Driver follows navigation system right to edge of 100 ft drop

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by MadisonMPG

You take the stupid out of the directions, i.e. if you see there's a problem, change your course. Make it "fastest" "least traffic" "shortest" or alter its path.

I think you missed the point, which is that the stupid is built into the directions that Google &c gives. Now if I knew enough about the route to "take the stupid out", I wouldn't need the on-line directions, would I? (As in fact I didn't: I looked them up for amusement.)

Now of course anyone with a decent road map could see that my alternate route is better than the one Google gives, but the point of these navigation things is that they're supposed to make road maps unnecessary.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I think you missed the point, which is that the stupid is built into the directions that Google &c gives. Now if I knew enough about the route to "take the stupid out", I wouldn't need the on-line directions, would I? (As in fact I didn't: I looked them up for amusement.)

Now of course anyone with a decent road map could see that my alternate route is better than the one Google gives, but the point of these navigation things is that they're supposed to make road maps unnecessary.

Google isn't God - it's fallible.

You can manually drag the line to make a new route after searching for your directions, and it will approximate the miles and time as well.

You probably didn't check out the options in the box, either. You can avoid highways, in which case it will take you everywhere possible to a road that is close and not more than 2 lanes.

On top of all that, you got an anomaly, wherein you found a set of directions that isn't optimal, or even ideal for your circumstances. Given the size of Google as an enterprise, and the amount of people who use Google Maps, I doubt they've all seen that same effect. By and Large, Google Maps is a reliable source for route information, and it's updated constantly, to account for instances like your own.

[Chuck.]

Originally Posted by Christ

Google isn't God - it's fallible.

Exactly.

Hard copy maps were never 100% either.

Exercise a little common sense to occasionally question the GPS, esp in new neighborhoods.

The more likely thing to happen is being so distracted a fender bender happens.

One thing that happend to me on my 1st gen GPS is if you miss a turn, I need to pull over at least 45 seconds while it recalculates or else I'll blow turns again and again.

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I think you missed the point, which is that the stupid is built into the directions that Google &c gives.

Pretty sure I didn't.

[basslover911]

"...was driving home after staying the night with friends..."

Do you REALLY think that he was all there that morning... if you know what I mean (partying the night before... etc etc etc).

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Christ

Google isn't God - it's fallible.

Yes, indeed. And wasn't that exactly my point, that these navigation systems sometimes, perhaps often, make some pretty bad choices? And that people who blindly follow the computer-generated directions can wind up going miles out of their way (with consequent waste of fuel & time), or, as in the original post, down the side of a hill on a farm track.

[dcb]

lol, blindly follow, infallible, funny stuff

First thing I thought of was the darwin awards, but he walked away it seems.

[JacobAziza]

The new Prius turns the wheel for you if you leave your lane.

How long until they combine it with GPS?
People will hit the cruise control and take a nap.

I think the best possible safety feature would be a big steel spike in the middle of the steering wheel, facing the driver.

Then drivers would pay attention.

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

The new Prius turns the wheel for you if you leave your lane.

How long until they combine it with GPS?
People will hit the cruise control and take a nap.

I think the best possible safety feature would be a big steel spike in the middle of the steering wheel, facing the driver.

Then drivers would pay attention.

That may be a bit much.

[dcb]

I was thinking along similiar lines, if drivers had a bottle of nitroglycerine strapped to their heads it might improve driving habits.