MapQuest - "Shortest Distance" option in "new and improved" version?

Becca

Premier Member
#1
In the old, a.k.a. Classic, a.k.a. "not available starting July 2016", version of MapQuest, we used to be able to select as an option "shortest distance".


I'm not seeing this as an available option in the "new and improved" version of it. Has anyone found a way to force the new MapQuest to use shortest distance vs. fastest route (which seems to be its default)?


I've long used the classic version "shortest distance" option as my sanity check for mileage when planning an IBA cert ride. It still seems to be available, despite the "starting in July 2016 this version will no longer be available" nastygram, so I'm still using it. For planning ahead, though, for when it actually does go away, I'm wondering if anyone knows where that option is in the new version or knows of another online mapping program which does.

:0)
 

Becca

Premier Member
#3
I can't help as I became so irritated at using the "new and improved" version that I don't try anymore. I have used AAA trip tiks, not prefect but better.
It's new all right, and very improved at sucking up every bit of my laptop memory every time I try to use it. {grr} So no more, and Google is getting more memory hungry these days. Their "solution" seems to be popping up a notice saying "don't you want to try our light version?" I've been using it just for picking the shortest of their options provided between two points, two points at a time. Slow going. I don't have AAA, and BaseCamp has a shortest option but often puts in weird routing (wee little loops here and there that make no sense and are hard to see when zoomed out) so I don't really trust that.

I'm about ready to just plan to ride 100-150 miles over for every 1,000 ridden and forget fussing about "shortest" altogether. Of course, all of this would be easier if we just went a straight point to point ride, eh? But where's the fun in that?
 
#4
I'm about ready to just plan to ride 100-150 miles over for every 1,000 ridden and forget fussing about "shortest" altogether.
I have never used "shortest" route options for planning Cert. Rides.

I use "Fastest", always, then look at the route for obvious places where shortcuts can cut the mileage, and evidence those corners. For a 1000 mile ride I'd plan to go around 30 miles over, and 50 miles over for a BBG.

Submitting a SPOT track is very helpful extra evidence of the actual route taken.
 

Becca

Premier Member
#5
I have never used "shortest" route options for planning Cert. Rides.

I use "Fastest", always, then look at the route for obvious places where shortcuts can cut the mileage, and evidence those corners. For a 1000 mile ride I'd plan to go around 30 miles over, and 50 miles over for a BBG.

Submitting a SPOT track is very helpful extra evidence of the actual route taken.
That would be a little close for me! On a SS2000 we rode, our planned route was going to be about 2,279 miles all told. This was with us documenting all the big areas I could see where shortest was also not fastest and the mileage difference would be worth the time lost to stop for documentation. Between closed roads and a couple other reroutes and we were at 2,122 miles on my odometer (which, in a rally this August, proved to be spot on :0) ).

The shortest route comparison to our actual ridden route whittled that down to only 2,019 miles. I was so surprised to "lose" 103 miles that I went through the actual vs. shortest routes with a fine-toothed comb and saw so many areas that were a mile here, two or three or four miles there -- many times at interstate exits it is shortest to go through town, though certainly *not* fastest. It turns out over the course of 2,000 miles that adds up to quite a bit.

We stil have to submit that one, so we'll see what the scorer comes up with mileage-wise.
 
#7
BaseCamp gives the option of "Faster Time". It uses the posted speed limits along the route to give a fairly accurate picture of your trip stats.
I've been using it ever since MapSource went belly-up and haven't had a problem. I have two Garmin ZUMO 590s on the Farkle Bar in addition to the Infotainment GPS on the Harley. They all work well with the BaseCamp
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#8
Yes, I also dislike the "new" Mapquest. Coding by idiot children w/o a clue.

Ok, in new mapquest, at the top left of the screen, to the left of the "Mapquest" there are three vertical dots. Left click your mouse curser on that and it brings up a drop down list. Select "Route Planner". Now, you have some choices, including "Shortest Time" or "Shortest Distance". It's a little on/off slider. You also have "Allow us to re-order stops on your route" and "This route is a round trip"

There are also a bunch of 'Avoids' under the "View Route Settings" bar if you click on that. When I tried a round trip route with a mere three stops after departing home and before ending at home, all I got repeatedly was the message:
Oops!
We had some trouble getting you a route. Please refresh the page and try again. If you continue to have issues, please let us know.

When you refresh you have to input your stops all over again, though they are clearly saved in their clipboard, since starting to type will then offer suggestions, including the last ones you put in.

The biggest problem with the new Mapquest is that it's an App. Yes, it's completely designed for phones, not for actual computer use. Like all Apps, it sucks, in more ways than one. Apps are data hogs, and this one is no exception. And this is buggy as all hell because the idiot children suck at coding. If you ever meet a software engineer, either shoot them in the head, or smile like you do at idiots and say "that's so interesting" in the same tone you use for a kindergardener's finger painting that you have no idea what it's supposed to be.