# Google Maps?



## Bungle73 (Jul 23, 2017)

Does anyone know how the "Popular Times" thing for pubs etc. actually works, and also the "live" feature? And how accurate it usually is? All I know is that one time it said a pub wouldn't be busy, and when I got there it was. This was a pub in the City of London on a weekday lunchtime, so that didn't surprise me at all.


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## bi0boy (Jul 23, 2017)

They have staff at these locations who ring head office every 15 minutes and describe how many punters they can see.


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## ricbake (Jul 23, 2017)

Allow Google to know your location - 

Google knows where you are and with how many other people with location setting enabled...


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## Corax (Jul 23, 2017)

bi0boy said:


> They have staff at these locations who ring head office every 15 minutes and describe how many punters they can see.


They're in the process of eliminating the human component.  Nanodrones are gradually being released (trials in London & Manc initially) that relay body heat signals back to Google by location.  They evade most current legislation as 1) they don't contain any AV recording capability and 2) they're smaller than 1mm in diameter.


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## Bungle73 (Jul 23, 2017)

ricbake said:


> Allow Google to know your location -
> 
> Google knows where you are and with how many other people with location setting enabled...


Yeah, thanks. I did some Googling and found out it was data from people's phones. I suspected as much.


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## bi0boy (Jul 23, 2017)

Corax said:


> They're in the process of eliminating the human component.  Nanodrones are gradually being released (trials in London & Manc initially) that relay body heat signals back to Google by location.  They evade most current legislation as 1) they don't contain any AV recording capability and 2) they're smaller than 1mm in diameter.



This is all a big step forward from when Mercury Telecoms first offered the service in 1987, when you'd dial a premium rate to ask someone how busy a place was, and it would only work if that place had a landline. Prior to that your only resort was to look up average busyness in the reference section of the local library.


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## marty21 (Jul 23, 2017)

Google also gets reviews from punters and collect data on busy periods .


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## ska invita (May 11, 2019)

Ive got a google maps question

This map has a route on it
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ciwkPQRwTawdRp9v8lEg3zA_rajBfwRq

But it doesnt have the locate yourself button - can anyone work out how i can both view that map with the route on it and place myself on it with gps?


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## newbie (May 11, 2019)

ska invita said:


> Ive got a google maps question
> 
> This map has a route on it
> Route Map - Google My Maps
> ...


I've just opened that link on my Android phone using Maps and there's a GPS button on the interface.

Meanwhile we've been discussing that route for some weeks. If you do the walk could I request your view on whether it would be possible to do it on bikes- stiles and bridges with lots of steps being the main issues, rather than no cycling signs.


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## ska invita (May 11, 2019)

newbie said:


> I've just opened that link on my Android phone using Maps and there's a GPS button on the interface.
> 
> Meanwhile we've been discussing that route for some weeks. If you do the walk could I request your view on whether it would be possible to do it on bikes- stiles and bridges with lots of steps being the main issues, rather than no cycling signs.


ah thanks true it is there on the phone  not on laptop for some reason

only doing a small stretch - edenbridge to chiddingstone - but will report back


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## newbie (May 11, 2019)

ska invita said:


> ah thanks true it is there on the phone  not on laptop for some reason
> 
> only doing a small stretch - edenbridge to chiddingstone - but will report back


does your laptop have GPS


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## ska invita (May 11, 2019)

newbie said:


> does your laptop have GPS


It does normally show the locate yourself little target though


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## newbie (May 11, 2019)

ska invita said:


> It does normally show to locate yourself little target though


yeah ISWYM. have a good walk.


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## sim667 (May 13, 2019)

I've got a google maps question too..... They were meant to be rolling out google assistant built into google maps, but I don't seem to have this on my app yet, anyone else got it?


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## ska invita (May 13, 2019)

newbie said:


> I've just opened that link on my Android phone using Maps and there's a GPS button on the interface.
> 
> Meanwhile we've been discussing that route for some weeks. If you do the walk could I request your view on whether it would be possible to do it on bikes- stiles and bridges with lots of steps being the main issues, rather than no cycling signs.


lovely walk, but really not bike friendly at all. farmland, small occassionaly very narrow paths in woods, lots of gates, sometimes through long grass...not impossible I guess but i wouldnt recommend it.
not well signposted either...couldnt have done it without the GPS map. Came across an old couple who got totally lost and had to be rescued by a random passer by in a car


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## newbie (May 13, 2019)

ska invita said:


> lovely walk, but really not bike friendly at all. farmland, small occassionaly very narrow paths in woods, lots of gates, sometimes through long grass...not impossible I guess but i wouldnt recommend it.
> not well signposted either...couldnt have done it without the GPS map. Came across an old couple who got totally lost and had to be rescued by a random passer by in a car


Thanks a lot, that's very much what I thought but it's nice to have it confirmed.  I'm a big fan of GPS based offline maps and don't set off on an adventure without them. I'd be so embarrassed to be one of the old couple being rescued...


