GPS Nüvi Blog

Maybe it’s a problem with people buying lower-end GPS devices. Maybe it’s the GPS’s inability to take the width or steepness (or condition of paving) of a road into account. Maybe it’s large portions of consumer brains continuing to die off as they doggedly pursue technological aids where they once needed none.

Whatever it is, the problem of drivers getting lost, stuck or otherwise causing problems for themselves and others have actually, according to a recent, hilarious article at news.com.au, led police to plead with the public to just cut it out already with the GPSs.

With an alarming regularity, drivers are faithfully — happily, confidently, cheerfully we’d even bet — following their GPSs where they are told and ending up lost or worse. Each turn prompt is a unerring command from a digital god — after all, serious cartographers and computer technicians, scientists, are behind the technology, and they certainly know what they’re doing, right?

Maybe they do, but the genius that goes into the creation of such a marvel does not mean it is infallible (yet), and it certainly doesn’t speak to the intelligence of the users of the gadgets, who drive family sedans onto 4-wheel tracks in the forest, get their compact cars stuck on steep hillsides, and burn twice the necessary gas as their GPS fails to notice the huge intersection it is passing and sends the driver on a circuitous route that would make Edward Tolman proud.

When this blog first reported on a specific such case (the infamous computer geek driving into 60-mph oncoming train story), we were already late to the party. This has been going on for some time. A new gizmo is always incomplete at first (recall that the first home computer, the Altair 8800, literally did nothing, but it was a start).

But even with that modern truism, is doesn’t excuse people from exercising basic common sense. It seems that the epidemic of drivers getting lost and having no idea about how their hometowns are laid out has risen at the same time as the rise in popularity of GPS devices themselves. It’s amazing how people are willing to sacrifice their own intelligence and independence just to make coroprations feel better about their shoddy products.

So, although Australian police may be fed up enough to tell drivers the hell with GPS, just get a map like we used to, we try to take a more understanding, progressive stance: get a GPS, pick a good company whose maps are trustworthy (Garmin and TomTom should be fine), but keep your skills honed. Try to get somewhere without it at first, and only use it if you need it.

And if your GPS tells you to drive down a set of railroad tracks, or into a pond, or down the Courthouse steps, don’t call police when you get stuck. Instead, climb out of your car and use the moonlight to forage for berries and make a lean-to to sleep in until morning. It will be difficult, but you will benefit from the rugged, outdoor qualities you’ll develop. God knows you need it, you suburban pansy.

All pictures in this article were actually caused by drivers following their GPS where they shouldn’ta (click to enlarge). And if you think you need it, may we suggest printing some out and taping them to your dashboard as a reminder to not take your GPS so seriously.

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