What three words

OUT OF HOURS BULLY'S TRUCKSTOP BAR (INTERACTIVE)
1

In my latest job we utilise what three words extensively as we often have to deliver to a farmers beet pad in the middle of nowhere and it proves invaluable as long as you use google maps in conjunction with your truck sat nav.

For the uninitiated what three words is an absolute game changer! I’m not trying to teach anyone to suck eggs, but basically every square metre of the planet is mapped and given a unique three word name. Obviously the benefits in our line of work are plenty, but where it comes in invaluable is for people who have broken down in the middle of nowhere (I used it to get a tyre fitter to me this week) and people who are totally lost or stranded. Ambulances for example use this app, and that can mean the difference between life and death.

You may never use it but I strongly recommend that everyone downloads this to their particular mobile device

2

:flushed:
Only 3 words I can come up with are…
‘Not a clue’ or another 3 abbreviated as ‘WTF’.:flushed:
Then again we still point at aeroplanes where I live.:joy:
Has some young student hacked Maoster’s account? :joy:

1 Like
3

I couldn’t agree more :slight_smile:

I’ve never had cause to use it but I’ve had What3words on my mobile for years, as far as I’m aware most of the UK emergency services use it, and most branches of breakdown services including most AA , RAC and Green Flag branches also accept What3words locations.

4

When it works it’s great but there are incidences when it really gets it wrong. Similar word combinations in close proximity of each other is a flaw which causes the the most inconvenience, although I remember being given a location last year that was actually in Finland.

5

I have just put it my phone too.

It appears to be excellent at giving a location in a field or woods etc, but not so good in a tower block.

6

The biggest problem is if you don’t check it’s near to where you expect to be going. Sometimes adding or missing an ‘s’ to a word gives a different location
No different wrong postcode, usually by the originator.
Otherwise it’s a great app.

1 Like
7

I’d never actually considered the problem of ascertaining a vertical location precisely, but I’d argue that if you were in a tower block you’d have a decent idea of it’s physical address, it’s only the floor number that could be a problem.

8

Yeah, you have to be very precise when spelling the actual three words or you could conceivably end up a continent or two out.

I reckon that anyone tech savvy enough to use the app is probably capable of copying and pasting to remove any doubt.

9

Totally agree. Still a very useful thing, but as with all tools not great at everything.

A hiccup for ambulance staff maybe, but not many truck drivers need to know which button to press in an elevator.

10

I agree, not perfect, but I think back to when I was doing recovery work and my instructions went along the lines of “in a lay-by on the A46 somewhere between Lincoln and Newark” “eastbound or westbound ?” “Dunno, check them all” :rage:

11

In all fairness it has many flaws in finding locations in fields.

12

Really? Perhaps your experiences have been different to mine but I’m constantly delivering to beet pad in fields and it’s never once been wrong.

13

I probably use it a lot more than you TBH, but it will catch you out sooner or later!

14

I’d much rather have a grid ref, however, I’ve managed to find my daughter when she was lost using what three words.

15

I did hear on the radio the other morning that if your phone is about to run flat and your lost that you should leave your what3words location as your phone answer message, basic but i think thats a really clever idea

16

Hope I never need to do it, but that sounds a good idea.

1 Like
17

That seems like a really good idea :+1:

Hope I never need to do it though :slight_smile:

1 Like
18

If you do do that please add more info than just the what three words location to support your location. It is wrong often and with another clue we can usually decipher where you are. Please don’t rely on it.

Pronunciation and word recognition can throw it into chaos besides the technical flaws.

19

Fully agree but even it saves just 1 life then its worth its weight in gold

20

Absolutely. But heading up such and such a tor. Three words location is bear cat lighthouse and we will find you.

The algorithm places many similar words in a proximity close proximity but not always precisely at the location and minutes can save lives.

Imagine a the word down for example in various local dialects that could be perceived as many different words. A voice message needs a confirmation of the area so we can recognise an obvious error and improvise.