[gps-talkusers] Re: Situation 8, forcing the BN to avoid a road closure

  • From: Michael May <MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:11:46 -0800

Janet,

Good points. I think if we provide this capability, we would have to 
provide an option to include or exclude round abouts in the pedestrian 
route. It might also be useful to have a detailed description of the round 
about or any complex intersection for that matter.

Mike
At 10:46 AM 12/13/2004, you wrote:
>Actually though, there's quite a lot of variability in roundabouts and
>their traffic volume and size, and the difficulty of the crossing.  Some
>roundabout crossings may be easier than crossing the through street at a
>two way stop sign location, so I would hesitate at automatically
>programming around them.
>However, at this point, roundabouts in the US, at least at two locations
>I've checked, were not indicated in the database; they were coded
>as  intersections with no indication that they were roundabouts.
>Janet
>
>At 12:11 PM 12/13/2004, Michael May wrote:
> >Liam,
> >
> >The Round Abouts are actually easier to flag than a random road closure.
> >The Round Abouts are already categorized in the map database just like
> >motor ways and residential streets have their own classification. We
> >therefore could add the Round About as an illegal option like motor ways
> >for the pedestrian route calculations.
> >
> >Flagging road closures is more difficult because we have to link two
> >databases, the maps and the POIs.
> >
> >There are a rapidly growing number of round abouts in the U.S. as well and
> >it would be useful to skip them.
> >
> >Mike
> >
> > >Mike,
> > >
> > >The notion of being able to flag a junction as impassable would
> > >certainly be helpful in pedestrian mode. Its certainly an issue in some
> > >UK cities that we have roundabouts, uh junctions with a round thing in
> > >the middle, which are almost impossible to get around on foot. Being
> > >able to avoid them entirely would be very useful.  In an ideal world we
> > >could flag the junction up in the database so that it was missed out of
> > >any pedestrian route.  Sort of a point of disinterest if you like.  Not
> > >sure how the mapping data is stored. I'm guessing that it is stored as
> > >nodes and then links of some kind.
> > >
> > >- Liam
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of vincent
> > >Sent: 12 December 2004 19:05
> > >To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Situation 8, forcing the BN to avoid a road
> > >closure
> > >
> > >
> > >ok, so I'm happy I've made a contribution. *smile*
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Michael May" <MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 1:41 PM
> > >Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Situation 8, forcing the BN to avoid a road
> > >closure
> > >
> > >
> > > >          Vince,
> > > >
> > > > One can already reroute once you are off course. Just press RV and you
> > >will
> > > > be asked if you want to save the old route if you haven't already.
> > > > Otherwise, it calculates a new route from your current position. It is
> > >best
> > > > if you pull over and wait for the new route. It was very nice on the
> > > > PK that these new route calculations only took a few seconds.
> > > >
> > > > What we can put on the wish list is the ability to flag a road and
> > > > intersection as impassable. That would be handy.
> > > >
> > > > Mike
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > At 04:34 AM 12/12/2004, you wrote:
> > > > >  also had a good chuckle from your story.  I had my wife read it.
> > > > >We actually had something like this happen to us recently.  Is
> > > > >automatic re-routing on the wish list?  The program "Iguidance" that
> > > > >my wife uses re-routes after you go off course.
> > > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > > >From: "Jeffrey Bohrman" <jbohrman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > >To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > >Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:28 AM
> > > > >Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Situation 8, forcing the BN to avoid a
> > > > >road closure
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Mike:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Your story is quite helpful!  I know driving with our wives can be
> > >
> > > > > > challenging at times especially in unfamiliar areas.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Although I've not quite started to use my GPS - I am getting there
> > >
> > > > > > -
> > >your
> > > > > > story is one good suggestion if I can't simply find an alternative
> > >route
> > > > > > from where one is standing to the destination.  Actually, I've
> > >navigated
> > > > >my
> > > > > > wife to a certain point that I'd be familiar with and then go from
> > >there.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Jeff
