Sirius XM Eliminates the Traffic Channels (133 - 136)

[michael hagerty]

>>>Um, you can start Waze before putting the car in drive. The channels had long been utterly useless.<<<

I have Waze and Google Maps on my phone. I use it if I'm not sure where I'm going or to map out the best route on a long trip. But it takes a few minutes to do it. Maybe I'm impatient but I don't even fasten my seat belt when I get in the car and put it in gear. I do that as I start my drive.

So how does it work if I'm going someplace I've been numerous times? I have to punch the destination into my phone, even if I'm not expecting traffic to be unusual? And I do all this before I put it in drive? After all, I have to type in the address. That's harder to do than pull a seat belt into place. I don't want to type while driving. Previously, as I was about to get on the highway, I hit Sirius 133 to see if there might be some problem on my route. One button.

Unless I don't know the way to easily use Waze or Google Maps? How can it know where I'm going and tell me there's a problem ahead if I didn't spend a few minutes typing my destination into the service?

Okay, first---fasten your damn seat belt before you put the car in drive. Doing it "as you start" means you're taking your hands off the wheel while the car's in motion.

Also---if you're going somewhere new, enter the destination before you start.

If it's someplace you've been before, Google Maps stores destinations. You should be able to scroll, find it and enter it with one tap.

And, either via your phone or your car, you very likely have voice command. Which means it can be as simple as "Hey Siri (or Google)---directions to (name of the place or the address)."

 

[PTBoardOp94]

And, either via your phone or your car, you very likely have voice command. Which means it can be as simple as "Hey Siri (or Google)---directions to (name of the place or the address)."

And if it is someplace you truly go frequently, you can save it with a custom name. "OK Google, Directions to the gym" can know which gym you know just by putting it in your "saved" places.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

>>>Um, you can start Waze before putting the car in drive. The channels had long been utterly useless.<<<

I have Waze and Google Maps on my phone. I use it if I'm not sure where I'm going or to map out the best route on a long trip. But it takes a few minutes to do it. Maybe I'm impatient but I don't even fasten my seat belt when I get in the car and put it in gear. I do that as I start my drive.

So how does it work if I'm going someplace I've been numerous times? I have to punch the destination into my phone, even if I'm not expecting traffic to be unusual? And I do all this before I put it in drive? After all, I have to type in the address. That's harder to do than pull a seat belt into place. I don't want to type while driving. Previously, as I was about to get on the highway, I hit Sirius 133 to see if there might be some problem on my route. One button.

Unless I don't know the way to easily use Waze or Google Maps? How can it know where I'm going and tell me there's a problem ahead if I didn't spend a few minutes typing my destination into the service?

How am I supposed to get a glass of water if I have to go all the way to the sink and, what, turn on the tap? And take the time to move my glass under it, then turn it off again.

Seriously, it’s not that hard. My office is stored in Waze. I spend all of a few seconds opening Waze, picking my saved destination and going. I don’t need it to navigate, but if it recommends a route change, it means there’s an issue somewhere.

 

[Kelly A]

>>>Um, you can start Waze before putting the car in drive. The channels had long been utterly useless.<<<

I have Waze and Google Maps on my phone. I use it if I'm not sure where I'm going or to map out the best route on a long trip. But it takes a few minutes to do it. Maybe I'm impatient but I don't even fasten my seat belt when I get in the car and put it in gear. I do that as I start my drive.

When was the last time you bothered checking your tire pressure or various indicator lights before leaving? My guess? Never.

So how does it work if I'm going someplace I've been numerous times?

They call that good ol' fashioned human memory.

I have to punch the destination into my phone, even if I'm not expecting traffic to be unusual? And I do all this before I put it in drive?

Yes, they call that planning.

After all, I have to type in the address. That's harder to do than pull a seat belt into place.

True, but sometimes in life we need to spend a moment to save many more.

Unless I don't know the way to easily use Waze or Google Maps? How can it know where I'm going and tell me there's a problem ahead if I didn't spend a few minutes typing my destination into the service?

Again, allow enough time to plan your route. In the scheme of things, your busy schedule isn't that important.

 

[FerriteFred]

I liked the traffic channels because you could get traffic AND weather whenever you needed it for several cities. Of course for Boston, Worcester, southern NH, and Cape Cod I can go to 1030 WBZ. I am 44 and have never been and will never be a phone zombie. The phone is always in my pocket while driving. Who are the rare few besides me that can go more than 1 hour without looking at your phone, when you are not sleeping?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I am 44 and have never been and will never be a phone zombie. The phone is always in my pocket while driving.

Skipping out on objectively better traffic info is a choice you can make. But acting as though skipping out makes you a wise sage is definitely amusing.

 

[FerriteFred]

Skipping out on objectively better traffic info is a choice you can make. But acting as though skipping out makes you a wise sage is definitely amusing.

