Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

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horizon
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Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by horizon »

Don't quite know what to make of this (Nothing possibly? Ed.)

Met the Google Streetview camera car man tonight - he was parked a few doors down. Works alone, covers the whole of SW England. Car is full of equipment of course. And no man on top shooting the film. He had just done some nice places in Cornwall. And was knackered. Presumably one day they won't even need him, just a driver-less car.

A modern day Francis Frith.
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cheesypeeps
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by cheesypeeps »

I'd reckon he'll be needed. Someone to ensure equipment is functioning etc. Always new roads being build so always new roads to capture.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by [XAP]Bob »

cheesypeeps wrote:I'd reckon he'll be needed. Someone to ensure equipment is functioning etc. Always new roads being build so always new roads to capture.

But he'll be able to do the maintenance whilst the car drives itself around. No need for a driving license any more, just get a techie who doesn't suffer from motion sickness...
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661-Pete
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by 661-Pete »

This raises the question: has anyone on here been 'caught' on Google streetview? I'm pretty certain I haven't, though I was passed on my bike by a TomTom camera car a few months ago, so I may pop up on someone's satnav (do Tomtoms have streetview built into them?) Also I recall overtaking a Google car on the M25, but that hardly counts...
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Postboxer
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by Postboxer »

I thought you meant caught as in caught doing something wrong, I think I was looking at streetview once and the camera car appeared to be undertaking a truck in the next lane.
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gaz
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by gaz »

I am on streetview (Oct 2009 edition) twice.

Edit - As a pedestrian.
Last edited by gaz on 16 May 2014, 8:18pm, edited 1 time in total.
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661-Pete
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by 661-Pete »

Postboxer wrote:I thought you meant caught as in caught doing something wrong
Oh I see - guy walking in/out of sex shop for example? I thought faces were supposed to be blurred out in those situations.
See also here (caution: some are NSFW).
No: I was just referring to the innocent act of cycling along - whatever the shrieking hordes of the "they don't pay road tax" brigade may think...
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boliston
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by boliston »

Eventually I suspect google will have "live" cameras strategically located along streets so the images are never "out of date"
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RickH
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by RickH »

gaz wrote:I am on streetview (Oct 2009 edition) twice.

Edit - As a pedestrian.

I was too (September 2009) but I was at least pushing a bike :) (doing the school run for a friend - cycle to house, walk small boy to school pushing bike, cycle home). I can't upload the screen grab as I'm getting a "Server Error" when I click "Add the file".

I thought it was lost once they rephotographed the road we were on but the new feature that lets you see the older versions has brought me back! :D

Rick.
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Postboxer
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by Postboxer »

I suspect in future there will be so many other devices capturing video, in car cctv, google glasses etc, that their own cars will be redundant. I can't quite get my head around the logistics of them sending cars along every single road though.
cjchambers
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by cjchambers »

I have posted this before, but I'm in the blue car on the way to my graduation ceremony . . . .

Image


. . . . and here is the corresponding photo of the Googlemobile just before the lights changed:

Image
mike_dowler
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by mike_dowler »

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1400366874.247931.jpg

That's me!
thirdcrank
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by thirdcrank »

horizon wrote:Don't quite know what to make of this (Nothing possibly? Ed.)

Met the Google Streetview camera car man tonight - he was parked a few doors down. Works alone, covers the whole of SW England. Car is full of equipment of course. And no man on top shooting the film. He had just done some nice places in Cornwall. And was knackered. Presumably one day they won't even need him, just a driver-less car.

A modern day Francis Frith.


You haven't really told us anything about your conversation. I'd have expected that you might have told him that he should be doing it on a bike. We know pretty much what he does already and anybody with the time and energy can retrace his steps to confirm that he did it, with the images to prove it. I'd have been interested to know how he copes with the Forth Bridge aspect of the job: the achievement of filming the last bit of road must be reduced by the knowledge that it will all be to do again, and again.

Why is it we never seem to see evidence of his being stuck for mile after mile with a cyclist riding in primary? Is he a reckless overtaker of cyclists?

I'm on streetview doing what comes naturally: In my case, yakking. :oops:
Psamathe
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by Psamathe »

thirdcrank wrote:I'd have expected that you might have told him that he should be doing it on a bike.

I did hear a rumour (in the days when my poor feet allowed me to go longer distance walking) that Google were also now sending out walkers with special backpacks covering/photographing off-road paths (at least in the US and the more established official routes). Packs with a post sticking up with cameras at the top.

Image

Or the bike based version:
Image

Ian
cjchambers
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man

Post by cjchambers »

They do also go inside places (yellow and blue dots when you pick up the pegman) . . . I assume the proprietors pay for the service.

Untitled3.jpg

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.38179 ... 8g!2e0!3e2
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