region biasing uk problems getting it to work

[andyau]

Hi All

I have come up against a problem I am not able to solve with out some
sort of hack and was wondering if anyone else has had similar issues.

When using the geocoding api and searching for some regions in uk I am
being given USA results

I have tried the using region biasing but it doesn't seem to be making
a difference.

Example

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=Norfolk&sensor=false&region=GB

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=Suffolk&sensor=false&region=GB

Also for the region of Devon which google maps picks up fine I get
ZERO_RESULTS

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=Devon&sensor=false&region=GB

It makes no difference if I define the region as GB or uk or .co.uk

Any tips would be much appreciated.

Regards
Andy

[Rossko]

> Also for the region of Devon which google maps picks up fine I get
> ZERO_RESULTS

I seem to recall Devon as a bit of an oddball, Americans imagine it is
called Devonshire ...

[andyau]

I came up with a solution that others may find beneficial.

If you edit the string being sent to the json api to read
http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=Devon, UK
+uk&sensor=false&region=GB

That is forcing ", UK+uk" (with out quotes) directly after the name
that is being entered, no more problems everything works!

You would not even know that maps existed for the world outside of
this lovely isle.

Might be a nasty hack. But after a week of playing by the rules I am
happy to run with this.

[Simon Hobbs]

Doesn't work for me in Australia either. Here are ten USA results for a single key word. So if "bias" is working then there are other biases also in play.

http://maps.google.com/maps/geo?q=tanner%20st&region=au&output=json

Whereas the region code to the end of the search string...

http://maps.google.com/maps/geo?q=tanner,au%20st&output=json

[Eliot Stock]

Thanks for this. Worked for me too. Geocoding "W1" without it put me in North Africa or South America.