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Google Map Directions For Bicyclists
By spokesman | June 17, 2009
Google Maps has become an indispensable tool for many people that need driving directions. The tool also allows you to get directions via walking or public transit. However it doesn’t currently give you a choice to get directions if you want travel via bicycle.
The best option for cyclists is to look at the driving and walking directions and determine if either route would be good for biking. Unfortunately, the driving directions tend to use major roads such as interstate highways where bicycles are not allowed or larger roads where many bicyclists would be uncomfortable. Additionally if you are planning a tour that will take you to a new area, you can’t assess the bike-ability of unfamiliar roads. An option to get biking directions would be very useful.
Google allows users to give feedback. If you click on help from the main Google Maps page and then click on suggest a feature, there is a list of new features that you can suggest including adding bicycle directions. Google tends to regularly add new features, so please request this feature and have your bicycling friend do the same.
Google is in the process of mapping bicycle paths and adding the information to Google Earth. Here is a link to a video of the Google Street View Trike that they are using to capture the geographic and video data. The video was filmed by Trevi Fountain in Rome. Search on YouTube for Google Street Trike to see other videos from around the world. I don’t know if Google is hiring drivers for the trike, but it would be a dream job for many bicyclists.
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Topics: Bicycle Websites |
June 19th, 2009 at 12:25 am
i think google bike maps would be a great idea.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Please add the bicycle maps to Google thank you