Update, maybe. But you have to use some measure of caution. My GPS has twice taken me to what I would characterize as low water crossings that may have been functional at one time. One looked passable but the other looked to be at least thigh deep at the designated crossing point. In heavy rains, either one would have been a disaster. Neither passing was marked as a hazard.
For me to get to the Scottsville Road, my GPS had me go down some little (barely) paved road with a creek to ford. I found it easier, faster and safer to drive another 5 miles down my road and take Tuck Road over to Hwy 10.
I've found that truck drivers that get lost in the boonies are less trusting of a local with intimate knowledge of the area that stops to offer help (that would be me) than they are of the GPS unit that got them screwed up to begin with. That's why I've quit stopping to help. Your gizmo got you lost, let your gizmo get you home again.
It happened about 70 miles from me. From I'm hearing the bridge washed out years ago on a "private" road and a barrier was placed, but over the years the barrier wasn't mitained an it was mostly gone. Since it's a private road the town, county and state are disavowing any responsibility for the incident. A day later a truck was seen dropping off a large concrete barrier.
Google apparently updates their algorithm on some frequency and it constantly tries to give alternate routes that save me 3 minutes of travel time (on a 4 hr trip!). Problem is those alternate routes are complete trash, dirt roads, dead ends, low water crossing, etc. I keep trying to change the settings so it won't alter the route once I review it and press start, yet those settings never seem to help. I'd rather stay on major highways and common traffic routes, yet it keeps insisting on switching to alternate routes anytime it senses a little bit of traffic delay ahead. I'm about ready to go back to paper maps and hand-written instructions.
Some idiots will follow the gps regardless of what their eyes are showing them. Case in point: Was doing some trimming down by the highway one morning. Noticed a BMW slow rolling down the road, and then pulling into my neighbor's drive. He sat there a few minutes then headed on up the road. Moments later he drove by again. After the third (or so) pass he finally pulled in my drive and a late 50-ish male driver got out. He says he's looking for (insert the name of a local tourist/recreation spot which happens to be several miles from where we were standing). I pointed in the direction of the mountain and said, 'there it is.' He says, 'yeah, I can see it, but my gps is telling me to turn in here.'
Waze tracks ALL their users to a common cloud, that is how it detects traffic. It will also send you haring off into the hinderlands to save 30 seconds on the route with no way to set a sensitivity (only reroute if I save 5 minute or more).
I swear I've been the manned probe checking if an alternate route is clear at least once over the years. Pulled off the freeway, drove a while, and pulled on to the freeway again and ended up next to the same veterinarian's SUV I was next to when I left.
I'll use it for work but not for my private movements.
My late 70's uncle hopped in a rental car at SEATAC in the evening instead of just renting a room for the night. Headed to Eastern WA using some GPS device or app it took him up by Mt Ranier and he ended up on a dark two lane road in the middle of the night instead of a brightly lit interstate where he hit a deer. Fortunate to not be hurt and able to drive the car after the collision, but unable to describe where he was it took hours to get down to somewhere he could exchange the car for one with an intact windshield.
I have been directed to follow washed out, abandoned logging roads and goat paths more than once using GPS equipment. It can be an entertaining story if one has the good sense to refuse the directions and look around for a more sensible route.
I have also found routes that were quicker and safer than the ones I had expected to use.
The map is not the territory. It always pays to be observant.
Like a dumbass I pay taxes. The upside is they put huge green signs up telling me where I am & little colored ones telling me which way I’m going and on what road. I’m also an old guy & know how to read a map. The only time I use GPS is in my boat when it’s so foggy I can’t see to naviguess.
It's not the routing of you to crappy roads that bothers me so much as routing you to/through the section of town that has a Martin Luther King Avenue/Street/Boulevard. "Windows up doors locked, weapons free."
I found this pretty sad. As stated the bridge had washed out years before and all barriers were gone. Guy is driving at night in the rain and the next thing he knows and the last thing he knows is he's airborne.
No, it doesn't seem so. GPS systems only know there is a road and nothing else about it. Whether it's public or private, gated or not, usable or not, nothing.
The problem is people feeling the machine does know all that and more, and doing what it tells them to do blindly.
Are they wanting to nominate him for a Darwin Award?
ReplyDeleteUpdate, maybe. But you have to use some measure of caution. My GPS has twice taken me to what I would characterize as low water crossings that may have been functional at one time. One looked passable but the other looked to be at least thigh deep at the designated crossing point. In heavy rains, either one would have been a disaster. Neither passing was marked as a hazard.
