Traffic 2.0 for tourists

Unfamiliarity with an area can lead you into a traffic quagmire. Web tools are emerging to help you avoid a potential nightmare.

TRAFFIC CAMS

Typical of many traffic cams around the world is the I-264 @ NSU between Ballentine and Brambleton traffic cam in Norfolk, Virginia, accessed via the WVEC webcam map. One navigates each webcam to see what traffic is like.

GOOGLE TRAFFIC CAMS

Quebec traffic can be viewed very efficiently via Google Earth Traffic Cams and Google Maps Traffic Cams. Multiple images are shown simultaneously, along with warning icons of different colours. I expect to see sites like this to grow in number.

INTERACTIVE TRAFFIC MAPS

Less efficient to navigate visually, but quite detailed is the UK traffic map. Coloured dots show location of traffic problems, and the severity of the problem.

I also anticipate traffic cam mashups tied to your GPS location in future.

Roger A. Brooks Rule 6 “The Rule of Wayfinding” suggests that ‘Real men don’t ask for directions.’ For tourists, good signage can lead the way to a great time. Sometimes , however, even these great signs don’t help if you encounter a traffic jam. That’s where online traffic signs (traffic webcams) can lead the way out and around — so you can still have a great time.

This entry was posted on Sunday 27 August 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Webcam, DURING the visit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.