Stories
Once upon a time when smartphones were still 4" I came to Vienna and started asking people how to get to a place. One guy showed me the way by looking at the phone. I was sure he was using some kind of local transportation app, and asked him about it. “No, I use a Google Maps”, he said. And I realized that there is already no need to look for a special app for each city that I visit. It is so convenient.
Recently, I had to get to another city in another country. There was nothing better than to catch a passing car. The driver used some kind of navigator that worked terribly in the cities, choosing the most ridiculous routes and wasting time. I was very surprised by this, because I got used to the fact that Google Maps always offer one of the most optimal routes and are available for free on any device. Why driver does not use it?
Once I couldn’t find my friend’s Service Shop on the long street for a long time. When I found it, I decided to do a good deed, I took a picture of the house, and uploaded the information to the Google Maps. Over time, I began to receive reports on how many people viewed this record. I really helped them just by some clicks! This strongly motivated me to continue to make entries in Google Maps, to answer questions and publish new photos.
I am an architect and my speciality is urban planning. So I love and understand the maps. I see and perceive the city through the map. In addition to popular maps, I also use special that contain a lot of information about urban development, ecology, transport and urban engineering.As urban architect I am concerned about the inclusiveness of space and accessibility for people with disability. In my country, is poorly developed navigation facilities for the visually impaired, and accessibility to buildings for wheelchair users. I have a cousin who uses a wheelchair, and I always remember how important it is for her to know about accessibility. And I always try to answer all related questions. I want to give people in wheelchairs hope that they Shall Pass!