User:Roadtechie/UR

This is a collection of boilerplate responses for most typically encountered UR issues.

Update Requests with no immediately obvious issue

General Error with no descriptive text

Volunteer responding to your "general error" map-issue report. Waze gives us volunteers very little to go on and we're stumped. What was wrong with the map? Can you provide any detail? Please respond using the Waze app, emails don't work with the reporting system. (Open to any editor)

Wrong Driving Direction with no descriptive text

Volunteer responding to your "wrong driving direction" map-issue report. Waze gives us volunteers very little to go on; we don't even know where you were going! What went wrong with the route Waze gave you? Can you tell us your destination as you entered it into Waze? Please respond using the Waze app, emails don't work with the reporting system. (Open to any editor)

Incorrect Junction with no descriptive text

Volunteer responding to your "incorrect junction" map-issue report. Waze gives us volunteers very little to go on. What junction was incorrect? What was incorrect about it? Please respond using the Waze app, emails don't work with the reporting system. (Open to any editor)

Turn Not Allowed with no descriptive text

Volunteer responding to your "turn not allowed" map-issue report. Waze gives us volunteers very little to go on. What turn was not allowed? At what intersection? Please respond using the Waze app, emails don't work with the reporting system. (Open to any editor)

Update Requests with common solutions

Fixed

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. Thanks to your report we've found and fixed a problem with the map. The fix should reach handheld devices within a week, but on rare occasions it can take closer to two weeks. Cheers!

No response

No response and problem unclear, the volunteers will close this one out, but please feel welcome to submit map issues in the future if you encounter errors in the map. Cheers!

Places Issue with Waze 3.9

I sincerely apologize, but ever since Waze did the update to 3.9 there has been a major issue with all places in our region. The software engineers at Waze are currently working on the problem and hop to have a resolution by the end of 2014. I am only a volunteer, so there is absolutely nothing I can do to help with any issues related to this software glitch. If you would like, please follow the issue at https://www.waze.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=111920&p=924599#p924599 If the issue with your place is still ongoing once you see the issue has been resolved please submit another UR at that time.

Pronunciation

Volunteer responding to your report of poor pronunciation by Waze text-to-speech (TTS). Unfortunately even the seniormost volunteers have little influence on the TTS system, and none of us can alter how any one street name is pronounced. I understand the frustration and I sympathize. Sorry not to be more help. Cheers!

The "Waze 180"

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. When you ask for a route immediately after waking up Waze, it has to guess what direction you are pointed. If it guesses wrong, it may give you an awkward route to avoid any illegal U-turns (I call this the "Waze 180"). When Waze offers you a route that starts off the wrong way, please drive a little in the direction you are pointed and then ask for the route again. This gives Waze a chance to know which way you are pointed and offer you a more suitable route. If you are sure this was not the problem, please respond using the Waze app (emails don't work with the reporting system) otherwise we'll close out this report in a few days. Cheers! (Open to any editor)

Google fu (easy)

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. The problem was caused by inaccurate data provided by Google (Waze gets most of its address locations from Google). We asked Google to fix its database and they accepted the request. Please allow at least three days for the fix to go live. Then -- and this is important! -- please remove the destination from your Waze app's navigation history and/or favorites list and wait at least a few minutes before adding it back. This will update your device's position data for this address so you don't go to the old (wrong) position. Cheers!

Google fu (difficult)

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. The problem is caused by inaccurate data provided by Google (Waze gets most of its address locations from Google). We have asked Google to fix its database but we have no control over how fast Google will respond. It is usually days, but it can be weeks or even months. We'll leave this report open in the meantime. Cheers!

