option?

2 comments:

  1. That is just too funny. I played with it a bit, to see where else it would tell you to kayak, and found something interesting: it will only work for trips across the Pacific Ocean, involving North America (including Hawaii). Google Maps won't tell you to kayak from New York to London.

    I knew Google Maps had its flaws (it persists in calling the street in front of my house Route 209, which is a mile south from here). Thanks for pointing this out, and what made you try it?

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  2. What made me try it? A hankering to return to the USA for another self-funded 'lecture tour' via the route of least (financial) resistance.

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