Waze app. Do you use it?

h3000

I started using Waze a few months back when I was driving while spending some time in the states. I found it absolutely brilliant there for routing and hazard reporting. You get alerts for traffic, breakdowns, guys pointing hairdryers at you among many more alerts.
I kept using it once I got home but I find that the reports are a lot more sparse here. I presume that’s due to less users. I was just wondering how many of you use it?




Just adding a poll to this in a moment

aaakev

Google maps is king over here

I give it a try periodically to check for improvement as I like the idea of being able to report hazards, but it’s just too bad a UI and the navigation is still too poor to use on a daily basis. The likes of heavy traffic is displayed in a non intuitive way and there’s no live alternative routes at junctions. Anyway Google has access to all their traffic data since they bought it so you get it all in Google Maps, which is an infinitely more polished app.

They need to get rid of the cartoony interface and the social focus and it could be so much more.

This is it

Have seen it pop up a few time **** I always swipe it away and use Google maps. Must look into it more and see what it's like

aaakev

Does the speed check points and breakdown notifications work? That would be the only thing that would interest me

h3000

While Google Maps is a better looking app with a better UI. I really like the reporting functions of Waze but it doesn’t seem to have the user base here for it to be as useful or hazards to be as current as they should.

h3000

aaakev wrote: »

Does the speed check points and breakdown notifications work? That would be the only thing that would interest me

Breakdown notifications definitely work. I’m not 100% sure about speed traps but I’ve only passed one since I started using it here.

h3000

h3000 wrote: »

While Google Maps is a better looking app with a better UI. I really like the reporting functions of Waze but it doesn’t seem to have the user base here for it to be as useful or hazards to be as current as they should.

It won’t have as much use until they design a better app. We’ve a better chance of google integrating the reporting features into google maps.

Speed traps work as I’ve seen them on the map before but I wouldn’t use them even if I used the app daily. I read they recently added reporting of icy conditions in the US which would be really useful for safety. I’d love to see them brought over to Google Maps the same as the speed display was.

h3000

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

We’ve a better chance of google integrating the reporting features into google maps.

That would be good too.

Qwerty?

I've been using it since changing my car recently, but tbh not enough people using it to be worth bothering with it. Also icons are a bit silly and unclear

mfceiling

aaakev wrote: »

Google maps is king over here

Does any else find Google maps poor at times?

3 examples...

Going home one day and I happened to glance at the screen waiting at a junction. It wanted me to turn left but showed turning right to be 4 minutes faster...why not show me that then?

On holidays this year in Sicily and going up a windy road to visit a recommended village. Halfway up the hill and it says "you've arrived". We were about 5kms from it.

Was in Lisbon in August with herself. Wanted to find a particular restaurant. Was walking up a fairly long avenue and the restaurant was at the top. About three quarters of the way up it told us to turn left, then right, then right and then left again....instead of just continuing straight on. There was no mention of diversions or blockages etc and we could see the restaurant in front of us when it started to ask us to go around the block.

mfceiling

mfceiling wrote: »

Does any else find Google maps poor at times?

3 examples...

Going home one day and I happened to glance at the screen waiting at a junction. It wanted me to turn left but showed turning right to be 4 minutes faster...why not show me that then?

On holidays this year in Sicily and going up a windy road to visit a recommended village. Halfway up the hill and it says "you've arrived". We were about 5kms from it.

Was in Lisbon in August with herself. Wanted to find a particular restaurant. Was walking up a fairly long avenue and the restaurant was at the top. About three quarters of the way up it told us to turn left, then right, then right and then left again....instead of just continuing straight on. There was no mention of diversions or blockages etc and we could see the restaurant in front of us when it started to ask us to go around the block.

You’ll get very similar issues on Waze or Here or any other. None of them have it bang on but Google Maps still does it a mile better than any of the rest.

bazz26

Don't use it or any other GPS apps here that much but used it earlier in the year over in the States. Way better than the rental car's GPS and google maps over there in my experience.

Del2005

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It won’t have as much use until they design a better app. We’ve a better chance of google integrating the reporting features into google maps.

I though I'd read that Google was integrating the feature into maps and it was supposed to be voice based. I was in a few European countries and it was used a lot more over there.

I find the features of Waze good but can't use most of them when driving, confirming a hazard takes you away from concentrating on driving trying to report a hazard is worse , which defeats the purpose of it.

