How do I get there?

Back in M'sia, this question is typically answered by "Go there and ask people lah" or when I am in Penang, "ask gee ku lah". Yup, we just wing it and eventually we will get to the final destination. The first time usually takes us a lot longer. I still remember all the hand-drawn maps exchanged between mummy and tua tiow or gee ku, depending on if we are in PJ or Penang.

Ever since I started learning how to drive in the States, going places is pretty easy - online maps! I used to get it from Mapquest but eventually Google Maps became more popular and satellite view is much more appealing. Both Mapquest and Google Maps are usually pretty accurate but recently, Google Maps have been providing directions that are not accurate or are hard to follow. After the first two not so good experience, I started looking closer at the directions by using the satellite view and zooming in closer to look at nearby landmarks and the street patterns around my final destination. Basically, I try to get a sense of the area just incase I am unable to follow the directions, maybe I could still get to the place based on what I can remember from the satellite view map.

This past weekend, I looked up the directions to the Livery Brew at Benton Harbor for Hannah's wedding on Google Maps. As usual, I zoomed in to the area around the bar to see the exact road that I will be taking and noted any nearby main roads. It is a pretty simple to get there as it is pretty much right off the main road that we get on just as we exit the highway.

The exit I should be taking according to Google Map is Exit 31.

But we (Jen went with me) couldn't find Exit 31! We saw mile 31 but there was no exit there. It was Exit 33, 32 and then 29! Did I wrote it down wrongly? So we exit at Exit 29, turned back (actually Exit 29 is not too faraway from the place either but I didn't know what direction I was heading so to be safe, we turned back) and took Exit 33. My instinct had told me that I should be taking Exit 33 when I drove passed it (because it says Downtown Benton Harbor) but I trusted Google Maps so I passed it to look for Exit 31. We did call the bar just to make sure Exit 33 is the right one. Once we exit, it was pretty easy to find it (although I did miss it again because I thought it was a one way street. Hehe).

When I got home, I checked it again to see if it was Google's fault or it was because I wrote the wrong exit number. Nope, it was Google's fault! In fact, if I had click on the camera button right next to that particular direction, I would know that I should be looking for Exit 33. The picture below is what you get when you click on the camera button.

Wanting to know if there really is an Exit 31, I zoomed in by clicking on the U.S 31 route. Guess what, the sign says Exit 33!!

Question: How did Google miss that?

Now I am curious to know how does Google calculates directions for us. Was there an Exit 31 sometime in the past that was then removed? It sure gets it using a different algorithm than Mapquest because Mapquest gives the right direction, using Exit 33.

Knowing someone is going to bring up GPS, nope, I am not getting one yet. I managed to find my way back with just regular maps and directional instinct from Sleeping Bear this past July and made it slightly faster than the wrong direction given by Google Map too! Unless I am traveling somewhere where I am not familiar with or going for a road trip, GPS is yet to rule my navigation skills. Hehe.