google, we need to talk

[solarbird]

Google Maps put this on a “bike route” for me today!

Technically it’s not wrong, I mean, it goes to another trail which is kinda like it to another which is better to another which is actually good, but

yeah

strong “t̸̳́u̵̧̇r̷͎̒n̸͈͂ ̴̦͝l̷͍̈́ë̶̖́f̷̟́ț̶̽ ̵̼̐ó̸̫n̶̮̅ ̵̞̐ü̵̪n̵͍͂n̵̲̿å̵̟m̵̫͐e̵͕̽d̷̠̆ ̷̻͌r̶͙͌o̷͔͂a̵̧̍ḍ̴̅” energies

Posted via Solarbird{y|z|yz}, Collected.

Comments

[kathmandu]

This is the kind of thing that motivated you to make the MegaMap?

[solarbird]

This, and things like it, yeah.

Plus, they're art and publicity pieces for bikes. A big map is a big sign saying "look, you can go EVERYWHERE" and it's almost true.

What I was doing at the time was measuring some distances, though, and it came up with this as a shortcut, which is, uh. xD

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Based on the sharp, narrow, single track that does look like a bike trail. A footpath is usually wider. *ponder* Then again, it could also be a deerpath, or have started as one. It's certainly not a trail that everyone would want to bike.

Re: Thoughts

[solarbird]

It looks nothing like what we call a bike trail here. Not even mountain bike trails are that narrow.

I think it's deer. Maybe also some footpath? But deer.

I can tell you that from heat maps, nobody on a bike is using it. Intensity level zero.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> It looks nothing like what we call a bike trail here.<<

I've seen bike trails like that, let's say unofficial but used ones. Desire paths. Planned ones are wider. I'm in central Illinois.

>> Not even mountain bike trails are that narrow.<<

I haven't seen mountain bike trails so narrow. You need room to maneuver.

>>I think it's deer. Maybe also some footpath? But deer.<<

Could well be.

>>I can tell you that from heat maps, nobody on a bike is using it. Intensity level zero.<<

So if nobody's biking it at all, I wonder how it got onto Google as a bike trail.

Re: Thoughts

[solarbird]

I feel so sorry for your bicyclists.

Here's what a new, modern bike path looks like here.

Here's what the oldest major bike path in the city looks like, and here's what it looks like once you start hitting farms.

This one follows the Sammamish River and is in farmland, and this one is in about as deep rural as you get in King County without getting up into the mountains.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Modern bike paths are nice. They're also expensive. They rely on someone else deciding where a bike path should go, and then trying to negotiate to get one there, and often winding up with a compromise route. It's easier if you're tearing up a big section to lay a new road. But it still costs an arm and a leg.

A desire path isn't fancy. It forms by people traveling on it. It doesn't cost anything. It can go wherever people want that they don't get chased off of.

Both have their uses, just a different set of pros and cons. A popular enough desire path may eventually get paved. An official path that isn't maintained may dwindle.

[jenk]

Uh, no.

[solarbird]

ikr? It's hilarious :D

[davidcook]

Strong "We're going on an adventure!" vibes there!
I'd probably ride it ... once, probably with regrets later (neither my bike nor my knees are really designed for that sort of thing :D. )

[solarbird]

I know where it goes and it's not actually that bad, it's just hilarious to see it. And Google should not be recommending it, it is not a good fit for any street bike.

But that's not as fun. xD