WAZE blank screen on iPhone

Bought the iPhone 8+ and installed Waze prior to moving to Las Vegas. Been using Waze for about 3 months now. Yesterday I used Waze again to get around, but when I tried to use Waze once I was done with my business, Waze gave me a blank screen. The app seemed to be working as voice was there, but screen was blank. Drove home without using Waze. After I got home, about 20 minutes drive, and pulled into the garage, I tried Waze again and it worked fine. Not sure if this is a Waze problem or the phone. Waze has not been much help in figuring this out. I am using the latest iOS, 11.3.1. Has anyone out there who uses Waze had a similar problem?

I use Waze a lot, but don't remember anything like that happening. Maybe, where you were, the cell reception was weak?

Yeah it is strange. Reception was very good. My daughter has used Waze for years on her Android phone and never had this happen. Fortunately, I knew my way back home. I do have Mapquest if it happens again. Not sure if this is a Waze or phone issue. Pete

If it does happen again, quit the app in question, by swiping up in the multitasking manager. This will force it to reconnect, and open at the main screen.

I'll try that if it ever happens again. Hopefully it was one of those phantom glitches that won't happen again. Pete

Waze, as you know, downloads maps and traffic data on-the-fly, so if it didn't have a great connection at your start point, it may not have been able to get the maps it needed. I have seen a blank screen briefly when cell and wifi was dodgy, but it cleared quickly once either improved. The fact you had voice on the way home (if I understood you correctly) says that it eventually found a connection.

No, I did not know Waze downloads on the fly, but that makes sense. I have received heads up on cops on the freeway, but usually only after I have passed them. Yes I did have voice. Checked some other apps and they were fine.

That's how Waze keeps you up to date. It receives reports from all Wazers (in the background for your actual speed, in the foreground when you report something) and then downloads the reports from all Wazers about traffic conditions and things reported (accidents, blockages, police, etc). Along with that are the maps you may need. If you plan a trip, it gets all the maps it needs for the planned journey, but if you just set out, it gets the "next" map as you get close to the edge of the current map. Normally, that's all transparent, but if the cell/wifi gets erratic, you can see it working. It's an interesting technology.

If only Waze had that functionality in the UK.

Before my countrymen lambast me with how it works for them, Waze only offers a similar, but poorer, service in the largest cities; mainly in England, much less so in Scotland and basically nowhere in Wales.

Of course I understand this as the same occurs in relation to Apple Maps, Google Maps, Weather apps and many more. They cannot get enough original info or feedback from users in the smaller cities, towns & villages.

Ian

Jake, So Waze knows how fast i drive? How does one report and accident, etc.? Just talk out loud and Waze will pick up the conversation.

Pete

On the Waze screen is an orange circle with what looks like a speech cloud from cartoons inside. Tap that and you will have a whole set of things you can report. Tap the one you want to report and more options appear. It's pretty logical. Waze isn't listening to you, it gets the speed from the GPS and reports it back to the mothership so that it can use that data (along with other Waze data) to plan the best routes for you. In addition, when Waze starts up, it should report on how many Wazers are around you. I'm not sure how big the circle is for "around" you, but in my town of about 25,000 residents, I routinely see about 2500 Wazers, which tells me the radius is pretty large. And when it reports something, let's say a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, if you see it, you can confirm it's still there by tapping the thumbs up icon, or report it not there by tapping the other icon on the reporting screen. Wazers do appreciate the updates. I've gotten thanks from some when I've reported stopped traffic, for example.

The thing is driving and texting, or taking your eyes off the road to input Waze is illegal and can cause an accident. Be better if Waze had interactive voice recognition where you could report these things hands free. Even if traffic comes to a standstill, it is still illegal to text with the motor running while in the driver' seat here in Nevada as it was in Hawaii. Texting while driving has caused many avoidable accidents, injuries, and deaths.

It's not "illegal" but it is stupid. Here in VA, it's illegal to be texting while driving and the car is moving, but if it's stopped at a light, or in traffic, it's OK. I don't send reports when moving. But if I have a passenger, I'll have them send an alert. And if I'm stopped, I'll definitely send a quick alert. Typically it's just two or three taps, no typing, so it's easy to get done at a red light.