Amusing to people who rely on phones for everything, sure. I did not say it made my wiser. I don't need to rely on phones when the radio gives me what I need. WBZ 1030 covers traffic 24 hours a day and every 10 minutes from 5am to 7pm. I'll use the phone for Google Maps traffic when WBZ is not giving traffic or when I am in a place where updated traffic reports are not available. Waze is nice but I never needed it. I will not allow myself to get to the point where my whole life depends on the phone. Many people have lost the ability to talk to each other in person without looking at the stupid phone. Slaves to these little devices.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I did not say it made my wiser.

You did, in fact, and then you went on to do it again in this message. Let me bold it for you:

I will not allow myself to get to the point where my whole life depends on the phone. Many people have lost the ability to talk to each other in person without looking at the stupid phone. Slaves to these little devices.

 

[Kelly A]

I liked the traffic channels because you could get traffic AND weather whenever you needed it for several cities. Of course for Boston, Worcester, southern NH, and Cape Cod I can go to 1030 WBZ. I am 44 and have never been and will never be a phone zombie.

At that age, you're in the minority. Actually, the average time a person of your vintage and younger can't help but look at their smartphone is; fifteen minutes.

The phone is always in my pocket while driving. Who are the rare few besides me that can go more than 1 hour without looking at your phone, when you are not sleeping?

I'm convinced my kids are still checking their phones every fifteen minutes all night. Probably why they're so tired the following day.

 

[itsTheRolyPoly]

Amusing to people who rely on phones for everything, sure. I did not say it made my wiser. I don't need to rely on phones when the radio gives me what I need. WBZ 1030 covers traffic 24 hours a day and every 10 minutes from 5am to 7pm. I'll use the phone for Google Maps traffic when WBZ is not giving traffic or when I am in a place where updated traffic reports are not available. Waze is nice but I never needed it. I will not allow myself to get to the point where my whole life depends on the phone. Many people have lost the ability to talk to each other in person without looking at the stupid phone. Slaves to these little devices.

You are also in the minority from a perspective that I and the majority of Americans DON'T have an all-news radio station or at least an all-news by-day, talk-by-night station.

I don't have access to traffic every 10 minutes that entire time because I don't have a radio station in Miami that does that. Yeah, 610 WIOD provides traffic updates throughout the day, but not as frequent as that. Therefore, folks like in Miami for example need a smartphone and Waze or Google Maps or something else just to find out the traffic right away because we don't have a radio station that does it as frequently as Boston's WBZ or New York's WINS or Chicago's WBBM, so on and so forth.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Amusing to people who rely on phones for everything, sure. I did not say it made my wiser. I don't need to rely on phones when the radio gives me what I need. WBZ 1030 covers traffic 24 hours a day and every 10 minutes from 5am to 7pm. I'll use the phone for Google Maps traffic when WBZ is not giving traffic or when I am in a place where updated traffic reports are not available. Waze is nice but I never needed it. I will not allow myself to get to the point where my whole life depends on the phone. Many people have lost the ability to talk to each other in person without looking at the stupid phone. Slaves to these little devices.

Traffic reports are useless covering routes I don’t take. Waze simply routes me with precisely the information I need.

 

[davideduardo]

Traffic reports are useless covering routes I don’t take. Waze simply routes me with precisely the information I need.

The only issue I have found is when driving in Los Angeles, as soon as a "good alternative" is marked, it almost instantly becomes the worst route possible. This is particularly true going from the San Fernando Valley to West LA areas.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

That part certainly happens. Nature of the beast, but also not solved by radio traffic reports. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Wimmmex]

Traffic reports are useless covering routes I don’t take. Waze simply routes me with precisely the information I need.

Do you just want data...or the story behind what is going on.

Some people like hearing the story of whats going on on the roads.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

It’s flipping traffic. No, I couldn’t care less for a “story” about which route is better to take, or changes to my ETA.

 

[Wimmmex]

I couldn’t care less for a “story” about which route is better to take, or changes to my ETA.

Car fire, closed exit, car flipped, ambulances en route, motorcade....adds a little substance beyond just an ETA.

 

[CTListener]

Car fire, closed exit, car flipped, ambulances en route, motorcade....adds a little substance beyond just an ETA.

Now that's literally "flipping traffic"!

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Car fire, closed exit, car flipped, ambulances en route, motorcade....adds a little substance beyond just an ETA.

And this matters to me why? I want to get to my job, home or my kids’ sports game…whatever. Don’t waste my time with BS. Tell me exactly what I need. Traffic isn’t in need of the Garrison Keillor treatment.

 

[Wimmmex]

And this matters to me why?

Because it's news?

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Great. I’ll watch film at 11. The more superfluous tripe in a report, the less time there is for actually reporting the routes that are in bad shape. And garden variety car crashes aren’t really earth-shattering news. Cut out the noise and make use of the time available.