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: "Michael May" <MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > > To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > > Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 1:14 AM
> > > > > > Subject: [gps-talkusers] Situation 8, forcing the BN to avoid a
> > > > > > road
> > > > >closure
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Situation 8
> > > > > > > We are driving to a Society for the Blind Christmas function at
> > > > > > > the Sacramento Yacht Club. It is very foggy and there is lots of
> > >traffic. I
> > > > >am
> > > > > > > in charge of directions with my BrailleNote GPS route guiding us
> > >along.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > The tension in the car is palpable as we creep across a bridge
> > > > > > > over
> > >the
> > > > > > > Sacramento River. The BN reports 2.1 miles to our destination. I
> > >can't
> > > > > > wait
> > > > > > > for a warm fire and glass of wine.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > We arrive at an intersection where the BN instructs us to
> > > > > > > continue
> > > > > > straight
> > > > > > > but flashing lights and police cars across the road force us to
> > > > > > > turn
> > > > > > right.
> > > > > > > It turns out that a gas main ruptured and the route we needed
> > > > > > > was completely blocked.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Question 8
> > > > > > > What now? We are in a completely unfamiliar area, it is
> > > > > > > residential
> > >and
> > > > > > > there is nobody to ask directions of. We are already very late.
> > > > > > > How
> > >do I
> > > > > > > get us to the event  and keep my hide intact at the same time?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Answer8
> > > > > > > My wife wanted me to call the Yacht Club, which I of course did.
> > >
> > > > > > > I
> > >told
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > bar tender where we were and she gave me very complicated
> > > > > > > directions
> > >for
> > > > > > > two possible alternate routes and at the same time, my wife is
> > >talking
> > > > >to
> > > > > > > me. I hang up, more confused than ever.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I told her to pull over and take a deep breath while I find us a
> > >route.
> > > > >I
> > > > > > > went into Explore mode and reversed the route so I can
> > > > > > > understand
> > >the
> > > > > > route
> > > > > > > coming from the destination toward me. This gave me a chance to
> > > > > > > see
> > >each
> > > > > > of
> > > > > > > the cross streets that might provide an alternate access and
> > > > > > > which
> > >might
> > > > > > > clarify what the bar tender told me.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I found another road that intersected Highway 80 and set it as
> > > > > > > my destination. I then calculated a route from where we were to
> > > > > > > this
> > > > >interim
> > > > > > > destination. While we were driving there, I then calculated a
> > > > > > > second
> > > > >route
> > > > > > > from the freeway intersection to the Yacht Club. In other words,
> > >
> > > > > > > I
> > > > >picked
> > > > > > > an interim point that created a triangle around the road
> > > > > > > closure.
> > >This
> > > > > > > means of using two routes to complete an entire trip is a good
> > >strategy
> > > > > > for
> > > > > > > forcing the BN to route you the way you want to go rather than
> > > > > > > the
> > >way
> > > > >it
> > > > > > > tells you to go.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > My wife was about ready to tell me where to go as well.  It
> > > > > > > turns
> > >out
> > > > >that
> > > > > > > everyone was delayed by the road closure so relatively speaking,
> > >
> > > > > > > we
> > > > > > weren't
> > > > > > > late. It was wonderful to step out of the car and fog into the
> > >embrace
> > > > >of
> > > > > > > the holiday cheer, great folks and good food. Thank goodness the
> > >return
> > > > > > > trip home was uneventful. I am also grateful for the fact that I
> > >could
> > > > >be
> > > > > > > the navigator. I don't know quite what we would have done if I
> > >didn't
> > > > >have
> > > > > > > my GPS and ingenuity.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
>
>
>Janet M. Barlow, COMS
>Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist
>jmbarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>770-317-0611
>Atlanta, GA
>-------------------
>The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
>which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
>material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
>taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or
>entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received
>this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any
>computer.

Other related posts:

  1. Home
  2. gps-talkusers
  3. Archive
  4. 12-2004