Google FAIL, how to use Waze

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. The problem is caused by inaccurate data provided by Google (Waze gets most of its destination locations from Google). In this case, unfortunately, we cannot persuade Google to change its database (this often happens with large areas such as parks and airports, or with high-profile locations). You can however use the Waze database to reach the destination. First, remove any instances of the destination from your recents and favorites lists. Then search again, but when you enter your search terms, DO NOT SELECT ANY OF THE IMMEDIATELY-OFFERED ITEMS, EVEN IF YOU SEE A PERFECT MATCH! Instead, scroll to the bottom of the menu and select "More results for...". You will be given the opportunity to choose a search engine under "Other search engines". Choose Waze and select your destination. This is cumbersome and we volunteers don't like it any more than you do, but it works, and once the correct information is in your recents and/or favorites lists you should not need to repeat the process. Cheers!

Bogus GPS

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. It looks like your GPS position information was awfully inaccurate. Bad GPS position data can cause all sorts of problems. Waze may think you are on some other road and give you bogus directions to get you back to the road you're already on. There's nothing we volunteer map editors can do about this, but in the future, please try ensuring that your handheld device has as clear a view of the sky as possible so it will get the most accuracy out of the GPS satellite signals. Cheers!

Still tracking stale route

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue. It looks like you departed from Waze's recommended route and followed a new route. If the new route is physically close to the recommended route -- for example, if Waze recommends a frontage road but you decide to remain on the highway next to it, or vice versa -- Waze can't easily tell that you're on a different track. It will continue giving you routing instructions appropriate for the old route. These instructions won't make any sense because you aren't on that route any more. There's nothing we volunteer map editors can do about this; GPS isn't perfect and Waze has to make educated guesses about what road you're on. When there are multiple possibilities it assumes you are on its suggested route. If that's a bad assumption the driving instructions can go wrong. Sorry not to be more help. Cheers!

Stale or bogus traffic indications/routing

Volunteer responding to your report of a map issue involving wrong traffic indications. We volunteer map editors can't do anything about Waze's traffic reporting, but I can explain what may have happened. Waze relies on data from people using Waze to assess traffic. In the case of a fresh accident or slowdown, Waze may not yet have any data on the situation and route you into it because it doesn't know. Then, when Waze thinks it has detected a traffic situation, it can remember it for awhile, sometimes long after the situation changes. Also, slow-moving Wazers can confuse Waze into incorrectly detecting heavy traffic (this is why one should never run Waze while walking or biking along roads). Sorry we volunteers can't be more help with this. Cheers!

Waited forever to make Waze's recommended left turn

Volunteer responding. I would hate it too if Waze asked me to make a left turn through heavy traffic! Unfortunately there's nothing we volunteer map editors can do. If we disable the left turn, then others who want that route during off-peak hours will complain. The good news is that your long wait did not go unnoticed. Waze keeps track of how long it takes to make a turn. Thanks to your experience, other drivers are less likely to be routed this way during peak traffic hours. Cheers!

Unexplained detour

Volunteer responding. I can't find anything in the map to explain the apparent detour Waze gave you. Waze may have thought there was traffic, or a daily pattern of traffic at that time, on the simplest route. Or maybe Waze was not yet familiar enough with the alternate route to know that it might not be faster. Waze wants to save you time every way it can and sometimes it suggests complex detours to shave a few seconds off your trip. Waze may recommend a detour even after the traffic has cleared up, because it doesn't know yet. Or, other Wazers may have reported a temporary street closure in the area. In any event we volunteer map editors can't find anything wrong with the map itself. Cheers!

Unexplained NON-detour

Volunteer responding. Waze is indeed aware of the alternate route to bypass traffic. It routed you on a more typical path at that time because it thought, at that moment, that it would be faster to go that way. We volunteer map editors can't do anything about Waze's traffic detection and routing algorithms, but we have checked that the map itself does look OK. Cheers!

