What I meant was that Google displays a popup for several seconds informing you that it’s changing your route. Clicking on the popup will cancel the change. This applies more to longer routes that pass through several cities, where you can choose one of the route variants before traveling. I’ve had Google change my route this way a few times.
Regarding sponsored routes, I don’t remember where I read about this; someone complained that they entered their vet’s name, and Google routed them to a completely different vet in a different city. It turned out to be a sponsored route. Perhaps this is something they’re testing and isn’t common - or it was a made up story. Didn’t happen to me.
Google Maps is great, otherwise it wouldn’t be so successful. It’s just that features that are statistically good for everyone might not be good for you in your specific situation. Therefore, it’s still worth being aware of your route and surroundings.
Like we have learned (the hard way) with Google search, pause, peer at the screen carefully, trust your gut instincts, and don’t click on the first option presented. The advertisers and Google are hoping you are lazy, gullible, or uninformed, or maybe all three, and that is how they can make money and still offer you a ‘free’ product.
It is when you are stuck in the middle of the desert and it sends you down a dead end path trapping you, or speeding along a dark freeway and it offers you a fatal suggestion to launch into space like Apple Maps tried to do for me many years ago, that you should go back and re-evaluate. Trust, but verify.
Once, as a passenger, was driven from one city to another. Tired, napping, but awoken frequently by stopping and turning, asked what was going on? The driver responded we were getting there, following Google maps. Why are we on single lane country roads and not the freeway I usually take? On checking, the zig zag route was 1% shorter in distance, but added half an hour in time, and the fuel, wear and tear on brakes and tires was not factored into the algorithm that offered up the scenic route as the best possible option that was instinctively selected without consultation.
Sponsored routes to a different vet might be AI behind the scenes, evaluating you don’t have enough time with current traffic options to reach the vet before they close, and routing you to one that you can reach in a timely manner. Creepy, not allowing for vet familiarity, costs, but vital if your pet is going to die if they don’t get urgent professional attention.
I once, dog having breathing difficulties, Christmas eve, 8pm, all local vets not answering, in panic drove my Benji to the local hospital. Sorry, we don’t treat dogs was the curt answer at the door. What would you do if it was a human was the plea? I would have called first responders was the smart reply. I drove around tte corner to the fire station who put out a call on air and a neighbouring town had a vet living next door that was willing to help. We made it under escort, but sadly Benji passed on three days and $5k later. Did I begrudge it, was I grateful for the option to go somewhere alternative, to give him the best shot available, no expenses spared? You better believe it!
He did’t make it. Everything was tried. A team working on Christmas day.
I still miss Benji #1, many years and pups later. I’d do it again in an instant, just for the feeble little tail wag he gave as they gave him an adrenalin shot to bring him to for our sad goodbye, just before the they sent him to doggy heaven
I didn’t mean to sound gloomy and speculate about the future. Google’s global market share in maps and navigation is 70-80% (I took the data from the first search result). It’s pretty obvious which way this will go.
As for the vet story, here’s a similar one to the one I read. They just wanted to go to their vet, there were no dramatic events involved.
He was a beloved pet. Sometimes they are more valued than relatives and family. He wasn’t left in pain, but knew he was dying. The adrenalin shot was $300 extra. He was overjoyed to see us all, not just me holding his paw as they worked on him as he panted and faded, his insides collapsed. We decided as a family, already brought together for Christmas, for the tender ones that we would have to later explain why he was missing, that a gradual sendoff surrounded by family and friends was preferrable.
We asked and they obliged, handing over his limp body, respectfully wrapped. We buried him, the act of digging and covering him taken in turns where we could visit, under the trees, overlooking the valley with birds singing, as the memories come back, kind, relaxing, and still powerful enough to shed a tear, my current pup puzzling why, head cocked to the side, as I closely hug him.
I think we all experienced this: Google trying to force us to use a truly insane “shortcut” Another similar situation is when you’re stuck in traffic and can’t (should not) get off the main road - because local roads are for locals.
Or you are a local, finally making it after a long haul in deep traffic, eventually turning into your long driveway, and being faithfully followed by a congo chain of cars hoping you were a local and was taking a known short cut, Only to discover your driveway stops behind the house, one way, and they all have to reverse, the whole way.
Much hilarity and waving of hands, and a few toots, some to say hi, and others of frustration.
You sometimes cannot quantify the world around you. Your feelings are also a sensor, but how do you rate love, the sense of loss, enduring even death till the present, a 12 out of 10?
The people in ER, as you are wheeled in, or the next day, asking you on a scale of one to ten, how to rate that tightness in your chest, the throb in your head, the brightness in one eye? Compared to what? You want to shout 100, but you guilty look at the person next to you, limb missing, and whisper, gratefully, maybe a six or seven thank you.
I love to hate Google as much as the next guy. They are flat-out evil, totally opposite of how they started out. Worse than Apple in some ways now. But I’m going to take off my curmudgeon hat for a moment and play fan-boy.
Google Maps keeps amazing me at how useful it can be. To address some of the comments above:
I’ve never had it secretly route me elsewhere. Before starting, I’m offered the opportunity to choose the fastest, most fuel efficient or cheapest route. There are times when it will come up with a prompt saying it found a better route, based on changes in traffic conditions since starting. Sometimes that’s the same route I chose not to take at first. But unless there was a specific reason for not going that way, I tend to believe it and take the “better” route. It knows much more about real-time traffic conditions than I do.
One time I tried to second-guess and take a route that I know is always faster. Turns out there had been an accident along “my” route. I sat stopped in traffic, watching cars wiz by on the normally-slower route Maps had picked.
I’ve always been able to select the destination. Sure, if I enter a broad enough search it’ll find multiple potential destinations, and those will include “sponsored” locations. Fine. I know whether or not I want to go to Burger King. I select where I actually want to go and it has always taken me there. I’ve never had the destination changed.
One time I searched for the airport rental car return lot. It was late and I stupidly picked Charleston instead of Charlotte. It dutifully started me on my way to the wrong airport. Luckily I noticed I was going a totally different direction than the trip out, and double-checked. Hard to blame Google for my own lack of attention.
Is it perfect? No! Like, why can’t I search for highway rest stops or gas stations along my route? I don’t really care that there’s a rest stop on an intersecting highway. True, it’s near me, but in the wrong direction. Likewise, I don’t want gas stations near me now. I want the ones near my route, 100-300 many miles ahead, so I can plan my stops.
Another similar situation is when you’re stuck in traffic and can’t (should not) get off the main road - because local roads are for locals.
