WIP - UK AAA map

[plamadude30k]

For quite a long time now I've had a AAA roadmap of the UK (at least, I think it's a AAA map, I could be wrong) above my workplace; throughout several apartments, two years in the dorms, and back home, this map has gone everywhere with me. It's a very dense, highly detailed map, and as it sits directly above where I work I thought it might be fun as a diversion during my finals study breaks to try and replicate it. Here's a picture of my workplace with the map above, for reference:

DSC_0375.JPG

I'm doubtful that I'll ever be able to finish this map since it's so dense, but I'll give it a try-it turns out it's a nice break from my other mapping project. Here's where I've gotten so far:

Britishisles.jpg

I should mention before I forget, I was at least partially inspired by the amazing maps (and skills) on display in this thread. You should check it out, it's awesome.

[tilt]

wow... that's a big project you've got ahead of you... I wish you the best of .. luck.. stamina? *lol*

[jwbjerk]

Making a map is a great way to learn geography. If you do this, i bet you'll be able to drive all over the UK without a map.

[Redrobes]

Never heard of AAA but they have a website www.aaa.com so its a US thing I think. They have an affiliate program which links to our more regular AA which is the automobile association - they are the UKs oldest (premiere?) breakdown recovery, insurance and all things car people. They make a lot of UK road maps and issue a huge ring bound atlas style UK map covering all the roads each year so its possible that this is a spin of one of those.

Also dont miss out on :
http://www.openstreetmap.org/
which is open vector data for UK streets garnered from user generated GPS logs. Its licensed with CC so if you use it then your map would have to be CC too cos its a share alike but its free to use as in beer and mostly free as in speech.

If you use that then I think you will be ok, if not then lordy you need help ! That would be a massive undertaking.

[plamadude30k]

Never heard of AAA but they have a website www.aaa.com so its a US thing I think. They have an affiliate program which links to our more regular AA which is the automobile association - they are the UKs oldest (premiere?) breakdown recovery, insurance and all things car people. They make a lot of UK road maps and issue a huge ring bound atlas style UK map covering all the roads each year so its possible that this is a spin of one of those.

Also dont miss out on :
http://www.openstreetmap.org/
which is open vector data for UK streets garnered from user generated GPS logs. Its licensed with CC so if you use it then your map would have to be CC too cos its a share alike but its free to use as in beer and mostly free as in speech.

If you use that then I think you will be ok, if not then lordy you need help ! That would be a massive undertaking.

Yeah, I think you just saved me several years of work on this map; thanks for that! I don't mind that it has a CC license, I think that's pretty cool, actually. I'm assuming it's more detailed than I need, it looks like my map is mostly A, B, and probably C roads. I guess my major problem now is finding geo data. It's not really my intention to ever actually finish it, though, I'd like it to be a continuing background project that I can go to when I'm bored or feel like doing something different.

As for the source of the map, I just realized that I was looking right at it-it is a AAA map (and AAA is a US organization as you thought). If you look in the picture on the far left above the inset of London, you'll see the logo.

[Diamond]

AAA is also my car insurance company. And dude, you're insanely awesome to start a project of this magnitude.

[plamadude30k]

I don't know about awesome. Probably just insane, but I knew that already!

[Davros01]

GL!! I think you are in for some long hours and some hard work. Should be worth it in the end.

[Sinnyo]

Mmm, you've inspired me to dig my own map of the UK out. I miss having such insanely-detailed pieces on the wall; they make staring into space so much more productive!

Never heard of AAA but they have a website www.aaa.com so its a US thing I think. They have an affiliate program which links to our more regular AA which is the automobile association - they are the UKs oldest (premiere?) breakdown recovery, insurance and all things car people. They make a lot of UK road maps and issue a huge ring bound atlas style UK map covering all the roads each year so its possible that this is a spin of one of those.

I couldn't help but smile; the AA has its headquarters here in Basingstoke, and it's there I did my secondary school work experience, in the cartography department near the top floor of Fanum House. Quite an awakening as I went about at the age of 15, plotting London street maps and re-drawing layouts for Gatwick Airport. I haven't returned to map-making in Quark XPress since, though...

Anyway, enough of my meandering. Good luck with the project, Plamadude! It looks like it certainly would keep you busy!

[plamadude30k]

...I haven't returned to map-making in Quark XPress since, though...

Oh man, Quark XPress. That takes me back to my high-school newspaper early days. Thankfully, we switched to indesign before I had to do too much with quark, but I still remember it as being intensely annoying.

As for the map, I'm hoping I can get some work done this afternoon. I need a break from all my studying!