Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
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.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
using hovercraft full of eels.
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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...
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
I am on streetview (Oct 2009 edition) twice.
Edit - As a pedestrian.
Edit - As a pedestrian.
Last edited by gaz on 16 May 2014, 8:18pm, edited 1 time in total.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
Oh I see - guy walking in/out of sex shop for example? I thought faces were supposed to be blurred out in those situations.Postboxer wrote:I thought you meant caught as in caught doing something wrong
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...
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
Eventually I suspect google will have "live" cameras strategically located along streets so the images are never "out of date"
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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!
Rick.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
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.
Or the bike based version:
Ian
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Re: Had a chat with the Google Streetview man
They do also go inside places (yellow and blue dots when you pick up the pegman) . . . I assume the proprietors pay for the service.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.38179 ... 8g!2e0!3e2
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.38179 ... 8g!2e0!3e2