I think traffic lights are a good idea. Ofcourse we don't have to draw every single light in Cartouche, But just a properties box at a junction with a checkbox.

I think that it provides better route-calculations by providing (for example) a 15sec fine for junctions with traffic-lights. And the spoken directions can be improved also as earlier stated.

Maybe, someone should post it on uservoice

fvwazing wrote:For all that it's worth: Waze recognizes TL right now. Stopping, waiting near a junction, different waitingtimes for going in different directions. What more do you need? Ok, you do not hear directions like "at the next trafficlight, go right" but that would not justify the extra trouble, in my opinion.

I hear all new positive things about Waze, but where are all these characteristics mentioned?
I mean, I heard last week Waze uses .5 hour-blocks for avg speed determiniation. Now I hear Waze uses the average waiting time for different directions.

These are very good points, why don't you shout this from the rooftops? (literally translated from a dutch expression)

PS: What about someone mentioning on the forum, that there is a 5-sec penalty for each junction you pass?
PS: Is there an Wiki page (or an forum post) with all the rules used for routing?

waynemcdougall wrote:

jvdmeer wrote:[...]

PS: Is there an Wiki page (or an forum post) with all the rules used for routing?

Your wish is granted

http://www.waze.com/wiki/index.php/How_ ... tes_routes

You're an example of the strength of a community. Thanks for this page.

@mizter6

you should've read the posting op fvwazing. He tells that waze uses a waitingtime that depends on the turn you're going to make.

That was a wonderful interaction on this forum on my suggession. Honestly, I also did not think about all what was expressed. When I threw the topic on the forum, the only thoughts in my mind were
1. It will help "landmarking" when we give directions (I am from Mumbai, India). We Indians have habit of asking for directions, rather than checking on maps (As maps have been not easily accessible and not updated). So when someone asks, we give directions with help of landmarks and relative distance/direction from the same. e.g. 3 rd left turn from the temple or go straight ahead and turn right on 2nd traffic lights. So bringing on lights will benefit in giving directions

2. Second was factoring in the time one will have to wait at lights which will improve the accuracy of ETA. (However, I understood later, that this has already been taken care of.

Thanks for a very very informative dialogue and diverse points of view with which I agree because, I am a wazer on one side and also managing IT on another. So best is balance between both. Best of luck to Waze.

Rgds
Ajay

I'd love to see traffic lights added, just for the fact that traffic lights can make a big difference in how long a certain route takes. A route that takes a mile or two longer may actually be quicker if you hit fewer traffic lights than the shorter route.

I don't expect Waze to use traffic lights when it calculates routing because there are way too many variables (e.g. some lights behave differently depending on the time of day). However, it would be awesome if you could draw a route manually and then have Waze tell you the total distance and how many lights you'd encounter.

I don’t know where Ajaydkulkarni is from, but most of the crossings here are WAY TOO complicated to also add traffic lights. This would destroy cartouche, as this would mess up complete sections and crossings. Many of our junctions/crossroads have over 15 traffic lights, and than also separate traffic lights for buses or tram etc. Taking a left or right turn is also not influenced by whether there are or aren’t any traffic lights present. You have to make the turn anyway.

I totally agree on the speed limit per segment, but the traffic lights: I just don't see the point. How does it improve navigation? How does it contribute to Waze? The average time it costs to navigate from point a to b is taken in consideration already by the software, how would this enhance this feature?

fvwazing wrote:it would not be necessary to record trafficlights or tedious turns if Waze learned speeds of segments taking into account the next segment traversed.

Which presumably it does, assuming the answer I got from them at the Palo Alto Wazemeet was to a correctly understood question: "Does Waze differentiate between the time it takes to make a turn vs going straight through a junction". I asked that question because I've been given various routes in certain areas that will change based on time of day. These areas have controlled left turns that go to timed vs demand sequencing between certain hours, so depending on when I'd reach a certain intersection Waze would have me either continue and make a uncontrolled left, instead of waiting the 2+ minutes for the next controlled left. Waze's routing continues to do this as far as I can tell.

According to Waze, routing takes into account the current segment, junction, and next segment, basically "transit time through the junction", which would result in different transit times for going straight, and making turns, with left/right being biased against depending on left vs right hand drive.

However I agree with Jason in that it would be really helpful if we could mark certain turns as "legal, but a really bad idea" as a hint to the routing server. With enough historical data, this isn't a problem, but there's a catch-22 in that the majority of users have more than air filling the space between their ears and will not take a clearly bad route and Waze will take a very long time collecting that data.