TomTom Feature Request

[sparky672]

We all know there are certain places we'd rather not park our cars. Likewise, there are also certain place we'd rather not even drive our cars. Neighborhoods that just aren't safe at night... you roll up to red lights keeping plenty of open space in front just in case you need to make a quick escape. I also know a few places that aren't even safe in daylight hours.

TomTom should have an option where you can block off entire neighborhoods as unsafe for travel. They can put this in their Safety preferences section. Connect this to MapShare so out-of-towners can also benefit. There's only one thing worse than being lost in a new city and that's being lost in an unsafe neighborhood. Cops stay out of these places so why should you take any chances?

Maybe I should start a new thread in the POI forum taking suggestions for bad Chicago area neighborhoods. Then I could create a custom ov2 file where a POI icon can be strategically placed on every major street heading into the high crime zone. You can turn on a custom POI alert, "turn around now", or "caution, lock your doors".

 

[Smokiewolf]

LOL, that would be great!

 

[Boyd]

Actually you don't need to do any of that... just get one of these instead

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A2gSYCi7roc

 

[digital-flex]

Actually you don't need to do any of that... just get one of these instead

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A2gSYCi7roc

Ah yes, remember seeing that awhile back.

 

[Nextourer]

Is that the discriminav?


It's a nice feature. I don't know about factory navs but Toyota navs have feature called "Areas to Avoid"

 

[Smokiewolf]

Is that the discriminav?


It's a nice feature. I don't know about factory navs but Toyota navs have feature called "Areas to Avoid"

You have GOT to be kidding!!!

 

[sparky672]

Avoiding the corners where drug dealers & prostitutes hang out, the underpasses where rocks are dropped through windshields, and the side streets where daytime car-jacking is a popular sport is a top priority for me when driving through the inner city.

Although my original post was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I think I could find such a feature useful.

 

[Boyd]

My old StreetPilot 2620 had fairly complex custom avoidances and one of the options was "area". Of course, it was up to the user to program what he wanted to avoid.

As far as TomTom or anyone else offering packages of areas to avoid... I hope they have good lawyers!

 

[Smokiewolf]

My old StreetPilot 2620 had fairly complex custom avoidances and one of the options was "area". Of course, it was up to the user to program what he wanted to avoid.

As far as TomTom or anyone else offering packages of areas to avoid... I hope they have good lawyers!

I was thinking the same thing!!!
Maybe they could point out stop signs and red lights that one would be safer NOT to stop at!!!

 

[Boyd]

LOL - when discussing driving through a bad part of town at night around here, a friend of mine told me "just remember: stop lights are optional!"

 

[dcourteau]

just move to another city man...

 

[sparky672]

just move to another city man...

If I actually lived within a city, I'd probably already know which areas to avoid, right?

Of course where you live really has nothing to do with being on a family vacation, needing gas at night, and accidently exiting into the highest crime area of an inner city.

 

[Smokiewolf]

If I actually lived within a city, I'd probably already know which areas to avoid, right?

Of course where you live really has nothing to do with being on a family vacation, needing gas at night, and accidently exiting into the highest crime area of an inner city.

Exactly. Stop signs are DEFINATELY optional! Red lights you have to at least look before you leap!

 

[Langod]

You have GOT to be kidding!!!

I don't know about factory navs but Toyota navs have feature called "Areas to Avoid"

Holy crap. Can you imagine what the ACLU or Jessie Jackson would say if TomTom supported a feature that called certain areas "unsafe" or "undesirable"?
I'm surprised Toyota can get away with it -- and they've got FAR deeper legal defense pockets than TomTom.

 

[Timon]

Why should they if all TT would give you is a way to mark areas. It's you that would then set the area not TT.

I dare the ACLU or Jessie Jackson to tell me that I CAN'T MARK AREAS TO AVOID!

 

[Smokiewolf]

Holy crap. Can you imagine what the ACLU or Jessie Jackson would say if TomTom supported a feature that called certain areas "unsafe" or "undesirable"?
I'm surprised Toyota can get away with it -- and they've got FAR deeper legal defense pockets than TomTom.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. Here's a thought though...if they based this on reported crime stats...there would be no discrimination, only based in statistical data.

 

[sparky672]

Why should they if all TT would give you is a way to mark areas. It's you that would then set the area not TT.

I dare the ACLU or Jessie Jackson to tell me that I CAN'T MARK AREAS TO AVOID!

I agree. You are going to try to avoid an area whether you have a handy "tool" to remind you or not.

"area to avoid" is just an easier way to temporarily block out a large number of potential routes. (another personal setting)


People are over-thinking this way too much.

"Areas to avoid" covers other things:

1. Construction zones. (city blocks being torn down, urban renewal)
2. Industrial areas that are exceptionally dirty- (steel mills, etc.)
3. Area wiped out by recent natural disaster- (tornado, flood, fire, etc.)
4. Higher altitude mountain areas in winter.
5. Areas with higher "adult" content- (strip joints, adult stores, prostitutes)
6. Areas with herds of deer frequently crossing the road- (yes, most forested areas around Chicago have this major problem)
7. Areas that are deserted at night, wooded areas- (break down hazard)
8. High crime area.

And none of those have anything to do with racism, but even if you were small-minded enough to be a blatant racist, at least in the US, you are still free to avoid traveling on whichever routes you choose. The racist is also free to share his idea of a "bad area" with other people.