Posted by Steven Pearce on 10/8/08 3:27pm
Msg #266662

Another SS stumped by the zip code search

I just lost a call for a signing because "According to our zip code search you're only about 30 miles away".
Well, just to get to the city limits is 65 miles one way, which is also 2 hours of mountain roads for me.
I use Google Earth for mapping distances. Too bad there isn't a quick version they could use before calling.

I would gladly do it as they are a reputable service and they aren't being last minute, but still, I'm not going to do a four hour drive PLUS a signing for $100.

- oh well, there's still a couple of days left for them to get my fee approved if they haven't shortchanged themselves with the Title Co.

Reply by Lee/AR on 10/8/08 3:39pm
Msg #266664

They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads. n/m

Reply by jojo_MN on 10/8/08 3:45pm
Msg #266665

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

That is why I usually tell SS to check on Mapquest. I'm in a very hilly area. Mapquest is the most accurate of all of the mapping websites. I always ask Time and Distance because a closing might be only 40 minutes from here, yet take 1 1/2 hours to drive because of hills and slowing down for many small towns.

Reply by goodgirl on 10/8/08 4:21pm
Msg #266670

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

You're all so right about the mountain road thing. My area is very rural, and I often think these folks in FL and CA don't get the fact that we all can't jump on a 70 mph freeway and make it 20 miles in 10 minutes.
My biggy of the month was last week, and although the people were only about 9 miles from me, the guy's straight up the mountain, graveled, deeply rutted driveway was about 7 of those 9 miles. I was up there a couple years ago, so I knew I would have to put the car in 4 low and crawl up this mountain to get there. But, they are great people so I enjoyed the trip.

Reply by PAW on 10/9/08 7:51am
Msg #266709

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

It's not so much the people in specific states that don't understand 'terrain', it's that they live in or near metropolitan areas.

You stated the people in FL and CA think that everyone can jump on a 70mph freeway. Well, statistically, PA has the third highest number of interstate highways, with 22 different routes. CA is first with 25. FL, on the other end of the spectrum, has only 4 interstate highways (and 8 spurs) for a total of ~1400 miles. (Source: Federal Highway Commission - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.cfm and The Florida Interstate Report by Tripnet - http://www.tripnet.org/FloridaInterstateReport062906.pdf)

The interstate system is typically more dense in metropolitan areas simply because 79% of the US population lives in urban areas. The other 21% living in rural areas are often well removed from the interstate system in all but the north eastern third of the country. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1, Matrix P1). Given that, it's no wonder that many schedulers don't have a clue about driving conditions and methods in rural America. Though I don't have any statistics, I would guess that most home mortgages and refinancing is being done in the urban or suburban areas. Those in rural areas are in the minority and often not taken into consideration when planning for any type of travel, including mass transit plans, much less 'in-home' service scheduling.

Reply by sue_pa on 10/9/08 8:05am
Msg #266713

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

Cool, who'd a thunk it !!!

But, realistically, if you remove from the mix the interstate highway system in the Philadelphia area, we don't have many. Two really nice straight shots east and west and several north and south but to get to those roads for most is quite a hike. In my area, I've got interstates going in 3 directions so I am fortunate that way.

I do laugh at the mapping programs. One of my 'competitors' is shown on this site as only 8 miles away. The map doesn't seem to recognize that blue line between us - when I saw her last month she didn't mention that she used a boat or hovercraft to cross the river and my budget has not permitted me to purchase either so we must get to the bridge before crossing. We also both (at least me) drive on the roads and not through farms, fields, and woods so the 8 miles realistically is probably closer to 20 miles.

Reply by sue_pa on 10/9/08 8:07am
Msg #266714

forgot

Our 'brilliant' governor to want to sell our turnpike system (which is probably one of the best run systems anywhere) to some foreign companies to bring in an immediate influx of monies. What an idiot.

Reply by sue_pa on 10/9/08 7:55am
Msg #266711

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.


...That is why I usually tell SS to check on Mapquest. I'm in a very hilly area. Mapquest is the most accurate of all of the mapping websites. I always ask Time and Distance ...

Just curious. Why don't you know your own coverage area? I cover 5 counties and I know every inch of every one of them. I NEVER rely on anyone else to figure out time and distance for me. If someone tells me the name of the town, I know immediately how far I'm going and generally how long it's going to take me - the 15 or 20 minutes leeway in zip codes or towns doesn't matter in the end because some will be the closer areas and some the further distances.

Reply by jojo_MN on 10/9/08 2:25pm
Msg #266788

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

I work in three different states in a radius of 125 miels. There so many small towns in this radius that I have never heard of--and I've lived here for over 45 years. If you look at a map and measure 20 miles "as the crow flies", by the time you add the hills, curves and back roads you need to drive there, it could equal sixty miles. There aren't major highways to all of te cities. Ask Stamper...she lives in the same area.

Reply by jojo_MN on 10/9/08 3:01pm
Msg #266794

Re: They don't seem to 'get' mountain roads.

I cover 19 counties.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/8/08 5:14pm
Msg #266674

I know what you mean!

I'm moving in the next 4-6 weeks to a zip code that covers about 250 square miles and has a population of about 60,000 people -- no mountain roads, either. It's going to be fun working that one out.

Compare that to where I am now, where I can walk my entire zip code in just a few blocks.

Reply by davidK/CA on 10/8/08 10:27pm
Msg #266691

They often don't get big city traffic either.

I just love it when they say "It's just 20 miles away!", when half or more of those miles are through constructions zones and/or rush hour traffic loads that don't show up on Mapquest.

As far as I know, very few working NSAs own helicopters that they can use to avoid traffic issues.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/8/08 10:42pm
Msg #266692

Re: They often don't get big city traffic either.

True. In Los Angeles, 20 miles could take HOURS to navigate.

Reply by MsM/CT on 10/9/08 7:42am
Msg #266707

How about when you're on the CT shoreline and you keep getting calls for signings in Long Island, NY (I'm not a NY notary by the way).

Reply by Babs/GA on 10/9/08 3:07pm
Msg #266795

I tell them it is the way the crow flies and I am not a crow!