Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!rbutterworth
From: rbutterworth@watmath.waterloo.edu (Ray Butterworth)
Newsgroups: tor.general
Subject: Re: CAA maps & Books (Was: Tourist mis-information)
Message-ID: <33992@watmath.waterloo.edu>
Date: 5 Feb 90 21:21:07 GMT
References: <1990Jan12.010029.19025@mcmi.uucp> <385@sickkids.UUCP> <1990Jan29.235112.9014@eci386.uucp> <33817@watmath.waterloo.edu> <1990Feb5.155733.23725@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Reply-To: rbutterworth@watmath.waterloo.edu (Ray Butterworth)
Distribution: tor
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 56

In article <1990Feb5.155733.23725@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> howard@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Howard Lem) writes:
>In article <33817@watmath.waterloo.edu> rbutterworth@watmath.waterloo.edu (Ray Butterworth) writes:
>>The CAA maps are handy for planning the global aspects of a trip,
>>but really quite useless for the fine details of actual navigating.
>  You must be talking about the 'triptiks' ?sp) here.  I agree, but it's used 
>only to get you from one place to another.  I use them to get from one 
>major centre to another.  When you get there, you should use local maps.

No.  I'm talking about the provincial, state, or regional maps they
give you when you say you want maps for that area.

>  I can't speak for other outlets of CAA, but I use the one @ 2 Carlton St.
>in Toronto, and when I asked for a Map of Ontario, they hand out the same
>one the MOT hands.  Other maps that you can get are regional, prov. and state
>maps, and map for most major cities in Can & US.  Many of these maps are the
>same as those available at major books stores here.

Many CAA offices don't have the MOT maps.
In particular any office not in Ontario probably doesn't have one.
Most of the maps available for $ in major books stores are also nowhere
near as good as the free government maps.

>>... In particular, the CAA maps
>>don't usually show useful details such as exit numbers on the
>>major highways, and the symbol shapes for the various highway
>>numbers don't correspond to the shapes on the road signs.
>>e.g. you look out your car window and see two different highways
>>labelled 9, one on a square sign and on a state-map shaped sign,
>>but the one on the CAA map is in a circle.
>>
>  Ah yes, Sounds like you should check the maps in advance and
>be sure to read the Legend for the map.  Each map has one and one
>needs to read it before you try and decode the info on the map.
>Signs on the highway can't be duplicated on the map alot of the time.

But they can, and if they make the symbols the same, there isn't
any need to refer to legend since they don't need to be decoded.
Compare their Ontario map with the MOT map.  Ask for a New York
state map and compare it with the one issued for free by the NY
tourist information centres.  Given a choice between the two there
is no reason for anyone to use the CAA map; it is less accurate,
less detailed, and uses "standard" CAA symbols instead of those
on local road signs.

>Exit numbers, I'm afraid you been spoiled by the Ontario Govt.'s Map

And that of New York state, and that of ...
If we can be spoiled by the information and style provided by free maps,
why shouldn't the CAA be able to provide something at least as good?
I can't believe it would cost them that much more to produce good maps
than it does to produce inadequate maps.

>    Agreed, CAA membership is a very good deal.  Much better than most/all
>of the other auto clubs.

Definitely, but not for their maps.