Maps directions- What does "Where on the building is the entrance you used to get to" really mean?

[RobmOz]

Hi, after receiving Maps driving directions I often get asked this question:

"Where on the building is the entrance you used to get to ?

Move the map to adjust the location"

What does this mean?:

1. the location of the entrance to the building if you are walking e.g. the front door?
2. the location of the driveway e.g. the location on the road where you drive into the property?

Also, if it is the first option, I often don’t think this is as helpful as when you are driving you can’t go the front door until you enter the driveway to the property and park.

Here is an example:

Initial question asking me about a place I just visited:

Option 1:

Front door location:

Option 2:

Street entrance when driving.

I think it should be this one

Thanks

Note: This relates to Google maps directions on Android. I suspect iPhone would be the same?

[MortenCopenhagen]

Hi @RobmOz

To understand this, we should be aware that Google Maps has some extra pins available, These extra pins are not visible on the Map. Only the primary pins are normally visible.

Extra pins can be used to indicate an entrance to a building. This is relevant when it is a huge building and when buildings have multiple entrances. Shopping centers are great examples of this.

Such “entrance pins” are used when a Maps user wants to navigate to a place.

The other time Maps users are made aware of the existence of “Entrance pins” is when a user is asked to position the “Entrance pin” after navigating to the place = like what you just shared screenshots of.

There is one more situation: Sometimes when er suggest an edit to move the pin of a business we might be prompted to answer if we are trying to move the business or mark the entrance point. But this rarely happens. I have seen it only 2-3 times after making 82.000 edits.

So to answer your question: I think the “entrance pin” ( also called the “access pin” ) should be over the entrance to the building and not where the public road ends and the parking lot starts. Where the roads of the parking lot are mapped the navigation will take you close to the entrance pin via the parking lot roads.

I hope this long answer is helpful.

Cheers

Morten

[RobmOz]

Thanks for the detailed reply Morten. After reading your post and thinking about it some more I think you are right. Great to clear this up after a long time of wondering

Thanks, Robert