GPS works better with common sense

Saturday November 03rd 2007
Filed Under GPS, Offbeat 

The Engadget blog has a collection of stories about drivers who put more stock into the directions given by their GPS car navigation systems than the signage on the roads around them.  The latest post involves a truck driver who refused to believe that an ever narrowing lane wouldn’t accomodate his vehicle.   Rather than call for tow service and pay the weekend rates, the driver camped out and used the good samaritan services of nearby neighbors to tide him over the weekend.  Stories abound of drivers insisting on driving through water bodies, road construction, onto train tracks,  and other seemingly obvious “do not continue” warning signs.  The problem is so bad that various towns are trying out signage to warn drivers not to follow their car navigation directions.  

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    Comments

    2 Responses to “GPS works better with common sense”

    1. Top Causes of Errors in Online Mapping Systems : GIS Lounge - Geographic Information Systems on April 8th, 2008 3:48 pm

      [...] online mapping and GPS navigation systems can send travelers off on the wrong route sometimes with comical but sadly, sometimes deadly results.  Having been burned by trusting online driving directions [...]

    2. GPS Not Welcomed Here : GIS Lounge - Geographic Information Systems on April 11th, 2008 2:59 pm

      [...] British towns, up in arms over repeatedly experiencing trucks getting stuck on roads too narrow to accomodate them, are moving toward the drastic step of asking companies that supply mapping [...]

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