Use of Whatsapp Live Location to assist on blats and multi car Road Trips

[John Dolan - Wirral & North Wales AO]

Will give the Whatsapp thingy a try.

At present we use the “drive to the car behind” method. If used properly it works well, however certain circumstances such as busy, traffic light controlled roudabouts or town centres can be problematic.

With the “car behind” system there is no need to keep up with the car in front or slow down to the car behind. The only time you need to see each other is at a decision, a crossroads, turn off etc. On a road with no decisions it doesn't matter if you can’t see each other and the leader doesn’t have to worry about the last car in the convoy.

Can’t see why both can’t be used, don’t think I would like to be distracted by using solely the app, especially as I wear varifocal specs, but if I was lost, or broken down, or having a pee, that’s where the app could be useful.

[Kingster]

5 minutes ago, bollockybill said:

Can’t see why both can’t be used, don’t think I would like to be distracted by using solely the app

Exactly. I would not want to “rely” on the app but do think it is a very useful tool to add for those times when a group splits. 

Takes the pressure off and thus makes it safer. 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

55 minutes ago, bollockybill said:

Can’t see why both can’t be used, don’t think I would like to be distracted by using solely the app, especially as I wear varifocal specs, but if I was lost, or broken down, or having a pee, that’s where the app could be useful.

You definitely couldn't use the app purely on it's own; as our testing found, it will be affected by 'phone signal strength, and this can affect the refresh rate, so data might occasionally be too slow to give updates in time. Equally, you don't and shouldn't be driving looking down at the 'phone screen all the time.

Where it scores, is as a backup to the regular systems and as a comfort blanket to remove that anxiety in people's minds about getting lost/split off from the group.

 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

My Garmin satnav has a feature where people can log into me and see where I am.

https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=UY2scZFKOD5milb7xwVzn6

[Dean Goodall]

1 hour ago, Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary said:

You definitely couldn't use the app purely on it's own; as our testing found, it will be affected by 'phone signal strength, and this can affect the refresh rate, so data might occasionally be too slow to give updates in time. Equally, you don't and shouldn't be driving looking down at the 'phone screen all the time.

Where it scores, is as a backup to the regular systems and as a comfort blanket to remove that anxiety in people's minds about getting lost/split off from the group.

 

I agree Dave & Chris, it's an aid for navigation and when a user has disconnected from 'the pack'.  I wouldn't use it to keep up or for the fascination, certainly not without a passenger, too distracting and removes focus from the very reason we have our Westy's.  I suppose if a passenger is present, said passenger could use it 'rally driver' style if driving through a series of junctions or roundabouts so not to take a wrong turn.  

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

48 minutes ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said:

My Garmin satnav has a feature where people can log into me and see where I am.

https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=UY2scZFKOD5milb7xwVzn6

Great, but the beauty of the Whatsapp tool is it's free, works on Android or Apple devices and hence all can easily use without buying additional hardware, it's also easy to use

As many have commented above, my intentions were for it to be an aid, as correclly interpreted by most i.e. It's a tool which can help at some points on a run. Give it a try, you'll be impressed! 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

14 minutes ago, IanK (Bagpuss) said:

 Give it a try, you'll be impressed! 

Yes I agree it’s a great thing to use having used it in the past.

I just threw the Garmin tracker out there as another option.

My first ever run out in a group was with Martin. From memory there was about a dozen cars and we where nearly last.

myself, trickey and forget who else found it difficult to keep up. I put a complaint in with Martin at the pub and the first few cars where well below the speed limit but those at the back where well over. 

This app would have been great at that point.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

5 minutes ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said:

found it difficult to keep up. I put a complaint in with Martin at the pub and the first few cars where well below the speed limit but those at the back where well over. 

It's a well known, well documented issue. It's the opposite of the shockwave braking effect you see in heavy traffic, where light to moderate braking at the front of a queue leads to those far enough back coming to an actual stop, as the braking effort has to be intensified a little at every step down the line.

