The hazards of GPS in some locales...

[Quantos]

Here's the full story.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-10/apple-maps-strands-motorists-looking-for-mildura/4418400

[patio]

Even Lewis and Clark were smart enough to hire guides for their expeditions...

[truenorth]

I am one of those rare males that has absolutely no hesitation in asking for directions in unfamiliar territory.However with the advent of the GPS hardware i find that an almost nonexistent requirement now. From experience i have learned that it is a must to have a paper map as well. The number of times we have had to ignore the dogmatic insistence of the verbal instructions of the GPS unit to follow it's instructions are innumerable. I totally agree with the thrust of the article they could be dangerous in certain situations. However having said that i wouldn't be without one now.truenorth

[DaveLembke]

There are those who are ready to follow the GPS in their car to the ends of the earth - literally.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/23/nation/la-na-nn-whittier-harbor-alaska-20120823

I still find it interesting that some people put so much trust in them that they will follow the directions into bad situations vs using their own common sense to rule out whats correct from obviously bad information to follow. As your initial post the driver unfamiliar with the area would end up stranded. I find it crazy that so many should weigh what is correct from incorrect information and dont. Heard about this guy a short while back and others before him of people driving into ocean water/lakes/ponds, off roads were no roads are located into trees etc, into guard rails due to offset between exit ramp and GPS 'glitched' location, wrong way down 1 way streets, down railroad tracks, etc.

I borrowed a GPS from a family member on the last trip to Boston and at one point it wanted us to turn down a 1 way street the wrong way. Seeing the signs and cars, I quickly assessed to drive up 1 block and turn the correct direction down the next 1 way which would send me in the correct direction to the destination. Then on the way back the GPS lead us into a construction area in which their were detours and the GPS was all confused. just had to follow the detour signs whenever visible in a car with vans/trucks in way of signs and make quick turns or miss the detour signs and turn around and try again. * Would be nice if there was a central database where construction etc was communicated to so that the GPS would follow the detour route when signs were not in view in a low to ground car among SUV's/vans/trucks all around you.

[BC_Programmer]

I still find it interesting that some people put so much trust in them that they will follow the directions into bad situations vs using their own common sense to rule out whats correct from obviously bad information to follow.

In this case there is nothing "obviously" wrong. The only time a person would know there is something wrong is if they had been there before, in which case they very well might not be using the GPS to begin with.

I find it crazy that so many should weigh what is correct from incorrect information and dont.

What they should have been seeing was a dusty plain. What they were really seeing was obviously a completely different dusty plain. Should that have clued them in?

Heard about this guy a short while back and others before him of people driving into ocean water/lakes/ponds, off roads were no roads are located into trees etc, into guard rails due to offset between exit ramp and GPS 'glitched' location, wrong way down 1 way streets, down railroad tracks, etc.

Completely unrelated. That's being stupid. Obviously you aren't going to want to drive into a river or lake. But when the difference between the correct route and the incorrect route is not something a person unfamiliar with the area is going to notice, what details are they supposed to be going by?

I borrowed a GPS from a family member on the last trip to Boston and at one point it wanted us to turn down a 1 way street the wrong way. Seeing the signs and cars, I quickly assessed to drive up 1 block and turn the correct direction down the next 1 way which would send me in the correct direction to the destination. Then on the way back the GPS lead us into a construction area in which their were detours and the GPS was all confused. just had to follow the detour signs whenever visible in a car with vans/trucks in way of signs and make quick turns or miss the detour signs and turn around and try again. *

This is also completely unrelated to the posted article's GPS. the GPS was sending them to the completely wrong place and there was absolutely nothing obviously wrong.

Would be nice if there was a central database where construction etc was communicated to so that the GPS would follow the detour route when signs were not in view in a low to ground car among SUV's/vans/trucks all around you.

You should be watching the road and signs, not the GPS, if you are driving. In which case I don't see how you could possibly miss such signs.

[DaveLembke]

Quote
Would be nice if there was a central database where construction etc was communicated to so that the GPS would follow the detour route when signs were not in view in a low to ground car among SUV's/vans/trucks all around you.

You should be watching the road and signs, not the GPS, if you are driving. In which case I don't see how you could possibly miss such signs.

*Guessing you dont have a 2 door sports car low to the ground like myself or have one and never been boxed in, in traffic in an unfamilar area with a GPS and detours. No Signs in view when boxed in with a tractor trailer in front of you and a van on your left and a SUV Yukon on your right and you are in the middle lane and need to make a turn at some point, but dont know until you get to the intersection the truck pulls away and the sign comes into view, and have to make a split second decision to make someone mad by turning left or right ( 2 vehicles ) going for the same turn, when you should be going straight in the middle lane or miss the turn and hope to do a U turn ahead and come back to it. 

Agree with your other posts that they dont fit the poor people in the initial post who had no clue they were being brought a totally wrong route. Just thought people might find it interesting the other glitches the GPS's have been responsible for that have caused issues in relation to ( The hazards of GPS in some locales) subject. Some of them stupid on the part of a driver trusting them to turn right when the GPS states it and should be watching road etc.