Photo: autoevolution
Waze is, for many of us, a must-have application, especially as almost everybody is looking for a more effective way to deal with the nightmare traffic in the crowded cities we live in.
But at the same time, Waze has become a major annoyance for people who don’t use cars but are forced to deal with insane traffic on a regular basis just because the app sends drivers to otherwise quiet and narrow roads.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand how Waze works. Because its purpose is to find a faster route to a destination, Waze looks at the available options and ends up providing guidance not necessarily on main roads but also on alternative streets that help avoid traffic jams and other events that could result in a slowdown.
As a result, cars sometimes end up on narrow country roads that shouldn’t normally handle such a high level of traffic, obviously causing major discomfort for local residents.
French television TF1 has recently aired a report on the impact of Waze in several parts of the country, including in Saint-Genis-Laval (a commune in the metropolis of Lyon).
As per the report, Waze is way too often sending drivers on narrow country roads that are otherwise pretty quiet, so it’s easy to see why not everyone living in these regions is pleased with what’s happening.
Of course, the same thing happens pretty much everywhere across the world, and it’s not just Waze doing it. Any navigation app that’s worth its salt is continuously looking for faster routes to a specific destination, and when traffic jams are ahead, it sends drivers to an alternative road.
The residents of the affected areas have had enough and want more restrictions to make sure Waze no longer sends cars to their quiet neighborhoods, but according to the report, authorities are just looking into their options, with no plans to ban GPS apps.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand how Waze works. Because its purpose is to find a faster route to a destination, Waze looks at the available options and ends up providing guidance not necessarily on main roads but also on alternative streets that help avoid traffic jams and other events that could result in a slowdown.
As a result, cars sometimes end up on narrow country roads that shouldn’t normally handle such a high level of traffic, obviously causing major discomfort for local residents.
French television TF1 has recently aired a report on the impact of Waze in several parts of the country, including in Saint-Genis-Laval (a commune in the metropolis of Lyon).
As per the report, Waze is way too often sending drivers on narrow country roads that are otherwise pretty quiet, so it’s easy to see why not everyone living in these regions is pleased with what’s happening.
Of course, the same thing happens pretty much everywhere across the world, and it’s not just Waze doing it. Any navigation app that’s worth its salt is continuously looking for faster routes to a specific destination, and when traffic jams are ahead, it sends drivers to an alternative road.
The residents of the affected areas have had enough and want more restrictions to make sure Waze no longer sends cars to their quiet neighborhoods, but according to the report, authorities are just looking into their options, with no plans to ban GPS apps.
Google News