Jul 28 2008
GPS - Maps for Urban Walkers?
2008-07-28 20:50:22
GPS maps for walkers, runners and bikers? Why not – there are GPS maps for hikers, motorcycle riders, boaters and drivers of RVs, big rigs and automobiles.
I love the capabilities of GPS technology. I love that the GPS devices are getting thinner and wider. I love that GPS devices have become mobile.
An article I read this morning was saying that the likeliness of specific GPS maps for walkers being adopted anytime soon is slim. It got me thinking about how they might work.
These maps would basically be a way for walkers to trek across town along paths and routes that would save the cost of driving. They may include known short cuts as well as little known ones. Specified bike lanes would be shown. I assume there would be the fastest, the easiest and the most scenic routes included.
I can see a few issues that need to be addressed. In my opinion the maps that are already available for urban areas should suffice. There are GPS devices that allow for multiple routes so it should be easy to plan a route across town. Custom Points of Interest (POI) such as landmarks can be saved that could act as beginning and ending destinations. There are a few features that I would like to see added to current GPS maps.
One thing that should be added to any GPS map is warnings of high crime areas. It is one thing to drive into dangerous areas but walking into them could prove to be a very undesirable situation.
Another feature that I would like to see is the ability to touch the screen and make that the ending point (or the turn around point) of a route. Sometimes a particular address is unknown but the distance you want to travel is. One day I went for a jog in the Kansas City area. The neighborhood had no memorable landmark. The houses looked the same and they were nearly all the same color. The streets twisted and turned so many times that I lost track of what direction I was facing. There were a few moments that I felt uncomfortable and would have given a lot for a little directional help.
Sidewalks are good for safety and keeps people on foot off the street. I am amazed that there are so many sidewalks that go for miles. Would it be that difficult to notate continuous sidewalks?
Thinking about this subject makes me glad all over again that I now have a 3G iPhone. I carry it in a pouch case on my waist wherever I go. With the “find me” GPS feature I will know where I am and hopefully will be able to find my way back to where I started. The satellite view allows me to see my location in a realistic visual way.
People that exercise, whether for health or wealth, wants to make the best of each outing. It would be very helpful to have a few special features added to urban maps that could be used while on foot.