ReplyDeleteFor me to get to the Scottsville Road, my GPS had me go down some little (barely) paved road with a creek to ford. I found it easier, faster and safer to drive another 5 miles down my road and take Tuck Road over to Hwy 10.
ReplyDeleteI've found that truck drivers that get lost in the boonies are less trusting of a local with intimate knowledge of the area that stops to offer help (that would be me) than they are of the GPS unit that got them screwed up to begin with.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I've quit stopping to help. Your gizmo got you lost, let your gizmo get you home again.
It happened about 70 miles from me. From I'm hearing the bridge washed out years ago on a "private" road and a barrier was placed, but over the years the barrier wasn't mitained an it was mostly gone. Since it's a private road the town, county and state are disavowing any responsibility for the incident. A day later a truck was seen dropping off a large concrete barrier.
ReplyDeleteGPS only gives Point-to-,point directions. Maps give you in-depth knowledge of the surrounding area.
ReplyDeleteGoogle apparently updates their algorithm on some frequency and it constantly tries to give alternate routes that save me 3 minutes of travel time (on a 4 hr trip!). Problem is those alternate routes are complete trash, dirt roads, dead ends, low water crossing, etc. I keep trying to change the settings so it won't alter the route once I review it and press start, yet those settings never seem to help. I'd rather stay on major highways and common traffic routes, yet it keeps insisting on switching to alternate routes anytime it senses a little bit of traffic delay ahead. I'm about ready to go back to paper maps and hand-written instructions.
ReplyDeleteSome idiots will follow the gps regardless of what their eyes are showing them. Case in point: Was doing some trimming down by the highway one morning. Noticed a BMW slow rolling down the road, and then pulling into my neighbor's drive. He sat there a few minutes then headed on up the road. Moments later he drove by again. After the third (or so) pass he finally pulled in my drive and a late 50-ish male driver got out. He says he's looking for (insert the name of a local tourist/recreation spot which happens to be several miles from where we were standing). I pointed in the direction of the mountain and said, 'there it is.' He says, 'yeah, I can see it, but my gps is telling me to turn in here.'
ReplyDeleteWaze....free and easy....
ReplyDeletegives the (quickest/toll free/etc) route with timely updates....
Try it....you’ll like it.
Ed357
Waze tracks ALL their users to a common cloud, that is how it detects traffic. It will also send you haring off into the hinderlands to save 30 seconds on the route with no way to set a sensitivity (only reroute if I save 5 minute or more).
DeleteI swear I've been the manned probe checking if an alternate route is clear at least once over the years. Pulled off the freeway, drove a while, and pulled on to the freeway again and ended up next to the same veterinarian's SUV I was next to when I left.
I'll use it for work but not for my private movements.
My late 70's uncle hopped in a rental car at SEATAC in the evening instead of just renting a room for the night. Headed to Eastern WA using some GPS device or app it took him up by Mt Ranier and he ended up on a dark two lane road in the middle of the night instead of a brightly lit interstate where he hit a deer. Fortunate to not be hurt and able to drive the car after the collision, but unable to describe where he was it took hours to get down to somewhere he could exchange the car for one with an intact windshield.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I-90 definitely doesn't go to Mt. Rainier. Sounds like he went to Enumclaw. Of course it could have been Orting.
DeleteEvil Franklin
I have been directed to follow washed out, abandoned logging roads and goat paths more than once using GPS equipment. It can be an entertaining story if one has the good sense to refuse the directions and look around for a more sensible route.
ReplyDeleteI have also found routes that were quicker and safer than the ones I had expected to use.
The map is not the territory. It always pays to be observant.
Like a dumbass I pay taxes. The upside is they put huge green signs up telling me where I am & little colored ones telling me which way I’m going and on what road. I’m also an old guy & know how to read a map. The only time I use GPS is in my boat when it’s so foggy I can’t see to naviguess.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the routing of you to crappy roads that bothers me so much as routing you to/through the section of town that has a Martin Luther King Avenue/Street/Boulevard.
ReplyDelete"Windows up doors locked, weapons free."
Avoid MLK should be a default selection under map options.
DeleteI found this pretty sad. As stated the bridge had washed out years before and all barriers were gone. Guy is driving at night in the rain and the next thing he knows and the last thing he knows is he's airborne.
ReplyDelete1) Why is the GPS directing him to a private road?
ReplyDelete2) Was the GPS bought after the bridge had washed out?
It seems the maker of the GPS is liable.
No, it doesn't seem so. GPS systems only know there is a road and nothing else about it. Whether it's public or private, gated or not, usable or not, nothing.
DeleteThe problem is people feeling the machine does know all that and more, and doing what it tells them to do blindly.