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The New Coffee Room

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  2. General Discussion
  3. How does Google know?

How does Google know?

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  • George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    We were driving home today, and I had Google Maps active on CarPlay. We approached an interection where there is a Portillo's on the corner. Since it was almost lunchtime, there was quite a line of cars there.

    I don't understand how Google was able to determine that there's "traffic" at the drive through.

    The white arrow is where I was, and I outlined the location of Portillos and pointed out the yellow "heavy traffic." See photo I snapped.

    I thought that was kind of interesting, but then, it got MORE interesting. As I continued along the road, I saw a marker that I'd never seen before, and it was on the way home.

    Then, as we approached a railroad crossing, the gates came down, and we were stopped by a freight train. The maps app showed a train approaching even before it got to the grade crossing.

    How dey do dat?

    Screen Shot 2021-10-22 at 1.31.29 PM.png

    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • CopperC Offline
      CopperC Offline
      Copper
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3118687?hl=en

      Manage your Location History

      Location History is a Google Account–level setting that saves where you go with every mobile device where:

      You're signed in to your Google Account,

      You have turned on Location History, and

      The device has Location Reporting turned on.

      Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
      • CopperC Copper

        https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3118687?hl=en

        Manage your Location History

        Location History is a Google Account–level setting that saves where you go with every mobile device where:

        You're signed in to your Google Account,

        You have turned on Location History, and

        The device has Location Reporting turned on.

        Catseye3C Offline
        Catseye3C Offline
        Catseye3
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        @copper What's that got to do with the drive-through traffic?

        Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

        CopperC 1 Reply Last reply
        • 89th8 Offline
          89th8 Offline
          89th
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Basically:

          1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

          2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

          Catseye3C taiwan_girlT 2 Replies Last reply
          • LuFins DadL Offline
            LuFins DadL Offline
            LuFins Dad
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Doesn’t Google also share data with Waze?

            The Brad

            89th8 1 Reply Last reply
            • 89th8 89th

              Basically:

              1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

              2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

              Catseye3C Offline
              Catseye3C Offline
              Catseye3
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              @89th

              Kinda eerie . . .

              ad8d9b08-2d7e-477a-8ddb-8838b14d3be2-image.png

              Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

              1 Reply Last reply
              • Catseye3C Catseye3

                @copper What's that got to do with the drive-through traffic?

                CopperC Offline
                CopperC Offline
                Copper
                wrote on last edited by Copper
                #7

                @catseye3 said in How does Google know?:

                @copper What's that got to do with the drive-through traffic?

                The cell phones are reporting their positions

                I wouldn't be surprised if the trains did the same

                Intelligent trains probably report on their status constantly.

                My car sends me emails if there is something to report, low tire pressure for example.

                Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/

                bachophileB 1 Reply Last reply
                • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                  Doesn’t Google also share data with Waze?

                  89th8 Offline
                  89th8 Offline
                  89th
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  @lufins-dad said in How does Google know?:

                  Doesn’t Google also share data with Waze?

                  Yeah because it owns it 🙂

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • CopperC Copper

                    @catseye3 said in How does Google know?:

                    @copper What's that got to do with the drive-through traffic?

                    The cell phones are reporting their positions

                    I wouldn't be surprised if the trains did the same

                    Intelligent trains probably report on their status constantly.

                    My car sends me emails if there is something to report, low tire pressure for example.

                    Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/

                    bachophileB Offline
                    bachophileB Offline
                    bachophile
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    @copper

                    Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/

                    Hey don’t forget the locations of ships

                    https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4

                    89th8 1 Reply Last reply
                    • bachophileB bachophile

                      @copper

                      Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/

                      Hey don’t forget the locations of ships

                      https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4

                      89th8 Offline
                      89th8 Offline
                      89th
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      @bachophile said in How does Google know?:

                      @copper

                      Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/

                      Hey don’t forget the locations of ships

                      https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4

                      That's cool.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • 89th8 89th

                        Basically:

                        1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

                        2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

                        taiwan_girlT Offline
                        taiwan_girlT Offline
                        taiwan_girl
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        @89th said in How does Google know?:

                        Basically:

                        1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

                        2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

                        Yep. There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                        When looking at a on-line map, it showed that there was a major traffic jam on that street. LOL

                        89th8 ImprovisoI 2 Replies Last reply
                        • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                          @89th said in How does Google know?:

                          Basically:

                          1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

                          2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

                          Yep. There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                          When looking at a on-line map, it showed that there was a major traffic jam on that street. LOL

                          89th8 Offline
                          89th8 Offline
                          89th
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          @taiwan_girl 555 exactly!

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                            @89th said in How does Google know?:

                            Basically:

                            1. Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.

                            2. I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.

                            Yep. There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                            When looking at a on-line map, it showed that there was a major traffic jam on that street. LOL

                            ImprovisoI Offline
                            ImprovisoI Offline
                            Improviso
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            @taiwan_girl said in How does Google know?:

                            There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                            Some people just need to get a damn life. Bizarre.

                            We have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.
                            Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on.

                            Doctor PhibesD 1 Reply Last reply
                            • ImprovisoI Improviso

                              @taiwan_girl said in How does Google know?:

                              There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                              Some people just need to get a damn life. Bizarre.

                              Doctor PhibesD Online
                              Doctor PhibesD Online
                              Doctor Phibes
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              @improviso said in How does Google know?:

                              @taiwan_girl said in How does Google know?:

                              There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.

                              Some people just need to get a damn life. Bizarre.

                              I don't know - if Chris Christie had thought of that, he could have saved himself a whole lot of pain and money.

                              I was only joking

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