Bogus "missing road" and "missing bridge overpass" reports from highway drivers

Volunteer responding to your report of a missing road or bridge overpass. The drivable roads along this highway have been pretty thoroughly mapped and we can't see anything missing that should ordinarily be there. Probably Waze simply chose not to show you the road in question; when moving at highway speeds, Waze deliberately chooses not to display many nearby roads to avoid cluttering the screen. If you are certain a road is missing from the map, please respond using the Waze app (emails don't work with the reporting system) and provide details! Otherwise we'll close out this report in a few days. Cheers! (Open to any editor)

Short-term closure reported as a map issue

Volunteer responding to your report regarding a temporary closure. How long will the road be closed? If it is only for a few days or less, we volunteer map editors can't be much help. It takes at least that long for our edits to make it to handheld devices! When you encounter short-term road closures in the future, please use the Report->Closure feature in the Waze app (you used Report->Map issue to file this report). If this is a long-term closure please respond using the app (emails don't work with the reporting system) and let us know as much as you can. Otherwise we'll close out this report in a few days. Cheers! (Open to any editor)

Used Map-Issue field to enter navigation destination

Volunteer responding to your map-issue report in which you described the problem as an address. Did you mean to enter the address as a navigation destination? If there is a problem with the address please respond using the Waze app (emails don't work with the reporting system) and explain what went wrong. Otherwise we'll assume this was an accident and close out this report in a few days. Cheers! (Open to any editor)

No hablo muy bien el Español

Lo siento, estamos voluntarios solamente para mantener las mapas. No hablamos muy bien el Español y no podemos ayudar con el aplicación.

(Regrets, we are volunteers only for maintaining the maps. We don't speak Spanish well and we can't help with the application.)

NO THRU TRAFFIC

Volunteer responding. Confusingly, the "private road" Waze type does not mean it is a private road. It is just a flag that Waze should prohibit thru traffic. You are completely right, this is a public road! But at both ends it is posted RESIDENTIAL ONLY - NO THRU TRAFFIC. For better or worse Waze, like most folks, "can't fight city hall" and must respect the signs. The good news is that the Waze route is only a suggestion. You are free to drive on this street as it is indeed a public road. Once you are there, Waze will automatically recalculate your route. Cheers!

Possible routing bug

Volunteer responding. The snippet of data Waze provided us along with your report does suggest inexplicable routing. I've checked everywhere I can think of and unfortunately I can't find anything wrong with the map. But, Waze is currently working on an issue with speed detection for different turns out of an intersection. In rare instances this issue can lead Waze to suggest non-ideal routes, usually involving one or more U-turns or loops. We volunteers have no way to know if your experience resulted from this issue, but as there's nothing I can find on the map I'll close this report as "not identified". I sure wish I could be more help but that's what's going on.

We can't do U-turns

Volunteer responding to the map issue you reported involving U-turns. Waze does consider U-turns when preparing a route for you, but unfortunately the app cannot yet give voice instructions for U-turns. This omission could make it hard for drivers to follow Waze's suggested route when U-turns are involved. To avoid routing drivers in a way that will lack critical voice instructions, the Waze volunteer editing community has decided to disable nearly all U-turns, including this one, until such time as Waze fully supports U-turns. We know that Waze is very aware of this issue but we do not have a schedule for when they might address it. I sure wish I could be more help but that's what's going on. Cheers!

We can't do "continue straight" (usually a followup response)

That behavior has happened to me too and I agree it is disconcerting. Unfortunately at this time the Waze app has no ability to provide a "continue straight" instruction. We can often persuade it to say keep left or keep right, but we can't make it say keep going. In this situation, where all you needed to do was continue straight ahead with no turns, I'm afraid I don't see any way to improve the driving instructions. Waze continues to work on their app and their routing engine and it's very possible they will support a "continue on" instruction in the future, but for now we volunteer editors can't improve situations like this. Sorry not to be more help!

Unknown "missing exit" reports (with no descriptive text)

Volunteer responding to your "missing exit" map-issue report. Waze gives us volunteers very little to go on. What exit was incorrect? What was incorrect about it? Please respond using the Waze app, emails don't work with the reporting system. (Open to any editor)