Breezing down I-5 in my red Ferrari, not a care in the world, I suddenly get a warning from Elvis to pay attention.
“Police reported ahead, baby,” comes that hunka-hunka Elvis voice.
Elvis is my go-to navigator on Waze, a smartphone app that crowdsources real-time traffic updates, speed traps and other commuter info.
Waze is like a video game for kids. The graphics are cartoony, colorful and bubbly, with little animated arrows zipping along the highlighted roadways.
My cartoon avatar is a cool chick with cherry-red hair and sunglasses. In real life, I’m a bottle blonde with reading glasses.
And my real set of wheels? It’s a boring tan SUV.
No cop would pull me over. I drive like the old lady I am.
Waze was developed by an Israeli start-up and acquired in 2013 by Google, which kept the mojo of the app’s playful bells and whistles.
Waze is as whimsical as Google Maps is no-nonsense. Like Google Maps, Waze gets me where I want to go, but adds some frolic to the journey.
Who knew getting from Point A to Point B could be so much fun?
“In a half-a mile turn a-right,” croons Elvis.
You’re on, dude.
When I want a change of tune, I can switch the voice to sophisticated Nathan or sensible Samantha to tell me when and where to turn. Or, as Nathan likes to say, “exit.”
The screen has icons for gas stations, hazards, road construction, cops, parking options and stores. Warning: it also has pop-up adds.
It shows other Wazers (the name for Waze users) in the area, in case I want to chat with another person who probably doesn’t resemble their avatar any more than I do mine.
Avatars include sunflowers, cats, zombies and geeks and mood icons for happy, sad, sick and in love. Aww, sweet. The dashboard has color schemes and vehicle choices, including a truck and motorbike.
You come into the world a Waze Baby. After 100 miles you’re a Waze GrownUp. You can get status upgrades and rack up points for resolving and reporting traffic problems. Top scoring Wazers attain royalty status and get knighted and crowned. My Scoreboard says I have 193 points and ranks me 176,394th in the state, 10,845,129th in the nation. Doubt I’ll be wielding a sword anytime soon.
Users can choose the shortest route or fastest route. That isn’t always the best for quiet neighborhoods near busy freeways. Waze has generated controversy in Southern California by diverting users from congested roads to narrow sidestreets made for minivans full of kids, not caravans of harried commuters. Irate residents have fought back by putting trash cans in the street to stop cars from zipping by.
The Waze screen shows your ETA, trip length and miles to destination, but it might not show the angry neighbors ahead, baby.
Waze is free for Apple and Android. Go to: www.waze.com.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @reporterbrown.
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