Insurance companies for years have put on campaigns regarding distracted driving. Texting while driving is also illegal here in Texas, however, teen agers and even some older young adults are addicted to their car stereos, radios, and talking on their cell phones while driving. Cell phone holders or activated devices in the new autos are much safer.

I've used a car GPS before and even my cell phone for directions. It made me so nervous doing so that I would stop and pull over every couple of minutes so I could use the devices safely. I finally gave up using either when driving. Traffic and driving is dangerous enough here in the Dallas Fort Worth area without me adding to it.

While I agree with the danger of distracted driving, I wonder some time if we know what that really is. Is a driver holding a cell phone while driving, talking to someone on the device, any more distracted than a driver with a hands-free phone talking while driving? If it's "hands on the wheel" we want, is a driver with a cell phone talking on it worse than a driver with a cup of coffee, or some article of food (sandwich, fries, you-name-it)? If it's focus on the driving that's key, is a driver on a hands-free call better or worse than a driver with a passenger that is engaged in a conversation? What about a driver with a cup of coffee and a passenger, talking about yesterday's game? Is that better or worse than a driver with a phone in a conversation? What is it that makes the driver "distracted?" I ask because a few years ago I was rear-ended by a woman when I stopped at a traffic signal and when I looked in the rear view mirror I saw her looking into the back seat to see what her child was doing. She plowed into me, never seeing the light was red and I was stopped. Fortunately it was slow speed, so no injuries, but she was "distracted" with no cell phone, no food, nothing but her baby. Should we outlaw babies in cars because they are distracting to the driver?

Now I do readily admit that idiots on phones are usually horrible drivers, and that accidents are more likely in that scenario, but I do wonder sometimes how the laws should be crafted. Is texting bad but setting the temperature on the touch screen of the vehicle ok?

And just as a side note: If we want people to "focus" on the task at hand, why do we let airline pilots talk on the radio when flying an airplane? Or cops to talk on the radio when they are driving?

What makes it different?

BTW, not intending to start a war here, just some ruminations about the definition of "distracted."

There are many ways to become distracted while driving. Certainly, the woman who rear ended you had her first thought on her child not on the road. And so it goes. BTW, newer automobiles have gadgets and displays on their dashboards that almost emulate an aircraft cockpit. My son's new Honda even has cameras that turn on to show you approaching autos and side views. All that gadgetry can be distracting.

The solution Jake? Drive with a good co-pilot and leave the gadgets to her.

Charlie, that's pretty much what I do. By myself, it's set up the iPhone for navigation and streaming music I want, put it in the holder and don't touch it again while moving. I do have hands-free calling, so I can get a call, but I'm a ham radio operator, so I've got lots of experience talking and driving and don't let the call distract me. And the interface to my car lets me pick up the call with a button on the wheel, and to hang it up with another button on the wheel. So I don't touch the phone while the car is moving, period.

Maybe we ought to teach what all pilots know about how to deal with an emergency--aviate, navigate, communicate, in that order. So when you are in the driver's seat, your #1 task is to drive, and all else must be subordinate to that one task.

I didn't know you were a ham radio operator. Many of my military buddies were ham radio operators. I still hold an FCC Radio Telephone First Class license (it never expires) but that was back in the days when I was looking for a job at a TV or FM station as an on call station engineer. I do remember the FCC also issued (back then) a license for a Radio Telegraph Operator. The test for that was basically the same as the Radio Telephone license test but included a very stringent requirement and test for morse code. I never really tried to learn code.

Someone mentioned that the Amateur ham tests did not include code anymore. Is that true?

Yep, no more code. I learned code and got up to 13 wpm, tried to get better and got stuck at 18 wpm. I ended up with an Advanced License, needed 20 wpm for Extra. Now, I suppose I could try for Extra by updating my technical side, but I'm happy where I am. Don't do much hamming right now because of an antenna situation, so I don't need that little extra bandwidth that the Extra license authorizes.