Scale in Google Maps?

[jeffmorris]

When I'm 500 feet off the ground in Google Maps, what's the scale of the map? The numbers in the "scale" on the lower left corner of the map window tell you how high you're from the ground, NOT the scale of the map.

 

[lewisner]

Are you sure about that?As far as I"m aware the Google images were taken from the Space Shuttle at a constant orbit height and the scalebar shows the distance on the ground at that "zoom".I"ve worked distances out from a Google Earth photo and then compared them with a 25" OS Map for the same area and found they were identical...

 

[chrisaw]

I don't worry about the scale, just use the built in ruler. I've found it spot on with my measurements taken on the ground.

Chris.

 

[Tokkyu40]

Can you save the built in ruler? Wikimapia lets me save photo images, but so far I've only been able to save the ruler on the image in Mapion, which only has Japan. Unless I have two landmarks at a known distance, I have trouble finding the scale on the saved images.

Claude

 

[lewisner]

When I said the Scale I was was referring to the built in ruler.I don"t know about other countries but for the UK images its always on the screen so when I press "Print Screen" its automatically saved with the image.The hard bit is not forgetting which zoom level you"re using and treating a 1000 ft ruler as if it were 200 ft...

 

[chrisaw]

look under View, Scale Legend. It alters with the view size and prints out on the image in the units you select for the ruler.

Chris.

 

[jeffmorris]

Google Maps is a website. It doesn't have built-in rulers or View, Scale Legend.

 

[chrisaw]

sorry, I was talking about google earth. my mistake.
Chris.