Nov 16 2010
Measuring Your Travel Distances
Maps were not made just to show the way, but also to appreciate distances, and the technologies we have developed so far allow us to calculate distances in miles, air miles, nautical miles and kilometers. Travel distances are essential particularly for trip or vacation planning, thus one can appreciate the fuel costs as well as the the need for hotel reservations in case the journey extends on two or more days. The Internet is the most comprehensive resource for travel distances and calculators although the traditional map systems provided by AAA and Rand McNally continue to stay in business. Moreover, the competition is made tighter with the services offered by Google Maps and MapQuest.
Google calculators for travel distances dominate the web, particularly since together with this free service you are offered a whole range of options. For access to the Google Maps page you need to have a regular free Google account; after the entrance of the points of origin and destination, the distance measurement tools show all the distance specifics with utmost accuracy. Moreover, besides the travel distances you can also click other links in the menu that give access to info on gas prices, great sights to visit and weather forecast.
For the calculation of travel distances, Google is so far the most user-friendly program, but MapQuest should not be ignored either. The positive reviews come from to the fast way of accessing the information: type the place of origin, arrival point and press enter. You will be provided not only with a map and the travel distances, but indications for how to move around are available too. For the moment, MapQuest is preparing the launch of yet another complex program that would compete with the giant Google on an equal foot; this will most certainly trigger the introduction of other tools and functions to aid the web searcher even further.
The meaning of short and long travel distances has been altered with the existence of alternative transportation means. The travel distances between LA and NY appear shorter by plane but longer by train or car. In fact, the relative part in the equation is not distance as such, but the way we feel it in relation with time. People often tend to say: how long does it take to get to location X and not how far is location X? Costs, on the other hand are other ways of considering travel distances: gas, food, lodging, they all have to be covered out of the personal pocket. Hence, make sure to calculate the travel distances well and include them in the overall planning for your trip.
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