In more #HongKong specific personal news, Google Maps, in its infinite wisdom, while directing us from one urbanized part of Tung Chung to the MTR station, decided we should take a longer route, through a construction site, then along this... trail? - ThreadSky

ncshusterman.bsky.social • 68 days ago

In more #HongKong specific personal news, Google Maps, in its infinite wisdom, while directing us from one urbanized part of Tung Chung to the MTR station, decided we should take a longer route, through a construction site, then along this... trail?

1 / 2

Comments

ytsl.bsky.social•68 days ago

I hope you hike with a Hong Kong Countryside Map to refer to, not just Google Maps.

ncshusterman.bsky.social•67 days ago

In areas I don't know well, I rely a lot on strava's heat map for choosing a route. I don't have an HK Countryside Map though (is that a specific thing?)

ytsl.bsky.social•67 days ago

Hong Kong Countryside Maps are indeed a thing and they are great!

https://www.landsd.gov.hk/en/survey-mapping/mapping/thematic-mapping.html#2

childofthecave.bsky.social•67 days ago

Endorse the recommendation (had one on my wall for ages) but for people who like apps, the absolute best HK one for android is https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tsoiyatshing.hikingtrailhk&hl=en - they all use OpenStreetMap data but this one distinguishes major vs minor paths...

ncshusterman.bsky.social•67 days ago

If that's the one I'm thinking of, I had it in the past and it wasn't great for the trails around me, so I never got into the habit of using it. I have heard other people say nice things about it.

childofthecave.bsky.social•67 days ago

Yeah, they all rely on OpenStreetMap data, so if the trail isn't added there, none of the apps will show it... but I think for walking anything is better than google maps :) (But I still like google for global public transport mind you...)

childofthecave.bsky.social•67 days ago

That path used to be nicer (3+ years ago?) before the construction started. It went past an old fort, if i remember correctly. The problem with google walking routes is that it doesn't take into account gradient, so it sends you up a hill rather than along a slightly longer flat road...

melshust.bsky.social•67 days ago

Dejavu?

ncshusterman.bsky.social•67 days ago

Yup, we thought of that.
This was less egregious but still a very very strange choice and one that, for folks less comfortable walking, would have been quite bad.

And it wasn't even nice.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply