I’m trying to clean up the parking lot PLAs in my area, but cannot figure out the ‘entry point’ feature - how it works, how to use it and why it appears as it does. The wiki page seem to cover everything except this.
As a quick note from my understanding, the “entry point” is where Waze puts the flag, and ends directions to the PLA. So if the PLA has one entry point, put the marker on the PLR at the entrance. If it has more than one entry point, put the marker in between the PLR entries and Waze will route to the closest PLR for entry. Make sense?
This totally works for me. I generally will try to find the name of the predominant “entity” next to the parking lot and copy/paste that name into the parking lot name and append the word “Parking” to the end.
After the flood of new pictures and detail URs I’ve been handling recently, I have to disagree. I have had numerous venue pictures submitted as parking lots. In the majority of cases, it has been when the venue name was first in the parking lot name.
Agree with Richard, I’ve also seen a large number of pictures submitted of the venue instead of the associated parking lot. Also, most of the PLAs follow the original guidance of “Venue Parking.”
I’ve found that if the PLA is named “Parking - Venue,” it still will appear in search results, even if the lot is marked restricted.
Finally, while I agree that guidance should evolve as we develop a better understanding of how things work, I’m not sure that changing the established guidance at this point is the best course of action.
I see your point. I have also submitted a programming change request to the app to display the “P” icon–appropriately colored based on its type–before the choice of a matching PLA in the search. That way, the user can choose the place or the parking and gets as much information to make the decision.
Regarding in the naming, I’ll have to disagree with use of P solely as that means nothing to a user who glances at the app. As for name being post would cause most confusion since said parking lot is next to business to begin with, and some businesses I.E. Lowe’s may need routing from multiple roads, but stop points for the business and PLA aren’t necessarily the same. In searching for a business, typical user isn’t going to spend time to determine which is closest to location they wish to go, but rather by seeing name that first matches what they wish for. If name cuts off 2nd word, I rather it be the business name so we’re not dealing in UR’s about business isn’t in the parking lot. Especially since Waze suggests closest parking for a business, there usually isn’t need for their name to be priority, rather that is closest parking for it. Multi-parking-lots have names that specifies them separately, and people do search per those names.
That is why I suggested a colored “P” icon next to the PLA name. The icon replaces the word “Parking” and allows for more detailed information on the lot such as attributes (north lot, employee only, etc).
Right now, too many lots are entered as “Public” that really aren’t so the “nearest lots” to a business is never its own, but some other business’ lot 1.2 miles away.
Wouldn’t it be beneficial to concentrate on not marking lots public that aren’t public?
My biggest concern has already been stated by WayzrBill. The way the App is programmed right now, it displays the “nearest PUBLIC lot” to the search result you’re about to route to (or switch to the lot for the route, hints why it offers it). But since most are marked restricted since they are for customers only, it almost never gives the lot that is apart of the business. Instead gives the closest public which is miles away. The best resolution here would be to tie the PLA to the PP(s) and offer it regardless of type if your destination via search was the PP.
The other issue is large lots are always displayed (I forgot the size… 50k sq ft? I’m mobile can’t recall exactly) in the app. This is UGLY when you have several of them around an area. The only option would be to chop them up into smaller lots, which works for places like shopping malls or venues that have named / numbered lots. But it doesn’t work for large parking lots for high rise buildings and other corporate campuses.
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I really don’t think the recommended lot feature is that big of a problem.
I don’t need a recommendation if I’m navigating to a destination that has its own lot, which is the case with very many lots, especially outside of urban downtowns. Get me to the Staples and it’s obvious where I’m to park. I don’t need to app to tell me via a secondary route to another stop point.
This is worsened by incorrectly setting lots as public that aren’t public. I especially don’t need the “Parking - McDonald’s” PLA recommended as a lot when I’m going to the Staples across the street.
I do agree that the lots should NOT show on the map. Just do the Blue P thing as you’re arriving. The area polys are sloppy and look like crap.
Think of it from the point of view of everyone. Not just your own. Unless you’ve been to the place before, you can’t be 100% sure there is onsite parking. That being said, why does Waze even offer the “nearest parking lot” if everywhere (or even majority as you say) you go has its own onsite lot? If the option is there to always show you the nearest parking lot, then it needs to show you the TRULY nearest lot.
But if you mark every lot as public (which is not guidance) you end up with little blue P’s all over the map making it very cluttered and ugly.
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I edited my post after your quote. I don’t need the McD’s lot recommended when I’m going to Staples across the street. That’s the problem now, especially with the incorrect use of public.
Waze really needs to shit or get off the pot and develop the remainder of their planned features. Their half-baked feature release is incredibly frustrating and pointless for many users. It’s biggest benefit is in urban centers where you don’t have parking at your destination. The parking is it’s own destination because it’s remote from your final end point.
Yep. We are on the same page. Basically what I was saying. Tie the PLA’s to PP(s) and suggest them (regardless of type), make everything that is a “profit / pay” lot or truly “public” (or hospitals and universities like already advised) the only that are public. Everything else is at least restricted.
Or scrap it all and just go back to the way it was. Only mark public lots, everything else is left alone. The feature is half there and we are forced to try to “make it work”.
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Driving around and seeing “Parking - INSERT NAME HERE” all over the map is really ugly. It’s obvious most places will have a parking lot or no one would be able to go to the place. It really does make the map look hideous.
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If you mark a spot Lowe’s Parking then the maintenance bot often puts the Lowe’s Google Link in. Having dup google links between the PLR and the PP often gives bad routing
Also causes WMEPH problems.
We have enough problems with base map and other routing problems that your volunteer time would be better spent fixing those for improving routing for users. If someone can’t find where to park at a Lowe’s then maybe they shouldn’t be driving…
In response to a request from US champs, MapSir announced a couple months ago that the bot will no longer auto link parking lots.
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Agreed. I’d rather no PLA names displayed on the map. If we’re using a process to suggest nearby parking, I don’t need names displayed of the APs on the map.
What I’ve never understood is why the checkbox for “parking for customers” was apparently never integrated into the find-parking feature. If a McDonalds has “parking for customers” it seems a darn safe bet that this parking will be obvious once one arrives at the destination. But instead, if an editor has not explicitly added the McDonald’s parking lot, the Wazer sees that (a) on site parking is available and (b) Waze recommends parking a 5-min walk away at a Starbucks. Words fail me.
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I am still finding them. Example today for this PLA.