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## ska invita (May 13, 2019)

newbie said:


> Thanks a lot, that's very much what I thought but it's nice to have it confirmed.  I'm a big fan of GPS based offline maps and don't set off on an adventure without them. I'd be so embarrassed to be one of the old couple being rescued...


Its weird though, the "EDEN VALLEY PATH" gives it the impression of being a well managed key trail for all the family...it really isnt that coherent. Beautiful bit of the country though and we barely saw a soul on the path, even on a sunny Sunday


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## newbie (May 13, 2019)

ska invita said:


> Its weird though, the "EDEN VALLEY PATH" gives it the impression of being a well managed key trail for all the family...it really isnt that coherent. Beautiful bit of the country though and we barely saw a soul on the path, even on a sunny Sunday


Welcome to my world.  We've been all over the country on walks and cycle routes that just vanish.  We did a long detour not so long ago because there wasn't a left turn sign about 50 yards from the right turn one. On the way back it was all completely obvious, but without a sign, unless you know it's hard to guess, even with a decent OS map.


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## ska invita (May 13, 2019)

newbie said:


> Welcome to my world.  We've been all over the country on walks and cycle routes that just vanish.  We did a long detour not so long ago because there wasn't a left turn sign about 50 yards from the right turn one. On the way back it was all completely obvious, but without a sign, unless you know it's hard to guess, even with a decent OS map.


this route also goes right through some peoples gardens...
went on another kent walk earlier in the year and we missed the sign as it was a sharp turn through someones house area and 
the guy who lived there saw us walk past and on, twenty minutes later we double backed and he bluffed about how the sign had "fallen down" and yes please walk on through...he blatantly took it down himself  started speaking too quiclly ifynwim


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## newbie (May 13, 2019)

ska invita said:


> this route also goes right through some peoples gardens...
> went on another kent walk earlier in the year and we missed the sign as it was a sharp turn through someones house area and
> the guy who lived there saw us walk past and on, twenty minutes later we double backed and he bluffed about how the sign had "fallen down" and yes please walk on through...he blatantly took it down himself  started speaking too quiclly ifynwim


All part of the fun   I think it's the Ramblers who ask for reports of that sort of thing, though I've never done it.


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## RubyToogood (May 13, 2019)

newbie said:


> All part of the fun   I think it's the Ramblers who ask for reports of that sort of thing, though I've never done it.


Yep, you can report it through the Pathwatch app, which also has the OS maps in it. Or on their website. Any kind of problem with a public footpath really - deliberate obstruction, impassably overgrown, fallen off a cliff, field full of enraged bulls etc. Or for that matter unclear or missing signage.

Pathwatch - report a feature or problem - Ramblers


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## Winot (Aug 12, 2019)

Fantastic online map resource (Czech but has UK maps)

https://en.mapy.cz/


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## editor (Aug 12, 2019)

Winot said:


> Fantastic online map resource (Czech but has UK maps)
> 
> https://en.mapy.cz/


I'm looking at Brixton on it. What's so fantastic about it? (I guess I'm missing something).


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## Nivag (Aug 12, 2019)

It's only using Open Street Maps, which is good but nothing new


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## Winot (Aug 17, 2019)

Nivag said:


> It's only using Open Street Maps, which is good but nothing new



Ah OK didn’t realise that. Can you get an OSM app that enables offline downloads? I don’t know much about it.


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## mauvais (Aug 17, 2019)

You can on mobile, but you have to pay some small amount.


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## Nivag (Aug 17, 2019)

Winot said:


> Ah OK didn’t realise that. Can you get an OSM app that enables offline downloads? I don’t know much about it.


Personally I use this app, OsmAnd - Offline Mobile Maps and Navigation - gives you 7 free maps and for a few quid you can get unlimited worldwide maps downloaded for offline use.
There are others. My mate uses this one Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app


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## mauvais (Aug 17, 2019)

Yeah, I use OsmAnd too.


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## joustmaster (Aug 17, 2019)

Google maps allows offline maps.


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