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This is most irritating. When I try to navigate using Google Maps, a Lyft ad comes up at the bottom of the screen which seems to completely block the buttons to start navigation. So I just sit there unable to begin navigation. What in the devil is going on? If I can't figure that out, I'll just stop using Maps, which was one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place. Is Google going broke? Do they really need to do this?

Are you using car mode?

I recommend HereWeGo. Works in offline mode; no data consumption and battery lasts longer.

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pmIs Google going broke? Do they really need to do this?

That must be it. There can be no other explanation.

Change your "preferences" for Google maps. Stop preferring to get Lyft ads.

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm This is most irritating. When I try to navigate using Google Maps, a Lyft ad comes up at the bottom of the screen which seems to completely block the buttons to start navigation. So I just sit there unable to begin navigation. What in the devil is going on? If I can't figure that out, I'll just stop using Maps, which was one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place. Is Google going broke? Do they really need to do this?

Make sure you're selecting the right option (i.e. Driving not asking for a ride)... see image in the link below:

https://ibb.co/d500v8

Make sure you are hitting "Car" (or Riding) and not "Ride" when asking for directions.


From a quick google search I found this:

This forum response with a screenshot will clarify the issue. https://productforums.google.com/d/msg/ ... VPiLqUEQAJ

Please notice the Driving and Rides icons here - https://support.google.com/maps/answer/ ... l=en&oco=1

You should be hitting the Driving icon not the Rides to get rid of this.

I think I have found the root cause here. When you hit the car icon on your Android handset, sometimes the Rides ( taxi ) icon is being displayed and when we hit without realizing that the initial icon is for Rides, we end up on Rides ( taxi or Uber tab ).

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:10 am

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

Is there no option to change to Rides instead of Driving when getting directions? Sorry you have the limitation (especially after you spend more on your smartphone than you had to) - perhaps you should get an Android phone so you won't be feature limited.

GoldStar wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:32 am

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:10 am

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

Is there no option to change to Rides instead of Driving when getting directions? Sorry you have the limitation- perhaps you should get and Android phone so you won't be feature limited.

Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear. Google Maps (and Apple Maps) don't have distracting ads when using their apps regardless of your selection of walking/riding/driving/public transit/etc...

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:43 am

GoldStar wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:32 am

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:10 am

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

Is there no option to change to Rides instead of Driving when getting directions? Sorry you have the limitation- perhaps you should get and Android phone so you won't be feature limited.

Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear. Google Maps (and Apple Maps) don't have distracting ads when using their apps regardless of your selection of walking/riding/driving/public transit/etc...

It likely doesn't for the OP either - he is probably set to Rides when he gets directions instead of Driving (as stated above) - he isn't seeing an ad - but seeing an integration to ride-sharing. Spending far more money than necessary for a smartphone isn't necessary for the OP as you seem to be indicating to him by suggesting an overpriced iPhone (I assumed you weren't familiar with the feature based upon your response and the fact you are running Google Maps on iPhone which is more limited than if you were running it on Android).

Google Maps is slowly selling itself out to other corporations. I noticed a few months ago certain landmarks popping up with logos for Subway, Taco Bell, etc. instead of the normal fork icon. Also, noticed that directions now highlight certain landmarks, i.e. turn left past the Subway, turn right at the Taco Bell.

drg02b wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:59 am Google Maps is slowly selling itself out to other corporations. I noticed a few months ago certain landmarks popping up with logos for Subway, Taco Bell, etc. instead of the normal fork icon. Also, noticed that directions now highlight certain landmarks, i.e. turn left past the Subway, turn right at the Taco Bell.

"selling itself out" makes it sound like you are surprised or Google/Alphabet trying to make a profit is something new. You do realize that Google Maps is part of the Alphabet franchise which is not a non-profit? The goal was always to make money. If you search for "Nearby restaurants" you result are, in part, based upon advertising dollars.
OP: Sorry that we are getting far off topic.

DaftInvestor wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:32 am

drg02b wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:59 am Google Maps is slowly selling itself out to other corporations. I noticed a few months ago certain landmarks popping up with logos for Subway, Taco Bell, etc. instead of the normal fork icon. Also, noticed that directions now highlight certain landmarks, i.e. turn left past the Subway, turn right at the Taco Bell.

"selling itself out" makes it sound like you are surprised or Google/Alphabet trying to make a profit is something new. You do realize that Google Maps is part of the Alphabet franchise which is not a non-profit? The goal was always to make money. If you search for "Nearby restaurants" you result are, in part, based upon advertising dollars.
OP: Sorry that we are getting far off topic.

No, you interpreted a tone in my statement that was not there... the statement was completely matter-of-fact. Of course I'm not surprised that every corporation looks for ways to push more advertising down my throat -- I was just more surprised by the subtlety of the "ads." And please don't assume I don't know the difference between a publicly traded company and a non-profit organization...

drg02b wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:59 am Google Maps is slowly selling itself out to other corporations. I noticed a few months ago certain landmarks popping up with logos for Subway, Taco Bell, etc. instead of the normal fork icon. Also, noticed that directions now highlight certain landmarks, i.e. turn left past the Subway, turn right at the Taco Bell.

I prefer this when I am driving in an unfamiliar area. It is much easier to recognize a business as a landmark than to look at street signs, particularly when so many streets don't have signs.

Apologies for reviving an old thread, but this thread actually came up on Google search (ironic) when I tried to find out more about this issue, so I think continued discussion could be valuable for the community.

I noticed now that Google is still forcing Lyft integration in Google Maps, except it's gotten even worse, because there's no way to turn it off, and Lyft is now being suggested as a "transit" option.

Whenever I type in an address, and I choose the "transit" option (i.e. I tap the "train" icon... I'm NOT tapping the the "hailing a taxicab" icon, I'm explicitly choosing the "transit" option), Google still recommends me Lyft.

In other cases Google will recommend Lyft for only part of the "transit" route, so it recommends I take a bus to a nearby location, then take Lyft the rest of the way. This is true even if the bus goes closer to my destination than Google's suggested Lyft pickup point.

This is crazy because I think most people assume "transit" means mass transit, not ride sharing. And there is already a "ride share " option in the app, so if I were going to take a Lyft, I would just choose the "ride share" option in the first place and take Lyft all the way to my destination.

I've tried to find an option to remove ride-sharing suggestions from the "transit" option. The Google help pages are full of people asking for exactly this, but all the questions are either locked, or have suggestions that no longer work.

I'm aware that Alphabet owns stakes in both Lyft and Uber, so it appears they are just directing people to their own services even when people don't ask for it and even while removing any other options. It's pretty amazing that Google would be so shameless to insert ride sharing into the transit routes, just to boost their ride sharing sales, and even while effectively removing the "transit option" from the app, because it no longer shows me pure transit and injects Lyft all the time. I would love to be wrong and find a way to turn this off.

I would like to know if anyone has found a way to remove ride sharing from the "transit" option in Google maps, and make the transit option usable again. And if not, what is the best alternative app to show transit options only?

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:10 am

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

Neither does my Android.

rhinopylon wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:10 am

CULater wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:19 pm one of the primary reasons I preferred an android in the first place.

Just wanted to point out iPhones don't have this issue while using Google Maps.

Neither does my Android.