Why does Waze have me take ridiculous routes sometimes?

[MDesigner]

I noticed sometimes Waze suggests that I take totally ridiculous routes to get home, even though there's no traffic on the shortest/quickest route. Why is this? Like instead of driving straight north for just a mile or two, it has me going way east to hit a highway, drive north, then exit and come all the way back west again. I don't get it.

[OldGnome]

Help When Waze Doesn't Choose The Best Route To My Destination

[MDesigner]

My question was not a specific one as much as it was a general "why?" Plus, I should add that this particular straight shot was recommended by Waze several times, and one day it decided to go haywire. This is Waze's hugest downfall and I think causes many people to stop using it, because it recommends routes that make no sense.

[CBenson]

My guess to the generic why is that waze either 1) does not have sufficient road speed data due to not enough drivers in your area or 2) has incorrect data due to map editing on your route. When waze stops recommending good routes that it has previously given me, I almost always find that someone has done something wrong on the map.

[MDesigner]

I see. I'll check out the map and double check.

[bgodette]

My guess to the generic why is that waze either 1) does not have sufficient road speed data due to not enough drivers in your area or 2) has incorrect data due to map editing on your route. When waze stops recommending good routes that it has previously given me, I almost always find that someone has done something wrong on the map.

Otherwise known as "Why is this computer doing exactly what I tell it to do instead of what I want?"