Google Maps - hints/tips/tweaking?

JustAnotherSaver

I know many will read this and just know the answer and it'll all be so obvious from the start but i don't, which is why i'm here asking.


3 questions:


1) How do you get the map to stop rotating?


For example, i was somewhere i wasn't familiar yesterday and was 100% reliant on Google Maps to get me about.As i came out of a car park the maps seemed to indicate me to turn the wrong way down a 1 way street. It had mentioned road names but they weren't clear on the map on my phone (without stopping driving and spending time to zoom in i suppose) and i couldn't see any markings from my position.

As i left the car park and turned with flow, the map on my phone then spun around and positioned me and the map in the correct direction/orientation.

This has happened before a few times where i've been in a situation where i'm not sure where to go and the map is rotated god knows what angle but then when it finally rights itself (from memory i think this is all when slow moving) i can see where i'm going.




2) Night time maps, in my opinion and i know it wont be yours, are dangerous.
Don't have a problem with day time maps but ended up using it at night last night. My arrow had disappeared for some reason as well as the road i was supposed to take (or rather it wasn't lit up). So many side roads ended up being lit up, blues, greens, yellows. My arrow came back. It was a very busy area and at times it wasn't completely clear where to go. I closed Google Maps and opened Waze and didn't have a problem.

How do you stop everything being lit up like a Xmas tree? I only really want to know the route i'm going.


3) When on foot, how do you know which way to turn? More for when you're beginning out on foot.
This sort of ties in with #1 a little. After parking up and getting on the street we saw our dot and saw where we needed to be and was trying to gauge which way to turn. In the end we ended up going a long walk forwards, right, right and then had a long walk ahead to get where we wanted to be when actually we should've just gone right & right and that was it. It doesn't help when the map is rotated all which ways.



Haven't really explained that last one too well i know as reading it back it doesn't sound too good in terms of how it actually happened. Once i can see what is where and am totally sure of our location in relation to everything else on the map then it's not a problem i can read it fine but the rotation of the map set us off from the start.


If you're going to ridicule then at least close it off with some help

RumRat

Check settings for the rotation problem. Maps - Settings - Navigation settings - Scroll down to - 'keep map north up' and make sure it's turned off..


Just above that you can set your maps colour scheme to Automatic, Day, or, Night.....Select preference.


I haven't used it on it's own for car navigation in a while as I either use the cars satnav or Android auto and don't have the same problems you are experiencing, so the above are just suggestions.
As far as walking is concerned, let it settle before setting off and try the new 'Live view' selected from the bottom of the map. It might improve your experience.....

JustAnotherSaver

RumRat wrote: »

Check settings for the rotation problem. Maps - Settings - Navigation settings - Scroll down to - 'keep map north up' and make sure it's turned off..


Just above that you can set your maps colour scheme to Automatic, Day, or, Night.....Select preference.


I haven't used it on it's own for car navigation in a while as I either use the cars satnav or Android auto and don't have the same problems you are experiencing, so the above are just suggestions.
As far as walking is concerned, let it settle before setting off and try the new 'Live view' selected from the bottom of the map. It might improve your experience.....

Thanks, i'll take a look at that.


I did have a play with it when walking but we just couldn't get to grips with it. It was very busy so i couldn't really walk around with my phone out. I knew the correct way was going to be either between the way we walked or what ended up being the correct way, it was 50/50. In the end i clearly selected wrong. We just walked to a spot, tucked in out of the way to check the phone & realised we'd gotten further away. By this point the map had settled itself and i was able to find shop locations in relation to our location so from there i got it sorted. It was just the initial what direction to set off from while this map sorts itself out issue.

tempus_fugit

The problem is when you are going slowly the GPS can't work out what direction you are going. As suggested above, you can set it so that north is always up, but then you have to be aware of where north is in reality.

For walking you just have to try and orient yourself and then follow the route on the maps. It does mean having to pull the phone out every now and then t check you are still on track. If the technology is a problem though, maybe best to stick to doing it the old way, with a paper map.

JustAnotherSaver

Opening a whopping OS right on Oxford St :rotfl:

Sorry people :rotfl:

RumRat

If you are in London best use the 'Citymapper' app. It'll get you around faster than just Google maps......With any form of transport...

JustAnotherSaver

RumRat wrote: »

If you are in London best use the 'Citymapper' app. It'll get you around faster than just Google maps......With any form of transport...

I made my previous comment in jest. I was in actual fact a good few 100 miles from London.


That said, London is looking like it's on the to do list again so your suggestion could prove helpful. Thanks.

RumRat

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I made my previous comment in jest. I was in actual fact a good few 100 miles from London.


That said, London is looking like it's on the to do list again so your suggestion could prove helpful. Thanks.

I did get the jest, but thought the general location may have been there.;)
Yes, When in London or Birmingham Citymapper is an essential app. Enjoy your trip whenever you take it...

getmore4less

I tend to use keep north when using Google maps go

You do need to have some directional awairness.

JustAnotherSaver

Tried out that keep north. Wont be doing that again! :rotfl:

RumRat

Too complicated?