Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by viraptor 725 days ago
There are three issues I have with audio queues:

- it's an unexpected mental context switch - if I'm concentrating on anything else, it takes a moment to switch to interpreting directions, sometimes enough to miss information

- if the traffic is not smooth, the distance becomes harder to judge - the turn is in 2km, but I did two stops, so how far is it now?

- "third left" becomes vague if you've passed a left while the message is played - was that included or not?

Constant information you can reference at any point is so much better for me. (Although a "tell me the directions again right now" button would solve some of them too)

1 comments

hang on. we're talking about on a bicycle.

- a HUD visual would have the same context switch

- distances would be in half-blocks.

- a repeat direction button on the handlebar (or vox) would be easy

> a HUD visual would have the same context switch

I disagree. With visual I can choose to look at the directions whenever I want to whereas an audio cue comes out of no where and is distracting to me. I can filter out my phone in my car showing directions and look over at the phone mount whenever I need to but I always turn of audio cues because they drive me crazy when they interrupt what I’m thinking about and/or listening to.