In this case, every car, when trying to keep up, accelerates and brakes that tiny bit harder and travels that tiny bit faster. With enough vehicles, the speed differential front to back can become quite extreme.

To the extent, that, with sufficiently large convoys, it is no longer possible for the lead cars to easily control the last cars, as the lead cars cannot travel slowly enough. The only way for them to manage the situation is to keep stopping.

This is where the various group ride/drive styles come in, the two most poplular being the keep the car behind in sight, and the wait at deviations from the current road. Both work well, and can be combined somewhat, for even better results. But both do break down somewhat for cars, when you end up in traffic, and especially with junctions and traffic lights etc.

A lot of these ideas were originally from the biking world, where obviously traffic has less of an effect, plus it's much easier to pull over and wait for your mates to catch up!

In our world that can be tricky.

Its great to see members like Ian, investigating how we can use what is for many now, everyday technology, to improve things as simple as blats- hopefully allowing more participants in the run to relax, enjoy and concentrate on the run, just by having one less thing to worry about!

Of course, What's App isn't the only alternative, and it would be interesting to know what else is out there and works.

The key points I can think of are:

Fairly simple to operate.

Doesnt require intervention once on the move.

Free(!)

Multi platform, Apple and Android etc.

Must have selectable time out period as well as be able to be turned off. (Many are rightly security conscious)

Small memory footprint on your phone, and low bandwidth in use - no constant need for big map downloads for instance.

....and, et, I'm sure I'll think of more!

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Oh, and just in case anyone missed it, when we were testing it, and I was following Ian, I was not in a Westfield. My phone was in hands free mode, and securely docked in the holder of the daily driver pick up, I was in, some distance behind.

 

[Steve (sdh2903)]

On 17/03/2019 at 16:08, Rory's Dad said:

I'd much prefer to sort this out properly rather than pratt around with a phone app which I can't see cos the sun is shining! 

What's this "sun" you speak of?

[Rory's Dad]

Been shining brightly in Norfolk (this morning)! 

[CraigHew]

I will use this but for a slightly different reason.

I'm often out in the Westfield quite early in the summer months, both to avoid commuters and to have the glorious North Wales roads to myself for a few hours.

Quite often my intended route will change on a whim and sometimes I'll rack up a couple of hundred miles before thinking of heading home.

The wife does tend to worry about me out in the car and has been "emotional"  a couple of times when I'm a few hours later than I've told her I would be.

This will keep her informed of my whereabouts....

Clearly not everyone would like their wife being able to follow their every move but it will work for me.

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

These type of apps are useful, I use life360 free app for me wife and kids we all know where we are , battery life of each other’s phone etc, piece of mind knowing where kids are. Obviously a problem if you have a mistress 

 

[Captain Colonial]

12 hours ago, marcusb said:

These type of apps are useful, I use life360 free app for me wife and kids we all know where we are , battery life of each other’s phone etc, piece of mind knowing where kids are. Obviously a problem if you have a mistress 

 

I would use that app as a warning device to let me know when certain members of my family were getting too close to me.

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I'm very pleased to report that this App made the convoy to Stoneleigh from the NW very east both to meet and to follow. Many thanks to @Steve (stevel) - Lancashire AO for taking the time to test the use of it with me before the day and for using it on the day.

 

For those of us meeting the convoy at Sandbach, Stafford and beyond, it was great being able to see in real time where the convoy was as we waited.

 

Here's the view before I set off. Convoy lead @Steve (stevel) - Lancashire AO was just about at Knutsford @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary was at Sandbach and @NigelO was at home.

 

 

And here's just @Steve (stevel) - Lancashire AO location zoomed in:

 

Here's the view as I refuelled on the way. You can see @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary @westyjord87 & @Greenstreak-Andy D waiting at Sandbach and @Si.Dalziel waiting at stafford.

 

 

Here's a video of my phone screen whilst I waited for the convoy to arrive at Stafford.

 

 

 

 

For those in the convoy, please chip in with your thoughts on how it worked etc!

 

If anyone needs any help using it, just ask.

 

Thanks,

Ian