Everyday Is Better Than The Next

I had a hilarious idea the other day…

I had to make a trip up north a couple days ago. This place that I was going was not all that familiar to me, I had been there before but wasn’t exactly sure how to get where I was going. I pulled it up on Google Maps and got some directions. The total time on the directions told me that it would take approximately 1 hour and 47 minutes to get to this place. No way. I estimated that following the exact directions that Google gave me I could make it in about an hour and 20 minutes. And thus began my idea/obsession for Google Racing.

I got a stop watch. I got in the car. I took a look at the directions noting all turns, estimated mileage before these turns, and possible tricky spots. I started the car. I hit start on the stop watch while simultaneously stomping the gas pedal. I was officially on the clock. Most of this trip took place on roads and two lane highways so I knew that any traffic could slow me down. Thankfully, it was 6:30 in the morning and I would more than likely miss the majority of the morning commute. I drove like a man possessed. On the straight long sections of the trip I was kicking the speed up to around 80, passing in no passing zones, and getting mad at people that were only going 62 in a 55 mph zone.

Keep in mind that I am normally a very calm driver. I barely ever speed. In fact, I usually get made fun of for driving like an old man. However, not this time. I felt like I had something to prove and that was that Google Maps was full of shit. The farther I got on this trip the crazier and more obsessed with Google Racing I got. I had this whole plan to get a website up that would allow people to pick a route and input their best time. There could be special routes from like New York to California, or Maine to Florida. I even thought about forming some kind Google Racing league with sponsors and the whole nine yards.

I ended up making the trip in 1 hour and 9 minutes, crushing Google’s time by almost 40 minutes. I was almost an hour and a half early for my appointment which meant I was going to have to wait around, I was thirsty and hungry because I didn’t stop for breakfast or anything at all, I was kind of shaky and nervous because I had just done some of the most intense driving ever, and I was really beginning to think that Google Racing was actually a stupid idea. The first problem with it is that to make really good time and to really beat the shit out of Google’s time you have to speed. Speeding, of course, is illegal and possibly dangerous. The second problem is that sometimes the route that Google gives you is just stupid. On my trip they told me to take three left turns when I could have just taken one right turn. And finally, what is really the point?

All in all it was one of those ideas that was “in the moment”, and once I was out of the moment it doesn’t seem all the fun anymore. It did make for an interesting trip. If anyone is interested in carrying through on this, googlemapsracing.com is available to be registered.