I stumbled across this whilst reading a thread on another forum. There’s a site called what3words.com/ which provides you with a unique 3 short word combination for every 3 metre x 3 metre square in the entire world.
For example : need to know where the correct entrance for K&N at Wakefield rather then just have the postcode which covers every business along Express Way? No problem : hardback.tracking.nuzzled or direct link w3w.co/hardback.tracking.nuzzled (zoom out click satellite view).
Or if you need to find a place in ruralshire but the postcode covers the entire village. When I briefly did some repo work I needed to find a farm on the A66 which took several passes in each direction because you can’t crawl along the A66 at 15 mph looking for nonexistent name plates at the end of dirt tracks! If I’d had the 3 word combo then I could’ve gone straight to it : w3w.co/fellow.neckline.keys
For drivers that do residential or rural deliveries having an exact location like this would be like all your birthdays and Christmases coming at once. Anyone that’s done them for a living will know how frustrating it is trying to find Oakdene, Main Street, AA1 1AA even in the bestest of weather and light conditions, never mind when it’s ■■■■■■■ it down and dark outside, and that’s assuming you’ve been given the correct postcode in the first place . You can easily spend 30 mins or more driving back and forth just trying to find a house or business that isn’t marked up properly.
Sure, googlemaps provides the same kind of thing by giving you exact latitude and longitude co-ordinates if you drop a pin on the map, but who the hell is going to remember a 16 digit long jumble of numbers and if you get one of them wrong you could be out by several thousand miles . It’s hard to get a 3 word combo wrong and it even says in blurb that it will recognise typos and will make suggestions based on the area you’re in.
I see Domino’s Pizza are using it already for deliveries. I think it’s a bloody brilliant innovation and really hope it takes off and becomes a worldwide standard. For example if you ordered something off Amazon for delivery they could have a box where you type in your w3w code. The same thing could be done in transport companies by getting the customer to provides the code for their exact location, or delivery entrance.
I’ve just tried it… I don’t get how the three words thing works, what three words do you use for an address. It all looks very random with no explanation on the app (I can find) how to use it.
for rural deliveries in ■■■■■■■ I use Colin Day ■■■■■■■ maps . they are a little basic , as in hand drawn with square blocks for properties (numbered) with a key . eg 1 = pine cottage
2 = rose cottage etc , if its a new build / conversion simply ring customer and ask the name of the neighbouring property . I find them a really useful addition to my phone and if your company isn’t as mean as ours you could print the page you require before you set off and eventually put together a folder . apologies for not adding a link as I don’t know how ps theyre free.
Drift:
I’ve just tried it… I don’t get how the three words thing works, what three words do you use for an address. It all looks very random with no explanation on the app (I can find) how to use it.
Scroll the map map.what3words.com until you’ve over the exact place you want the link to and a red overlay will show with the 3 unique words to that 3x3m spot. Click on the ‘menu’ at the bottom right of the map - share settings - web address and it’ll give you a w3w.co url link to it.
Rob K:
I stumbled across this whilst reading a thread on another forum. There’s a site called what3words.com/ which provides you with a unique 3 short word combination for every 3 metre x 3 metre square in the entire world.
For example : need to know where the correct entrance for K&N at Wakefield rather then just have the postcode which covers every business along Express Way? No problem : hardback.tracking.nuzzled or direct link w3w.co/hardback.tracking.nuzzled (zoom out click satellite view).
Or if you need to find a place in ruralshire but the postcode covers the entire village. When I briefly did some repo work I needed to find a farm on the A66 which took several passes in each direction because you can’t crawl along the A66 at 15 mph looking for nonexistent name plates at the end of dirt tracks! If I’d had the 3 word combo then I could’ve gone straight to it : w3w.co/fellow.neckline.keys
For drivers that do residential or rural deliveries having an exact location like this would be like all your birthdays and Christmases coming at once. Anyone that’s done them for a living will know how frustrating it is trying to find Oakdene, Main Street, AA1 1AA even in the bestest of weather and light conditions, never mind when it’s ■■■■■■■ it down and dark outside, and that’s assuming you’ve been given the correct postcode in the first place . You can easily spend 30 mins or more driving back and forth just trying to find a house or business that isn’t marked up properly.
Sure, googlemaps provides the same kind of thing by giving you exact latitude and longitude co-ordinates if you drop a pin on the map, but who the hell is going to remember a 16 digit long jumble of numbers and if you get one of them wrong you could be out by several thousand miles . It’s hard to get a 3 word combo wrong and it even says in blurb that it will recognise typos and will make suggestions based on the area you’re in.
