These pointers will help you get the most out of the crowdsourced directions app and get you to your destination faster. When you’re in an unfamiliar land, having a friendly face to show you the way is a blessing. Waze tries to help you do just that by giving you directions and advice from other drivers in your area.
The app started off as a modest project in Israel before being bought by Google for more than $1 billion in 2013. The power of Waze is in its numbers: the more individuals that contribute, the more accurate the information Waze provides.
At the time of the last count, the service had 140 million monthly active users. While some drivers complain that Waze has turned their backstreets into congested highways, Waze is one of the most useful mapping apps available. During the epidemic, it offered services like pinning medical testing locations on its maps and producing special badges for shops that offered anti-discrimination measures like a curbside pickup.
Exit Strategy
If you tell Waze where you’re going and when you need to be there, the Planned Drives feature will tell you when to leave. On a computer, open Waze and select the Live Map option. Enter your starting location and destination details, then click the clock icon and select Arrive By to specify the day and hour you wish to arrive.
When it’s time to leave, select Save to App and a notification will appear. Make sure Waze has access to your location and that notifications are turned on for iOS and Android.
Contents
Directions from the Front Door to the Desk
You may plan your routes with Waze Live Map before you leave the house. Go to the Live Map on your computer, type in your destination, and then click Send to Phone at the bottom of the screen. A QR code will be provided to you. If you point your phone camera towards Waze, it will email you a link to your directions.
Experiment with it to see how far you can push it.
Knowing your limits, or rather, the speed limit, is tough, especially while traveling in an unknown country. Waze, on the other hand, can overlay a speedometer on the map and contains a speed limit function that can alert you when you’ve exceeded it by 5%, 10%, or 15%, or 5mph, 10mph, 15mph, or 20mph, respectively.
Go to Settings > Speedometer to get to the speedometer. To view the speedometer at all times, toggle Show on Map to On. To set when you want an alert, turn on Alarm When Speeding and scroll down to Show Speed Limit and Speeding Threshold.
Don’t Try to Drive All By Yourself
If you want people to know where you’re going, you can broadcast your drive, either for safety concerns or because you’re that friend who always says you’ll be there in five minutes and then shows up half an hour later. When you’ve completed planning your route, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tap Share Your Drive to send your route and position to friends and family through SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or email.
My hero has exited the premises.
You’re caught in traffic congestion sometimes, and you’re stuck in an emergency scenario other times. If you’re on the road and need help, go to the Report menu on the main Waze screen and select Roadside help.
Select the Emergency call to be connected to local emergency services, Road assistance to get a list of roadside emergency services with easy access, or Fellow Wazers to flag down another vehicle.
My demand is for you to pay attention to your own voice.
It is unsafe to drive while distracted. To lessen the amount of time you have to stare at the Waze screen, you may use Google Assistant to browse, report, and control some tasks on iOS. In Settings > Voice & Sound > Google Assistant, turn on Google Assistant. When Waze is open, say “OK Google” to communicate with it. (Waze supports Siri Shortcuts as well.)
Life in the Fast Lane
The ETA button didn’t always give you the most accurate number if you were using the HOV lane or a toll pass that could speed you up. If you plan on driving in a high-occupancy lane or using a pass, let Waze know ahead of time. Under Settings > Toll & HOV Passes, choose your route.
Leaders in the field
If you don’t like the sound of Waze, you can change it. From Settings > Voice & Sound > Waze Voice, choose one of the basic voices or a promotional tie-in.
Step on the Gas
Waze can show you gas stations and prices along your route if you tap on the gas button. If you have any options, go to Settings > Gas Stations. You may filter results by price, distance, and brand, as well as pick preferred stations (this is especially useful if you have a loyalty card).
What Personality Type Are You?
The optimal route to take and how long it will take you to arrive at your destination are determined by what you’re driving. If you go to Settings > Navigation > Vehicle Type, Waze will give you the best information for you, whether you’re driving a regular car, a taxi or car service, a motorcycle, or an electric vehicle.
Read more: Traveling Alone in the Best Countries
