All Around Driving

What Driving Directions Are Better? Google or Map Quest?

August 27th, 2008 Posted in mapquest | No Comments »

I know I am probably dating myself just a little… but web map services like Google Maps just astonish me. Whoever found out how to map any block on the planet in 5 seconds has got to be rich… if not they should be.

If you never tried this excellent service, go to maps.google.com right now. It doesn’t matter where you are going… the shortest most up to date driving directions and maps are moments away.

G-Maps has been my favorite for quite some time already. The technology in the geo-mapping field has gotten better remarkably yielding mind-blowing   maps of most of the earth and directions to just about anywhere.

What follows are quick reviews of G-Maps, MapQuest And Rand McNally maps, reading them should curtail your learning curve when you arrive at the websites.

After years with MapQuest I mostly use Google Maps lately (although Map Quest still has one very exclusive feature I will let you know about in a minute). My liking for this Google service developed after finally examining their very easy to grasp directions.

It is an astonishing bit of technology which will present you with both maps anywhere in the world and detailed driving directions in many countries.

Google maps is incredibly feature rich and their manual does a much better job of teaching than we can. With that in mind, let’s deal with the main features, you will find lots more when you delve into the website.

You can view earth satellite images all over the world and overlay streets on those satellite images, it’s amazing. All the major map categories are available to view.

You can see people walking around Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong or read the home plate logo at Coors field in Denver. In many parts of the world, you can also get point to point driving directions.

Perhaps the most exclusive tool of mapping is the users ability to amend any route the computer shows. If you want to go a different route all you have to do is drag and drop the route trail to a different point. Time and again you want to go to alternate points on your route… other sites will not let you do this, with Google it’s a breeze.

Rand McNally has been publishing road atlases for a very long time. Word has it that Fred Flintstone used their atlas. They still prefer the printed map or atlas and publish lots of them. Next time you stop at a large fuel stop check by the register, it’s a safe bet you’ll find Rand McNally maps for sale. Now, having said that, they have excellent e-maps and directions. I find them particularly effective for comparing routes with Google or MapQuest as a double check kind of thing.

MapQuest has been around since the good old days of the internet… 1996… so by e-standards, it’s very old if not ancient. AOL bought it in 2000 and remains in charge.

I could not count how many times Mapquest has provided me accurate driving directions. They have exceptional US and European maps but are definitely weaker on the rest of the planet. If you use them in the States, they are quite specific and usually reliable. The map accuracy drops off somewhat in high growth cities, mapping always lags hyper growth .

Map Quest has a “Gas Prices” button right on the top menu bar that will search for the best gas or diesel prices anywhere in the US. This is a real money saver and personally, I check it before every fill up if I can.

Between the three of these sites, you should be able to find your way around anywhere on the earth.

Texas Defensive Driving

August 18th, 2008 Posted in Defensive Driving, Texas | No Comments »

Many states, Texas and Florida chief among them, have promoted the development of defensive driving courses. States have incentivised the private sector to develop these tuition based training facilities, by offering what amounts to moving violation credits. In many jurisdictions, this means you can have that speeding ticket wiped out in exchange for going to school. Some of these institutions even offer to let your learn over the internet instead of spending your Saturday sitting in a classroom.

For states to give up ticket revenue, something very positive must be going on. What’s at the root of this generosity is twofold. First and foremost, is the body count, especially among young folks 25 and under. The second is the insurance industry exerting powerful leverage to cut down on the cost of their vehicle insurance losses.

Whether you got your drivers license last week or 40 years ago it’s impossible to ignore the risks we some drivers take. Not only with their lives but also sometimes with ours. It’s pretty natural to spot a dangerous driver. So, it is also likely you can tell right from wrong on the road. What we all need to focus on more, is that small patch of our brain cells that links knowing with doing.

The key to achievement in any pursuit, is to adopt an attitude of pride. Are you proud of your driving skills? Like many other things in life, defensive driving is a matter of your attitude.

Driving a car is the closest most of us will ever come to flight under our own power. Just step on that gas and go, go, go. It’s easy to get carried away and some of us forget there are others out there on the road with us.

When you realize that many of those other drivers you are out there with are amateurs and may well represent a serious danger to you and your passengers…  is usually when the light goes on and you start to change your driving habits for the better.

For you to make that transition from amateur to pro easily and quickly, you simply need to admit that bad drivers… possibly including you… represent a real threat to your health and wellbeing. Not to put too dramatic a point on this, but the risks are quite genuine and very much include that line between life and death.

There is a definite relationship between how well you drive and how long you live. There is also a specific correlation to how high your insurance premiums are. If you can live longer and pay less then you’re a winner and a great example to your fellow drivers. And Texas defensive driving online course can help you with that.

Some Mapquest Tips

June 13th, 2008 Posted in mapquest | No Comments »

Everyone who owns a computer and drives knows Mapquest.com is the place for driving directions. You simply type in your starting address, ending address, and viola, turn-by-turn driving directions that are pretty darn accurate. But did you know that Map Quest offers more than just driving directions? You can use route builder to add stops to your trip, get a detailed street map of your destination, and even find the lowest gas prices along the way. Map Quest even works in Europe as well as the USA. With the features Map Quest offers planning a trip is easier than ever.

With the innovative route builder feature you can add up to ten stops to your trip and get driving directions that include every stop. If you are planning a trip somewhere unfamiliar but want to stop off along the way and see the worlds largest ball of string, you can plug the info right into Map Quest and get driving directions with the stop included. This makes it easy to plan a trip with multiple destinations. Just input each destination into the driving directions box and Map Quest will build the best route for you to take.

Map Quest also offers detailed maps of just about every city you can travel to. You can get a map of your destination before you arrive to plan your sight seeing itinerary. Map Quest maps let you view places in a simple street view or with aerial images. You can see places of interest, parks, hotels, etc. and find the best routes to take from place to place once you arrive either by foot or with driving directions.

Most travelers are always trying to find the best gas prices. Mapquest.com makes finding the lowest gas prices easy because they let you track prices anywhere you go. This feature is easy to use and compliments driving directions everywhere you go. Gas prices are as easy to find as driving directions, just type in the location you want to search and prices at stations in and around your location will be displayed. Now you don’t have to search as you drive for the best price, they are included with your driving directions.

For frequent users of Map Quest, finding driving directions is easy because they let you save place settings right on their website. You can save your home, work, or other addres right on the site and not have to type it in repeatedly. Map Quest also lets you save time when looking for driving directions by conveniently storing recent searches for you. Just click the “saved and recent” button on the driving directions input box to bring up your saved info.

Map Quest is more than just driving directions. They are a one stop place for everything you need to get from point A to point B without getting lost, spending a small fortune on gas, and navigating confusing stops along the way. With the help of Map Quest’s route builder, street maps, and gas price locator, you can plan a trip, even a complicated one, for less money and with less confusion.