Lightning George

Q: Mac OS Maps app: What are the blue arrows superimposed on certain roads?

I just opened the Yosemite (10.10.3) Maps app for the first time. I see blue arrows superimposed on roads. The arrows imply to me that the roads are one-way in the directions indicated. But I know the roads represented and they are definitely two-way. I can find no explanation. What's up?

 

Hint to Apple: It would be nice if the Show pick list (lower-left corner of the Maps window) included "Legend" that opened a pane explaining symbols used on the map. Old-time paper maps (remember them?) included legends explaining colors, symbols, etc. I guess the cartographers understood that map readers (back in the day) didn't enjoy the modern convenience of entering a query in a Support Community and waiting patiently for somebody to reply with an explanation. Ain't modern technology wonderful?

iMac (24-inch Early 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), Model Identifier: iMac9,1

Posted on May 29, 2015 12:11 PM

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Q: Mac OS Maps app: What are the blue arrows superimposed on certain roads?

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  • by AdrianHunter,

    AdrianHunter AdrianHunter May 29, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Lightning George
    Level 2 (285 points)
    May 29, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Lightning George

    The small blue arrows in the middle of the streets are driving directions you can go.

     

    The info on your referred street might be incorrect. There is still too much incorrect data in Apple Maps.

     

    For feedback:

     

    https://www.apple.com/feedback/maps_mac.html

  • by Phil0124,Solvedanswer

    Phil0124 Phil0124 May 29, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Lightning George
    Level 7 (27,358 points)
    iPhone
    May 29, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Lightning George

    The blue arrows implies directions, but usually they are only there for two way roads indicating that the side the blue arrow is on is in that direction.

     

    The blue arrows are usually not centered on the roads, but to the corresponding side of the road.

     

    Screen Shot 2015-05-29 at 2.18.06 PM.png

     

    Sometimes there won't be arrows on both sides of the road though.

     

    Screen Shot 2015-05-29 at 2.17.44 PM.png

     

    note: Apple is not here, if you wish to send feedback you can do son though the feedback page:

     

    http://apple.com/feedback

  • by Lightning George,

    Lightning George Lightning George May 29, 2015 1:32 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 29, 2015 1:32 PM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks. Your explanation matches what I see in the Maps window here.

     

    Comment: The blue arrow on the right side of a roadway indicating the direction of traffic flow might be useful indeed to visitors to our shores from Great Britain or Australia. To me, a lifelong US resident and (lifelong-16 years) US driver, those arrows serve only to remind me that we drive on the right. Perhaps Apple should add an arrow pointing east in the morning to remind us that the sun rises there, straight up at noon, to the west in the afternoon, and (perhaps) down between sunset and sunrise. This latter feature would be helpful as a sun dial to persons working in windowless rooms without clocks: arrow direction changes would help such persons track the march of time and mark milestones (hourstones?) along the way. Just a thought.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 May 29, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Lightning George
    Level 7 (27,358 points)
    iPhone
    May 29, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Lightning George

    Lightning George wrote:

     

    Thanks. Your explanation matches what I see in the Maps window here.

     

    Comment: The blue arrow on the right side of a roadway indicating the direction of traffic flow might be useful indeed to visitors to our shores from Great Britain or Australia. To me, a lifelong US resident and (lifelong-16 years) US driver, those arrows serve only to remind me that we drive on the right. Perhaps Apple should add an arrow pointing east in the morning to remind us that the sun rises there, straight up at noon, to the west in the afternoon, and (perhaps) down between sunset and sunrise. This latter feature would be helpful as a sun dial to persons working in windowless rooms without clocks: arrow direction changes would help such persons track the march of time and mark milestones (hourstones?) along the way. Just a thought.

    That made me chuckle. I'll give you that one.