Getting Information on Live Traffic

One of the very cool things about Google Maps on your mobile device is the ability to check the real-time traffic delays along your route. From the Google Maps menu, select the last option or press # on your mobile phone keyboard. You also can select the Show Traffic menu option. The map changes to show the current traffic situation in the area you have mapped, using color coding. Of course, this works only on mobile devices with color displays. Otherwise, it looks like the image in Figure 27.4.

Figure 27.4: You can see the flow of traffic graphically anywhere.

Traffic moving along at normal speeds is shown in green. When traffic is slowing, it appears in yellow. And when traffic on the road turns into a parking lot, roads appear in red on the map.

Tip 

If you have previously mapped locations or services, the information boxes or balloons may hide the traffic information. You may want to press menu option 5, Clear Map, before selecting to view the traffic. Also, if you drive the same way every day, try saving your location as a favorite.

Google Maps does not have an alternate route selection, so you need to drag the map until you find your own alternate routes. Just a reminder: Don’t check Google Maps while you’re driving, particularly if you are also drinking coffee.