I think it's pretty darn good for Denver. And I think you're expecting a bit much from a computer, Artkansas. As far as directions go, you're asking it to take in a lot of intangibles - where there are hills, where there are potholes, etc. Especially the bit where you cut across one parking lot, across a strip of grass and then across another parking lot. How the heck is it supposed to know that? How is it supposed to know there's not a fence between the two parking lots? That's asking an awful lot. Yeah, my commute takes me across a vacant lot and through a hole in the chainlink fence but I wouldn't expect Google to figure that out. I wouldn't want them to put that in the database either because who knows when the morning will come where I find out the hard way that somebody went and fixed the fence?

Really this is a tool to figure out a way to go somewhere where you're going for the first time or will only be going once. Even for a car, I often look at the directions and say, "well that's a dumb way to go, it's better to go.......".

For every person like you (and me) who thinks that MUPs are good and no sidewalks or shoulders is bad, there are "take the lane" folks who would find the lack of shoulders no hinderance at all and would never take a MUP or a sidewalk.

I was impressed looking around where it sees routes I didn't think it would. For example a path that goes right through the entry plaza and between buildings at a local factory, a weird little narrow "sidewalk" that cuts between some back yards and a golf course. It's impressively complete. Doubly so for an initial rollout.