I see Domino’s Pizza are using it already for deliveries. I think it’s a bloody brilliant innovation and really hope it takes off and becomes a worldwide standard. For example if you ordered something off Amazon for delivery they could have a box where you type in your w3w code. The same thing could be done in transport companies by getting the customer to provides the code for their exact location, or delivery entrance.
What do you think?
Sounds fantastic, we will be able to deliver the goods and put them on the right shelves [emoji23]
Seriously it sounds a great idea. I remember some of the addresses we had on a parcel run, Main Road, Valley Goit, Hillside Farm etc
Drift:
I’ve just tried it… I don’t get how the three words thing works, what three words do you use for an address. It all looks very random with no explanation on the app (I can find) how to use it.
Enter the area you want to find in 3 words, it will take you to that area, then enter the name of the company you want in 3 words and it will show they location in that area, easier to use google maps.
Drift:
I’ve just tried it… I don’t get how the three words thing works, what three words do you use for an address. It all looks very random with no explanation on the app (I can find) how to use it.
Enter the area you want to find in 3 words, it will take you to that area, then enter the name of the company you want in 3 words and it will show they location in that area, easier to use google maps.
WTF? Are you really this dumb? Try reading my post. It’s pretty clear how it works and that isn’t it.
Clearly I underestimated the level of intelligence around here and also the fact that this site is full of herpa derp satnav numpties.
Drift:
I’ve just tried it… I don’t get how the three words thing works, what three words do you use for an address. It all looks very random with no explanation on the app (I can find) how to use it.
Enter the area you want to find in 3 words, it will take you to that area, then enter the name of the company you want in 3 words and it will show they location in that area, easier to use google maps.
WTF? Are you really this dumb? Try reading my post. It’s pretty clear how it works and that isn’t it.
Clearly I underestimated the level of intelligence around here and also the fact that this site is full of herpa derp satnav numpties.
So why when you click on the search button to enter the does it ask for a location, I understand it is probably your time of the month which is why you are getting your ■■■■■■■ in a twist but try explaining stuff clearly rather than promoting some ■■■■■ system that based on the posts on here only you understand.
del trotter:
So why when you click on the search button to enter the does it ask for a location, I understand it is probably your time of the month which is why you are getting your ■■■■■■■ in a twist but try explaining stuff clearly rather than promoting some [zb] system that based on the posts on here only you understand.
Sorry Del, I misread your post and interpreted it wrong. Yes, you can type the road name to get to the general area or just drag the map until the pin is over the point then it gives you the unique URL. If you’re using the phone app you can set it as your destination and it will navigate right to it.
xichrisxi:
What a load of ■■■■■■■ about…post code FTW
You completely miss the point. It’s because postcodes are unreliable and only get you to the general area that this exists. A single postcode can cover a huge area and that means a lot of time is wasted driving around in circles at 15 mph with your eyeballs on sticks trying to read house numbers/company names from the road. If you have the unique 3 word link for the house/business/access point then it’ll take you straight right to where you need to be.
The possibilities are endless. Think if you’ve broken down on an A road out in the sticks. Recovery needs to know exactly where are. Umm, somewhere between Perth and Inverness, not really sure? Fire up the app, click the ‘get location’ button, give the operator the 3 word combo of the square you’re in and they can pinpoint exactly where you are to within 3 metres.
With the w3w app it even gives you the option to send the data to not only google maps but to TomTom MyDrive so you can send it to your TT device which is great if you have a trucker one as it will route you for your vehicle dimensions or other satnav apps (like my Aponia Truck)
Rob K:
For example : need to know where the correct entrance for K&N at Wakefield rather then just have the postcode which covers every business along Express Way? No problem : hardback.tracking.nuzzled or direct link w3w.co/hardback.tracking.nuzzled (zoom out click satellite view).
What do you think?
I like this bit, the times I have found a place and driven to the wrong entrance are countless and usually in some tight one way system making me find my way round the streets again.
Looks excellent. You could even give a via reference so that vehicles arrive from the right direction. This would mean, for example, that if a gate is more/only accessible from one direction you approach it correctly. It could also prevent you having to do a blindside reverse, or be able to park in the right place if you are early or access is already in use.
I live on a narrow lane that is only 2 vehicles wide. If you approach from the wrong direction and want to park you wouldn’t be able to get out of the drivers door unless you park away from the wall which would then block the lane to other vehicles. The postcode takes you to a different lane about 80 yards and google maps always seems to bring people from the wrong direction. So if I told some one to go to short.custom.goods (true reference point) they would then turn into the lane from the right/correct end.
. You can easily spend 30 mins or more driving back and forth just trying to find a house or business that isn’t marked up properly.
ps theyre free.
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