Politically Correct Directions
What's Going On With Google Maps?
Driving across the country, we sometimes used Google Maps to navigate. When you are in unfamiliar towns, it’s handy. I also find that the navigation built into my cars has been subpar compared to my phone.
I noticed that something might be up with Google Maps when we dropped off a car at the airport in Minneapolis. Instead of using interstate to get us to the airport, it took us through a very sketchy neighborhood. It would have been far more accessible, and safer to use the interstate. Plus I would have had a smoother road.
I have also noticed that Google will direct you on the best route for “global warming”. Personally, I just want to get to where I am going in the speediest and safest way possible. I don’t really care about global warming and I don’t want to be made to care.
Are they doing this to direct people into minority-owned businesses and travel to minority neighborhoods on purpose? I have nothing against it, but I do know that I wouldn’t intentionally navigate to a place like Englewood in the city of Chicago just to save a few minutes driving.
It’s not an isolated incident. It’s happened a lot to us in our travels. During my weekend at the Kentucky Derby, I had to drive from Cincinnati to Louisville. I saw some rough neighborhoods in Louisville following the Google navigation.
I wonder if “my betters” at Google have re-engineered their algorithm? If they have, maybe paper maps make a comeback!
I'll take this one on. I have used Google Maps since they were created.
A few years back, I distinctively remember there was a feature on Google Maps that was nicknamed the "ghetto avoider" and it was something you could select to ensure that you avoided areas of high crime, if safety was a concern (when isn't it?).
Well, the usual manufactured Outrage Machine kicked on and the Leftists quickly embarrassed Google for this White Supremacist feature. This was before White Supremacism was every other word out of a Leftist's mouth, and I think it was just simply called "Racist."
So Google got rid of the feature, and now everyone must drive through the ghetto.
Then, a year or two later I read an article about how Google maps was "harming" minority areas by providing detours around packed expressways through "quiet" minority residential neighborhoods.
I'm not kidding.
I would go through the trouble of linking to old articles on this, but at the moment I'm using total recall and a bit busy. But I wanted to share that, because I remember shaking my head and thinking, "what is going to be racist next."
We live in a postmodern dystopia where the truth is actually "misinformation" and misinformation is the truth. Or, a Leftist's "lived experience."
In a similar vein, realtor.com removed the crime overlay to their neighborhood maps because it was racist. As if minorities wouldn’t want to know the crime in a neighborhood where they are buying a house. Typical leftist BS.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/real-estate-websites-remove-crime-data-citing-racial-bias
I used this map when I first moved to NC to assess where I was traveling. I also used this feature in the past when booking a hotel or going out at night in a new city. A friend used it to help her single daughter when she was looking to rent an apartment.
The only current resource for this information is the city-data.com site, but it’s not as useful.