I've been checking journey times on Google Maps for some journeys I do regularly.
What I have been finding is that they are pretty generous.
One journey that takes me 24 or 25 minutes is listed by Google at 30 minutes.
A couple of journeys that take me about an hour (and which, when I was young and in a hurry, I could do in 52 or 53 minutes) are listed at an hour and 15 minutes.
Another journey which would take me 50 minutes if I was in a hurry and 55 more usually, is listed at an hour and 8 minutes.
And no, before anyone says it, it's not because I'm a particularly speedy driver, or because I know the roads well. These estimates all err on the generous side.
Have other people here found that the same is true for journeys that they make frequently?
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I agree; even on routes I don't know the google maps journey time is significantly longer than the satnav in the car thinks and, bar any major traffic problems, the car's satnav is usually pretty accurate. On which note, am I the only one who sees the estimated arrival time calculated at the beginning of the journey as a target to beat ;-)
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No you are not, Peter. On A roads I can usually beat my Tomtom's eta. If the journey is mostly motorway, it is usually more accurate.
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>> On which note, am I the only one who sees the estimated arrival time calculated at the beginning of the journey as a target to beat ;-)
>>
Well, if I had been in possession of a satnav when I was younger, I undoubtedly would have, since I used to take an interest in seeing how quickly I could get between destinations.
Now that I'm middle aged, I get my entertainment from seeing how many miles per gallon I am getting, and how many miles I can get on a tank of fuel.
And I still get there faster than Google Maps predicts!
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>> On which note, am I the only one who
>> sees the estimated arrival time calculated at the beginning of the journey as a target
>> to beat ;-)
>>
No. On regular journeys I often try to beat my previous record. L'escargot by name but not by nature.
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>> >> On which note, am I the only one who
>> >> sees the estimated arrival time calculated at the beginning of the journey as a
>> target
>> >> to beat ;-)
>> >>
>>
>> No. On regular journeys I often try to beat my previous record. L'escargot by name
>> but not by nature.
Tut tut. Racing, speedtesting and pacemaking are almost certainly among your insurance exclusions :-(
What are the variables? Do you judiciously break speed limits? Or is it about traffic lights grand prix and picking the right lanes at roundabouts?
In the early nineties somebody I know quite well was doing a lot of journeys between Huddersfield and here. It's 165 miles. His 'record' was 2 hours and 10 minutes which works out at an average of 76mph. I can only think there must have been something wrong with the speedo. Now I consider it a fast run if I get under three hours.
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I use the AA route planner and their journey times are generous.
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I use Via Michelin and it's pretty accurate. Was just about spot on for Calais - Les Sables d'Olonne this summer.
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Google may assume that when outside a 30 limit you are driving at limit minus 5 mph, perhaps. If you plan with the traffic function enabled then it will calculate taking that traffic into account, I think.
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>> Google may assume that when outside a 30 limit you are driving at limit minus
5 mph, perhaps.
>> If you plan with the traffic function enabled then it will calculate
taking that traffic into account, I think.
I'm pretty sure Google Maps uses the real average speed data for all the roads included in the route - and some of those averages will be skewed downwards by rush-hour queues. Also, is the route offered exactly the same as the one you usually take? I often find I have to add a couple of waypoints to direct the line through shortcuts rather than around bypasses.
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>> >> Also, is the route offered exactly the same as the one you usually take?
Yes.
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>> I use Via Michelin and it's pretty accurate.
I've just used Via Michelin on a cross-country journey which I regularly do in 60 minutes, and it allows 73 minutes. Admittedly that's closer than the time of 86 minutes which the AA gives.
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Well, I've just checked Viamichelin and the AA, and found that both are even more generous that the Google Maps.
AA gave me an incredibly generous time for one journey (1 hour 31 minutes for a journey that I would expect to do in an hour), but that was partly because their recommended route was one that adds 10 minutes to the journey - and which few people would choose. (Google & Viamichelin recommend what most people would consider the obvious route.)
Last edited by: tyro on Wed 12 Sep 12 at 13:32
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Google maps should only be used for route suggestions. The only thing that comes close to anywhere near the right route and right timings is a TomTom with iQ routes,
And I usually beat the time suggested on that as well.
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.
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 12 Sep 12 at 21:11
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So glad I don't have to worry / don't give a toss about a few minutes one way or the other.
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Google Maps journey times - PeterS
