Help, I'm disappearing!

When we first moved here, our address didn't exist in Google Maps, nor could anything but dirt be seen in the satellite images. That changed soon enough and for some time now I've been able to plug in my home address as a starting point for directions.

A year or so ago, I started having a little trouble with that. The reason was because someone I do business with added me to a user generated map. From that point on, Google saw my address as a business address, and would react by asking "Did you mean A.P. Lawrence?". I'd just click on that and everything would be fine.

The other day I noticed that I couldn't do that. Google Maps insists that my address simply does not exist. Indeed, if I summon up a map of the town, the whole street has disappeared! It's still visible in the satellite view, as is my house and even the golf cart parked in my driveway, but the map view shows empty space.

Yahoo still knows we are here. I don't LIKE Yahoo maps, but I'm stuck with them for now. It's not all that critical; I only use these as a failsafe for my car's GPS, but it is a bit unsettling to have disappeared.

Interestingly, one of my neighbors ( who also runs a business from his home) does appear in the business listings. He's at the top of the page, even though our street no longer exists. Why is he still there but I am not? Who knows? Why does google show addresses in other States when I have specifically given both a town, a State and a zip code? How can Google have maps of a street for several years and not have them now? I do not know.

Perhaps Google knows something I do not. We are on the amorphous edges of the supposedly spooky Bridgewater Triangle ; perhaps we are slowly being sucked into another dimension? If so, it's been grand and I will write if I can.

There is a "Report a problem" link at the bottom of the Google page. I clicked on that and explained the vanishing of my street. We'll see how long it takes for Google to find us again.

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Thu Oct 29 19:40:31 2009: Subject:   BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca

You are now in the Matrix.

Or you were abducted by aliens.

Or something like that.



Thu Oct 29 19:45:44 2009: Subject:   rbailin


I've found a number of errors in Google Maps in and around my hometown in the last month. I just login to Google, report them, and a few days later they acknowledge the error and claim that the correction will be visible in about a month.

...and after just looking up the first one I reported, indeed it's fixed (also a missing road segment that's been around about 40 years).

--Bob



Thu Oct 29 19:52:08 2009: Subject:   TonyLawrence


Darn! I was actually looking forward to hob-nobbing with ghosts and aliens.



Thu Oct 29 21:37:28 2009: Subject:   BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca

Just wait for it... the aliens are homing in on your signal.

(BTW - the Matrix had to be running some sort of *nix. Couldn't have been Windows, too crashy...)



Fri Oct 30 01:35:16 2009: Subject: Google Maps won't make corrections...   MikeSchwartz


Google doesn't seem interested in making changes to its maps. For example, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Tank City Park is shown as covering the block where I grew up. Tank Park is actually located several blocks away from the place where Google Maps show it. I've asked Google to change it, and so has the city of Green Bay streets department, but so far we've gotten no response from Google.

The same problems occur with other mapping programs. For example, I've reported errors using Microsoft Streets and Trips error reporting function, and all I seem to get is a polite automatic response. Not only does Streets and Trips fail to provide map updates to current versions, but even on subsequent releases the errors persist. So I've just quit purchasing the annual updates to my Streets and Trips.




Fri Oct 30 03:06:47 2009: Subject:   Friar
http://www.deepfriar.wordpress.com

I think the Republicans have something to do with it.

It's part of a huge conspiracy devised to silence your anti-right Tweets.

I'm not sure, but sources tell me the Rand Corporation is involved.



Fri Oct 30 14:03:45 2009: Subject:   RickBrandfass


Luckily, we are not at the point with technology where the authorities will arrive to eliminate you since Google says you don't exist. At least I don't think we are there. If so, I'll miss you.

---

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Fri Oct 30 14:10:34 2009: Subject:   TonyLawrence


Just so you know, if they do come for me, I'm ratting out all of you instantly.

Gotta look out for #1. Just sayin'.



Fri Oct 30 17:47:10 2009: Subject:   BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca

It's okay, I'd do the same :)

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