Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So what do you find to be different in real life? It looks like a place where the overwhelming majority of people drive. And it looks like a place where the only people walking would be poor.
Yeah, but the Google truck also goes around during rush hour, lunch, on weekends, etc. Sometimes you even see two frames side by side where one is from winter and the other from summer. Besides, the Google truck can't capture every single street on a Friday night/Saturday afternoon during the city's largest summer festival. That wouldn't be a "fair" representation either.
You can also figure things out by using a bit of common sense. I wouldn't expect to see a whole heap of pedestrians on the Mag Mile in the dead of January. But based on the scale of the street, as well as the multitude of shops on it, you can tell that it sees much more street activity during the warmer months. If anything, I'd say that northern cities are more disadvantaged here because the cold weather does put quite a damper on streetlife.
In reality, the Google truck is really no different from anybody else randomly rolling through a neighborhood on any given day.
Although I actually think streetview shows a lot about a city. I have to say that in the south many cities have way fewer pedestrians in the summer than in the rest of the year. In summer in New Orleans there are quite a few more people choosing to drive to work than to walk bike or take transit
I suppose you're right - but areas like Montrose and Midtown seem notably more urban and impressive in real life than Streetview.
Actually Montrose and Midtown felt more urban to me on streetview. I was shocked when I got to Houston how little development there was in these 'urban' sections if town. It reminded me of inner city streets of Baton Rouge, louisiana
I feel a big chunk of streetview has less people than normal. I have noticed for many that they do the recordings very early in the mornings for the most part, which I assume is to avoid traffic.
I feel a big chunk of streetview has less people than normal. I have noticed for many that they do the recordings very early in the mornings for the most part, which I assume is to avoid traffic.
Again, I think Google captures many different random times (even on the same street). Take this street in Center City for example.
Most of the time streetview is a composite of many different frames on different days, months, years, etc. Just walking around the block in the link above I get a frame from August 2011. Go a little farther and I get one from October 2012. That seems normal.
And I also think that's a "fair" representation because it's a candid shot of the city. It's not a photo showing gigantic sidewalk crowds during a street festival. And I don't think the Google drivers really make it a goal to avoid traffic (as can be seen in the streetview of Herald Square below). What U.S. city has worse gridlock than Manhattan?
People seem to think it's unfair to use Manhattan streetviews because "it's NYC!" But the reality is that New York streets get really quiet too. If you go for a run in Central Park at 6am, it's pure serenity.
I feel a big chunk of streetview has less people than normal. I have noticed for many that they do the recordings very early in the mornings for the most part, which I assume is to avoid traffic.
Or, the average person is visiting at times when other people are more likely to be there, too. So you see the streets when they're busier: if you walk out of your office around rush hour and lunch hour, you glimpse the busier times of the city.
Saw the google streetview car around 10 am myself.
Or, the average person is visiting at times when other people are more likely to be there, too. So you see the streets when they're busier: if you walk out of your office around rush hour and lunch hour, you glimpse the busier times of the city.
Saw the google streetview car around 10 am myself.
I highly doubt this was shot at the crack of dawn.
For as much as Houston is hyped on this site from Houston boosters about its skyline, freeways, similarities to Los Angeles, It's very unimpressive in person, both Dallas and Atlanta are much more active on a pedestrian level where it counts.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
