What's a good local online map?

[adrian]

Now the calls are pouring in for me to do home-services, but google map, yahoo maps, nor mapquest can show me where the location is (actually, google is the only one that can get it, but I can't zoom in close enough to be familiar with the area).

Can anyone recommend me a few online sites for map searching?
(let me rephrase that: is there any online maps that will show the the location of an address in a complete fashion?)

[LocoBoy]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Have you tried Google Earth? Just punch in the address and you get an overhead sattelite picture. The basic program is free and among its many features, it has actual fly by/over directions, waaaay cool.

Google Earth

[pzarquon]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Adrian mentioned Google, and the lack of resolution at the highest range, preventing a good look at the actual neighborhood.

But Adrian's a geekier geek than most of us, so I'm sure he knows most of the usual suspects already -- Mapquest, Yahoo! Maps, and Google Maps/Earth. Apart from the Microsoft entry into the satellite imagery market (Live Local using Terraserver/Virtual Earth), I don't know what else there might be.

At some point, Adrian, you're just going to have to go out there and figure it out. A map or satellite image will get you to the block or street, but the rest is the real world. I'm sure you'll find it fine. And if this is a customer? You could always, you know, talk to them and get directions and advice.

[adrian]

Re: What's a good local online map?

At some point, Adrian, you're just going to have to go out there and figure it out. A map or satellite image will get you to the block or street, but the rest is the real world. I'm sure you'll find it fine. And if this is a customer? You could always, you know, talk to them and get directions and advice.

You know me already: I like to be ahead and atleast be prepared. The thing is, that I don't know if my cell service will also work in the area, so I'm SOL.

[helen]

Re: What's a good local online map?

You can always use as a backup some thing like the Byran Sectional Maps of Oahu. They get updated every year and are available at Longs Drug Store, I think Wal-Mart and book stores.

[Miulang]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Or just invest in a hand held GPS system. But even that won't always get you to the correct place or take you on the most expedient route.

Miulang

[adrian]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Or just invest in a hand held GPS system. But even that won't always get you to the correct place or take you on the most expedient route.

I'll wait when get a new(er) car then add that. But that's on my short list of things to get.

[pzarquon]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Or just invest in a hand held GPS system. But even that won't always get you to the correct place or take you on the most expedient route.

The maps in a GPS system are no more up to date, and are likely less up to date, than online mapping systems (a friend has a GPS navigation system in his car, and he has to open up his dashboard and stick a special CD into a hidden slot to "update" his maps). Besides, from Adrian's question, it doesn't sound like finding the street is a problem, which a paper map, Mapquest, or a GPS system do generally well. He somehow wants to see -- as in aerial photography -- where he's going.

Until the NSA or CIA takes the wraps off their super secret space camera system, where you can count zits on Anna Nicole Smith from the moon, at some point you're going to have to put down the gadget and just look around with your eyes.

[adrian]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Okay, I found out that I can get an exact location by inputting the address with the prefix (so waipahu would be 94, waianae was 87 I believe, etc). Now, what's the prefix for downtown, more specifically Kalakaua ave?

[pzarquon]

Re: What's a good local online map?

What?

Adrian, you just need to input the full address (number and street) to get the exact location (although you can always just input a street or intersection for a more general result).

What you're asking about is related to tax map keys, IIRC. In some neighborhoods, those numbers are incorporated into street addresses -- so a house in Aiea is 98-1234 Random Street rather than just 1234 Random Street, a house in Mililani is 95-5555 John Doe Lane and not just 5555 John Doe Lane.

But if those numbers aren't part of a street's numbering system (Makiki, downtown, Waikiki, etc.), adding them won't make online maps work better. In fact, you're likely to get an "unknown address" error.

[Palolo Joe]

Re: What's a good local online map?

You can always use as a backup some thing like the Byran Sectional Maps of Oahu. They get updated every year and are available at Longs Drug Store, I think Wal-Mart and book stores.

This is probably the best suggestion... the Byran books are updated regularly, and it's really easy to look things up with the street index in the back.

I used to have an old copy in my van when I was doing deliveries... after using it for a couple of days you can lookup addresses much faster with the book than you could with a computer online.

[pzarquon]

Re: What's a good local online map?

I've always been a fan of Bryan's, even after other fancier competitors surfaced. The one thing that those printed maps can't do, though, is tell you an address range for a specific block (or at least, they didn't the last time I bought one). Adrian seemed specifically interested in finding either aerial photography or at least to-the-driveway specific information about a destination.

Until every inch of the Earth is reproduced in 3-D detail on Google in 2009, though, the web will only get you so far. As I said, whether he's using a printed map or an online one, after a certain point he's got to put the map down, turn off the computer, and just get out there. Ninety nine percent of the time, you'll get where you're going.

[Palolo Joe]

Re: What's a good local online map?

The one thing that those printed maps can't do, though, is tell you an address range for a specific block (or at least, they didn't the last time I bought one).

IIRC, there were vague references to address ranges in the book... you could tell where the 94-xxxx block of Farrington Highway was, but of course it couldn't tell you where a specific address was.

More than 90 percent of the time when I was doing deliveries, the book (and some common sense) were enough to find my destination.

One tip for Adrian: Ask for a cross-street if you feel uncomfortable finding a specific location. Makes things a lot easier to find.

[i-hungry]

Re: What's a good local online map?

What are you trying to find exactly? Maybe I got a brain fart but I can't figure it out after reading the whole thread.

Do you have a specific address?

[GeckoGeek]

Re: What's a good local online map?

Byran books

Maybe they are findable now. For awhile they were impossible to find. Perhaps between runs. Biggest problem I have with Byrans is that they manage to put everything I'm trying to look up about 1/4" from the edge of the page. And with such small sections, it's kinda hard to figure out what's where.