Del2005

Del2005 wrote: »

I though I'd read that Google was integrating the feature into maps and it was supposed to be voice based. I was in a few European countries and it was used a lot more over there.

I find the features of Waze good but can't use most of them when driving, confirming a hazard takes you away from concentrating on driving trying to report a hazard is worse , which defeats the purpose of it.

Actually I did read that too now that you mention it. Voice reporting would be brilliant.

jimmycrackcorm

Going from Dublin to Donegal, Waze thinks NI is a black hole and is determined that I skip around it.

I do find the speed limit display useful as I don't have CC in my car and as an import, no display of km Inn the Speedo.

the_syco

aaakev wrote: »

Google maps is king over here

Agreed. But Waze has an option to "avoid boreens", as Google loves to send me down roads that are only 1.5 times the width of my car!

So, mostly Google, but sometimes Waze if I want to avoid the really crap back roads.

the_syco

the_syco wrote: »

Agreed. But Waze has an option to "avoid boreens", as Google loves to send me down roads that are only 1.5 times the width of my car!

So, mostly Google, but sometimes Waze if I want to avoid the really crap back roads.

Don’t trust that completely. I use Waze 2% of the time compared to GM’s 98% and the former has still brought me down dead ends more often.

dashoonage

i actually downloaded this today and an app called roadly , which was ****e so i deleted it.

Im basically looking for an app that gives me a voice alert then the speed limit changes and dispays the current limit and my speed on screen.

I'm thinking waze will do it for me but wont get to try until tomorrow.

dashoonage

dashoonage wrote: »

i actually downloaded this today and an app called roadly , which was ****e so i deleted it.

Im basically looking for an app that gives me a voice alert then the speed limit changes and dispays the current limit and my speed on screen.

I'm thinking waze will do it for me but wont get to try until tomorrow.

Waze does for the most part. It’s not totally correct with all the limits for everywhere (and correcting them is not a good experience on Waze but that’s a whole other story) but you won’t find a system better if that’s what you want.
I don’t think it’ll voice alert for a limit change but you can set an audible notification if you go above it.

dashoonage

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Waze does for the most part. It’s not totally correct for everywhere but you won’t find a system better if that’s what you want.
I don’t think it’ll voice alert for a limit change but you can set an audible notification if you go above it.

That will probably work for me.

Google maps seems to do it but not in ireland i think

Hootanany

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I give it a try periodically to check for improvement as I like the idea of being able to report hazards, but it’s just too bad a UI and the navigation is still too poor to use on a daily basis. The likes of heavy traffic is displayed in a non intuitive way and there’s no live alternative routes at junctions. Anyway Google has access to all their traffic data since they bought it so you get it all in Google Maps, which is an infinitely more polished app.

They need to get rid of the cartoony interface and the social focus and it could be so much more.

Ate you mad? It's miles better than Google maps.
Sorry for calling you mad but it's hands down the better.
Again sorry.

dashoonage

dashoonage wrote: »

That will probably work for me.

If I remember right you can set the noise to go off after so many seconds of being constantly over the limit, so it won’t annoy you if you barely drift over the odd time.

Hootanany

Hootanany wrote: »

Ate you mad? It's miles better than Google maps.
Sorry for calling you mad but it's hands down the better.
Again sorry.

You don’t need to be sorry for an opinion, but I don’t agree with you in the slightest. It looks like a child designed it and it has nothing even close to being as intuitive as the green/orange/red UI that Google Maps uses for traffic levels and delays.

Wizard!

I was using Google Maps, but I was fed up with their stupid directions (like the photo below).
It was keep changing route in the middle of our trip, constantly choosing M50, even when we were selecting the "No tolls" option, etc.
The breakpoint was, when we added the address our new house, we received an email it was updated, GM after 2 weeks still points to the wrong place, while Waze was updated next day.

So, Waze for me, until proven wrong.

This is it

Have you manually added a load of waypoints for that trip. Looks like it and doing it that way tends to mess it up a bit

eljono

I use it when driving via Android Auto. I like that it shows me the speed limit of the road I'm on as well as the speed of the car.

I also have it running most of the time in the hope that if there's a speed camera or incident coming up, someone will have logged it.

mankteln

mfceiling wrote: »

Does any else find Google maps poor at times?

3 examples...

