Waze thinks I'm on the freeway

by **scott-k** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:54 am

Every day on my way to work, Waze Navigation wants to route me a different way than what I actually take. I exit the freeway one exit earlier than what Waze wants me to, then take an access road that runs parallel to the freeway for about a mile. The route Waze wants me to take would cause some back-tracking and actually takes longer.

The problem I'm having is that Waze does not recognize that I have exited the freeway and am on the access road. It continues to give me navigation instructions as though I was still on the freeway (e.g. "In half mile, exit to the right"). Because my speed is much slower on the access road than it would be on the freeway, I believe that this is causing Waze to report inaccurate traffic information for that section of the highway.

How can I update my route or otherwise indicate to Waze that I am no longer on the freeway but rather on the access road? I have tried reporting a Map Problem, but all I get are e-mails saying they need more information which takes me to the Map Editor. Strangely enough, the Map Editor does correctly show the route I drove as being on the access road.

Please help! Thanks!

by **Spil** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:39 am

Could you please go back into the Waze Map Editor, find that route, and then copy the "Permalink" URL in the bottom right corner and post it here? That way, some more experienced editors can take a look at it and see if anything can be done to fix this situation for you.

by **caterina72** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:54 pm

I've got the same type of problem here:

https://www.waze.com/editor/?zoom=5&lat ... TTTTTTTTFT

I'd appreciate knowing how to resolve the issue.

Thanks,
-cati

by **CBenson** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 1:49 pm

Hmm. I'm not sure how to tell whether there is a problem here or not. The green line indicating the actual travel is on the ramp. Although, the client has not switched you over until you make the turn, I suspect that the traffic detection algorithm will still apply your speed data to the ramp. I don't think I would do anything to the map here unless we have some evidence that the ramp speed data is actually assigned to the freeway.
It seems appropriate to me for the client side of waze to assume that you are actually following the route if there is any question that you might still be on the route.

by **RallyChris** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:35 pm

GPS in phones normally have a lower accuracy level, so mapping software have to do tricks to help out with this. One of these is called "snap to". The software will try to move you to a road that is close to where the GPS says it is. When in Navigation, this logic is applied stronger to the suggested route. So when you deviate early, the phone display is saying that you are within the level of inaccuracy, near the suggested route, so I'm going to keep you on the suggested road.

Now, the question is... why does routing not want you to get off where you think you should get off.

It might be that something is wrong with the map, making your route incapable, or their might be incorrect/inaccurate speed data for the segments involved.

For the average speed data for a segment, I've been told that this is done by the server route analysis done post drive, and uses more accuracy in the road determination then the phone can do in realtime. So in theory, it should be noting the deviation and attributing the data to the correct segment (you should be able to confirm this by viewing the route data for one of these trips).

Traffic detection, I'm not sure where that is determined, so you might be correct here.

by **gettingthere** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:32 pm

RallyChris wrote:Traffic detection, I'm not sure where that is determined, so you might be correct here.

Traffic jams are based on the road that you are snapped to when you are driving. So if you are snapped to the incorrect road, a jam could be created, cleared, or updated.

As stated above, Waze will sometimes keep you snapped to the road on your original route vs. updating to a parallel road when you deviate. The same issue occurs with carpool lanes that are adjacent to highways.

Basically there is little we as Wazers can do about the inaccurate snap-to. Waze would need to make a client side coding change to adjust this.

As a workaround, in some cases, if you end the route the Waze client will then see you on the correct road, then you can start the route again. Yes, you should not have to do this and it's a pain...

Nearly all GPS navigation applications have similar issues due to the GPS accuracy and application snap-to behavior. This problem is not unique to Waze.

by **dirgela** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:10 pm

Unique to waze is the persistence to show you on its proposed route. Other navigators are much more accurate. Why waze is doing that is rather one of its mysteries not a common navigation issue. As rightly suggested switching waze off and on could help in a longer term.

by **nnote** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:03 pm

I've had this issue, and it helps some if you go on the map editor and move the road a bit one direction or the other, but still on the road.
I had places here where the ramp wasn't drawn exactly on the ramp but really close to the freeway, So I moved the ramp further from the freeway but still on the actual ramp. Helped alot.

by **scott-k** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:09 am

Hi everyone-

Thank you for the replies. I believe that this is the link Spil is asking for: https://www.waze.com/editor/?zoom=5&lat=33.633309&lon=-111.8902.

What is weird about that report is I never turned around and did a u-turn like it seems to show.

Here's my daily route where the problem occurs:

I am traveling north on Arizona Route 101 (aka Arizona Loop 101 N) through Scottsdale. Although the Waze Navigator wants me to take the exit at E Princess Drive, I take the one before it at E Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. I continue north through the light at E Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd onto what I believe is called N Pima Access Rd. It runs parallel to the freeway. I take this access road all the way until Bell Rd at which point I turn left onto Bell Rd headed west. It is while I am at the light at E Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd and while I am driving on N Pima Access Rd that I continue to receive navigation instructions as though I was still on the Arizona Loop 101 N.

The reason I take the route I do is that if I continue on the freeway down to E Princess Drive, I have to make a few awkward (but completely legal) turns and sit through an EXTREMELY long light at E Princess Dr. It is quicker for me if I take the route that I do.

I hope this is the information you are requesting. If not, please let me know what else you need.

Thank you!

by **nnote** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:50 am

Oh! This is you?! I've been trying to fiqure this one out. I'm Area Manager for the east valley, but just below your user report. So if you click on your user report, the purple line is for some odd reason, waze wants you to make a u turn on flw instead of just going straight like you can and do, that part I'm not sure whats up. I fixed some spots on bell and princess just west of the 101 that might help you out in your destination.
Waze does learn optimum routes, so if you go ahead and follow it a few times to princess, it might learn that princess isn't the best route and start sending you the way you like.
If your familiar with editing, you may want to make sure that the way to your destination is clean between the 101 both on bell and princess to make sure waze knows the roads good.
If you have any issue in this area let me know. Unfortunatly all I can see is a user report but not by whom. I assume I've closed out a few of yours, but when all they say is 'wrong driving direction' us editors can't usually fiqure out whats wrong without a destination and just close them out unsolved.