November 23, 2008: Roads

ZenGum · 11-23-2008, 06:51 AM

That was exactly the (well, my) point. Lots and lots of roads, very few railways.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-23-2008, 07:09 AM

You do realize this image shows nothing but roads, right? Other than I told you, how do you know this is the USA? Because the pattern of roads show the outline, the boundaries and physical features like large lakes and mountainous regions. Rail and air routes would not show you that. There would be no reference.

mrputter · 11-23-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Rail and air routes would not show you that.

I'm actually not so sure about that. You'd have a case for air routes, but only because of international routes, and the transcontinental routes (think: Boston ⇔ Seattle) that arc up over Canada; if you filter out the former, I think you'd be able to see something.

Now of course it wouldn't precisely match the US' political outline in the same striking manner as the road map above does. But I'd be rather surprised if some distorted phantom of the familiar american outline didn't appear, if for no other reason than because of all the large cities that dot the eastern and western coastlines.

I, too, would be interested in seeing such maps. If only to see how great the distortion was.

Gravdigr · 11-23-2008, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Other than I told you, how do you know this is the USA?

Because, I can see my house.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-23-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Because, I can see my house.

Go back to Alaska, Sarah. :p

newtimer · 11-23-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

... this image shows nothing but roads...

What's causing those equal-sized white squares especially around Kansas/southern Nebraska? Are they square plots of land that have roads around their perimeters but no roads inside?

sweetwater · 11-23-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtimer

What's causing those equal-sized white squares especially around Kansas/southern Nebraska? Are they square plots of land that have roads around their perimeters but no roads inside?

Quote:

Kansas City

The white blocks seem to be rural routes and unnamed roads, their alignment to lat/lon boundaries suggests differences in how adjacent counties identify streets.

(above is from the link) Interesting map, but quite depressing. I mean, all that asphalt and cement must weigh a lot and smoosh the ground down, right?

11-23-2008, 06:51 AM	#1
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	That was exactly the (well, my) point. Lots and lots of roads, very few railways. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

11-23-2008, 07:09 AM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	You do realize this image shows nothing but roads, right? Other than I told you, how do you know this is the USA? Because the pattern of roads show the outline, the boundaries and physical features like large lakes and mountainous regions. Rail and air routes would not show you that. There would be no reference. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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