# Value of google street view **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240 "2012-08-12T03:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/1 "2012-08-12T03:16:51Z")
While we were traveling in New Mexico, the less interesting part, I wanted to get an idea what US 84 would look like, between I-40 and I-25, to see if it would be a very tediuos drive. So I took a look at street view (iPad) and found that the car had run that stretch at night. So, really, what is the point of that? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/2 "2012-08-12T04:07:08Z")
Well yes, it is kind of silly. But maybe if you complain hard enough, they’ll refund all the FREE you paid for the service. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/3 "2012-08-12T04:33:49Z")
I mostly use it with my genealogy work. When I find an address, I like to look it up on Google Maps and look around the neighborhood. Sometimes the places look basically the same as it did in the 20’s or whenever, other times it is completely different. It’s fun to take modern pictures and compare it to the area the way it was. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/4 "2012-08-12T05:13:25Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Well yes, it is kind of silly. > > But maybe if you complain hard enough, they’ll refund all the FREE you paid for the service. Did I misunderstand the concept of “Mundane Pointless Stuff”? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/5 "2012-08-12T05:50:36Z")
I’ve never seen Google Street View do anything at night before. Sometimes an entire street is obscured by a lens flare, or rain spots on the camera, but otherwise they do their best to get the clearest picture that can be reasonably expected. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/6 "2012-08-12T06:08:03Z")
Some of my friends were looking for a house. Street View is extremely helpful to get a sense of what neighbourhoods are like. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/7 "2012-08-12T16:43:41Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > But maybe if you complain hard enough, they’ll refund all the FREE you paid for the service. Oh come on. If you’re not paying, you’re the product. If you think that Google doesn’t make money by handling my domain email / calendar / documents, then I have a bridge to give you for free as soon as you fill out some paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/8 "2012-08-12T16:57:42Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > Oh come on. If you’re not paying, you’re the product. If you think that Google doesn’t make money by handling my domain email / calendar / documents, then I have a bridge to give you for free as soon as you fill out some paperwork. I agree. The OP should contact Sergey Brin and Larry Page and demand they view some of _his_ advertising, as they have violated an implicit contract by tricking the OP into viewing some of theirs without delivering the associated content. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/9 "2012-08-12T18:11:23Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Well yes, it is kind of silly. > > But maybe if you complain hard enough, they’ll refund all the FREE you paid for the service. Next time I hear someone complain about the weather I’m going to tell them “Yeah, why don’t you write a letter to GOD and ask for a refund for your free air? ASSHOLE!” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/10 "2012-08-12T23:54:39Z")
> [@For You](#): > > While we were traveling in New Mexico, the less interesting part, I wanted to get an idea what US 84 would look like, between I-40 and I-25, to see if it would be a very tediuos drive. So I took a look at street view (iPad) and found that the car had run that stretch at night. So, really, what is the point of that? Maybe they thought you were going to drive through at night. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/11 "2012-08-13T00:13:11Z")
How long was the stretch of the road with “google street night view”? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/12 "2012-08-13T00:20:50Z")
Here is a link to the Google Street View looking south for [Laurel Cyn Blvd. and Magnolia Blvd](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Laurel+Canyon+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA&hl=en&ll=34.164623,-118.396498&spn=0.117607,0.264187&sll=34.202823,-118.423669&sspn=0.014552,0.012252&oq=laurel+c&t=h&hnear=Laurel+Canyon+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+California&z=13&layer=c&cbll=34.164623,-118.396498&panoid=l1PrtsSOdyIUC2rONB3cBg&cbp=12,179.93,,0,21.03) in the San Fernando Valley. It was shot at night. The other odd thing about it is that it’s from a parking lot next to Laurel Cyn. Blvd. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/13 "2012-08-13T01:59:36Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > How long was the stretch of the road with “google street night view”? About 77 miles. It starts just outside Vaugn NM, follows US 54 to SR 219 to US 84 and ends where 84 crosses I-25. I mean, yeah, it is kind of tedious to drive, and driving it at night might be best for that, but is street view meant for commentary? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/14 "2012-08-13T02:19:15Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > Here is a link to the Google Street View looking south for [Laurel Cyn Blvd. and Magnolia Blvd](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Laurel+Canyon+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA&hl=en&ll=34.164623,-118.396498&spn=0.117607,0.264187&sll=34.202823,-118.423669&sspn=0.014552,0.012252&oq=laurel+c&t=h&hnear=Laurel+Canyon+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+California&z=13&layer=c&cbll=34.164623,-118.396498&panoid=l1PrtsSOdyIUC2rONB3cBg&cbp=12,179.93,,0,21.03) in the San Fernando Valley. It was shot at night. The other odd thing about it is that it’s from a parking lot next to Laurel Cyn. Blvd. Hang a right on Hartsock and it’s daytime again. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/15 "2012-08-13T02:34:09Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > Here is a link to the Google Street View looking south for [Laurel Cyn Blvd. and Magnolia Blvd](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Laurel+Canyon+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA&hl=en&ll=34.164623,-118.396498&spn=0.117607,0.264187&sll=34.202823,-118.423669&sspn=0.014552,0.012252&oq=laurel+c&t=h&hnear=Laurel+Canyon+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+California&z=13&layer=c&cbll=34.164623,-118.396498&panoid=l1PrtsSOdyIUC2rONB3cBg&cbp=12,179.93,,0,21.03) in the San Fernando Valley. It was shot at night. The other odd thing about it is that it’s from a parking lot next to Laurel Cyn. Blvd. I think the driver was stopping for ein weinerschnitzel. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/16 "2012-08-13T02:35:47Z")
Street view is awesome if you want to know what kind of land marks to look for at an unfamiliar destination. But that whole shooting at night thing is a big WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/17 "2012-08-13T02:40:24Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > If you’re not paying, you’re the product. Not with the software I use. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/value-of-google-street-view/631240/18 "2012-08-13T10:29:58Z")
Street View might have its niggles (including that crap-O-vision cameras they used for the first batch of imagery, now gradually being replaced) but it is undeniably awesome, as is Google Maps in general. I’ve long been a map fan, and enjoyed armchair travel as well as the real thing, so these tools are wonderful. Where before I might have idly looked through an atlas and spotted an interesting-sounding town I’m never likely to visit and wondered what it might be like, now I can click on a map and see… I dunno [a record shop in Pisek, in the Czech Republic](https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=49.308844,14.147896&spn=0.001994,0.004013&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=49.308734,14.147913&panoid=Yj6UGR3AppIlJ5W9hVw6Pw&cbp=12,151.49,,0,-2.53), to take a random example. And even where there’s no Street View, just about the entire land area of the globe is dotted with geotagged photographs. Want to see what the north island of Novaya Zemlya looks like? [Bleak](https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=76.211418,62.633743&spn=2.990381,16.435547&t=h&z=6&layer=c&cbll=76.211418,62.633743&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-32502167). Spotted an enticing-looking beach in Panama? [Someone’s been there](https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=9.601086,-79.46243&spn=0.024119,0.032101&t=h&layer=c&cbll=9.601086,-79.46243&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-75695752&z=15). We can see the entire world. 🆒