The first case you mention is actually very useful in IRC, especially in clients that break up URLs into multiple lines.

Compare:

    https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1120+Avenue+of+the+Americas,+New+York,+NY&daddr=Yankee+Stadium,+East+161st+Street,+Bronx,+NY&hl=en&ll=40.792239,-73.955154&spn=0.10371,0.157757&sll=40.802895,-73.924084&sspn=0.103693,0.157757&geocode=FcHhbQIdhRqX-ynJiS1XVVjCiTFFAV5BZkL2Ug%3BFZgBbwIdnPiX-yEIHppV2cNASSlxaedaLPTCiTEIHppV2cNASQ&dirflg=r&ttype=dep&date=01%2F15%2F13&time=1:00pm&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=def&mra=ls&t=m&z=13&start=0

to http://is.gd/lerDux - especially when you're looking at it in an IRC client: http://i.imgur.com/mqqRo.png