Cautionary story: Death by GPS

[jedishrfu]

This recent article from Ars Technica tells the story of the dangers of relying on GPS for directions:

http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/death-by-gps/

Please be careful out there!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

There was an Office episode where Michael drives into a lake because his GPS tells him to.

 

[Astronuc]

Before I travel somewhere, I check national, regional and/or local maps, and know about landmarks. Enroute and on location, I pay attention to the sun, weather and surroundings, and if the night sky is clear, the moon and stars.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Before I travel somewhere, I check national, regional and/or local maps, and know about landmarks. Enroute and on location, I pay attention to the sun, weather and surroundings, and if the night sky is clear, the moon and stars.

Always have an emergency pack with plenty of water too!

 

[Astronuc]

Always have an emergency pack with plenty of water too!

Certainly, if I go into the back country, which I'll be doing this weekend.

 

[russ_watters]

Sigh. While over dependence on GPS is a big problem, the term "death by GPS" just isn't accurate in at least the title story. The people who are the title story went against the directions of the GPS, more than once. GPS will not lead you away from danger against your will.

I'm also not very willing to accept driving to a city instead of an island with the same name as the fault of the GPS. And driving into a lake that GPS says is a road? It may be or may have been a road. GPS doesn't know and shouldn't be expected to know if that's a puddle or a road that ends in boat ramp, but the driver of the car really should figure it out! That particular one isn't a new problem: about a year ago, a car was found in a lake after going missing for some 40 years. Apparently, the driver (a kid) took a wrong turn at night, possibly drunk, and the road turned into a boat ramp and everyone in it drowned. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ssing-40-years-found-at-the-bottom-of-a-lake/

 

[edward]

If I miss a turn in a housing subdivision with twisting winding streets, I don't wait for the GPS to plot a twisting winding course back to where I should be. I make a U turn and go back 1/2 a block.