Going home one day and I happened to glance at the screen waiting at a junction. It wanted me to turn left but showed turning right to be 4 minutes faster...why not show me that then?

On holidays this year in Sicily and going up a windy road to visit a recommended village. Halfway up the hill and it says "you've arrived". We were about 5kms from it.

Was in Lisbon in August with herself. Wanted to find a particular restaurant. Was walking up a fairly long avenue and the restaurant was at the top. About three quarters of the way up it told us to turn left, then right, then right and then left again....instead of just continuing straight on. There was no mention of diversions or blockages etc and we could see the restaurant in front of us when it started to ask us to go around the block.

My pet hate with it is when driving in Ireland when it'll send you down a smaller side road as it may be slightly more direct but is tiny with barely room for a car. Obviously the app probably thinks your safe to fire away at 80km on it lol

Hootanany

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

You don’t need to be sorry for an opinion, but I don’t agree with you in the slightest. It looks like a child designed it and it has nothing even close to being as intuitive as the green/orange/red UI that Google Maps uses for traffic levels and delays.

Ok but I would never use Google maps again 3 hours to Kilkenny.

donspeekinglesh

The Google Maps UI is far better, and for some reason Waze adds five minutes to my 25 minute commute every time (and GMaps is spot on) so I can't trust Waze at all.

DaveyDave

I actively avoid tolls, I've never had Google Maps give me any trouble with the M50. I always drive off-peak so I have the luxury of avoiding the toll.

I know Waze has speed camera and accident alerts but they're community driven and I believe it isn't as popular here so not always accurate. Anytime there's congestion or an accident Google Maps is always useful, never had any real issues. Great in the States too with lane assist so you know which of the 2 slip road lanes to be in when you need to take a left down the road.

Can't say I've ever needed anything else from Google Maps. I guess one downside is it doesn't show GPS speed like it does when using unplugged Google Maps although that's not an issue for me as I usually have the cruise set to +2 over the limit. I also think it doesn't do multi destinations on Android Auto.

_Kaiser_

mankteln wrote: »

My pet hate with it is when driving in Ireland when it'll send you down a smaller side road as it may be slightly more direct but is tiny with barely room for a car. Obviously the app probably thinks your safe to fire away at 80km on it lol

Totally agree with this one. Has happened far too many times to me

They have an "avoid motorways/tolls" option - why not an "avoid crap pot holed, unlined, built from chippings dirt tracks" option? (although, that would probably exclude 50% of roads I suppose)

mankteln

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Totally agree with this one. Has happened far too many times to me

They have an "avoid motorways/tolls" option - why not an "avoid crap pot holed, unlined, built from chippings dirt tracks" option? (although, that would probably exclude 50% of roads I suppose)

It does it everywhere too. When we were in Croatia in October we drove to Mostar in Bosnia and it sent us up a dirt track over a mountain where there was barely space for a car and a sheer drop on one side. Once we got to Mostar I checked out the map and we could've taken a slightly longer (10km) route that wouldn't have involved us dicing with death

Wizard!

This is it wrote: »

Have you manually added a load of waypoints for that trip. Looks like it and doing it that way tends to mess it up a bit

No waypoints. This is just a simple search "from-to".
And it is not the first time.

flazio

I would use it on roads I'm not familiar with but for A-B navigation my go to is my offline navigation app Sygic.

dashoonage

eljono wrote: »

I use it when driving via Android Auto. I like that it shows me the speed limit of the road I'm on as well as the speed of the car.

I also have it running most of the time in the hope that if there's a speed camera or incident coming up, someone will have logged it.

I installed it yesterday and already someone had flagged a guard with a gun this morning.

Does anyone know if it's possible to have it sound continuously while over the limit ?

the_syco

mankteln wrote: »

My pet hate with it is when driving in Ireland when it'll send you down a smaller side road as it may be slightly more direct but is tiny with barely room for a car. Obviously the app probably thinks your safe to fire away at 80km on it lol

Waze has an option in it.
Car Info > More routing options > Dirt roads; Don't allow
It won't choose any narrow roads.

An example would be; https://goo.gl/maps/gsDLniBLEGQ1qnxS7 - Google would bring me down the dark blue route, but Waze would select the light blue. There's a car in this picture to give an idea of the amount of space the Google route has; https://goo.gl/maps/7vgAePJpNPKUjzpp7

Waze avoided this road with the "avoid dirt roads" option.