My GPS screwed me today

Quote: ncfatcat

My favorite is "Turn Left" and there is a median there.

Twice I have been in Saint John, New Brunswick and had a GPS instruct me to turn left onto the road that was on the bridge 25 feet above my car. I didn't.

Some twelve wheeled trucks have been sent down a road and then across a bridge that is a pedestrian footbridge. In Utah some GPS instructions send two-wheel drive vehicles into sand or off cliffs or onto roads of dubious sense for those not equipped with survival gear. Some GPS units lose a precise understanding of where they are if their batteries get low. Many routes that are safe in Summer tend to be deserted in Winter but somehow a GPS unit may not know this. One GPS unit suggested a road be taken on which a noted Internet Techie perished the previous year when his vehicle got stuck in snow for several days.

I've heard of a GPS unit directing the driver to drive across the Atlantic Ocean but it was probably a joke.

Quote: FleaStiff

I've heard of a GPS unit directing the driver to drive across the Atlantic Ocean but it was probably a joke.

Google Maps used to do that. NYC to London included a step that was swimming for over 3,000 miles.

The one time I used a GPS was last Christmas as my girlfriend wanted to see all of the houses in town that had BIG Christmas lights displays. I was driving from one city to another and apparently ended up driving over a new overpass that had just been constructed. The view on the GPS was interesting as it showed my virtual vehicle "floating" over streets and it showed my speed as well over 100kph (I was only doing about 50).

On a side note, bringing my GPS to Vegas - and having it pre-loaded with my planned destinations as favorites - was one of the best decisions I made.

To avoid any problems, when pre-loading it, I compared the locations to Google Maps and verified the StreetView.

The only time the GPS "freaked out" was when I was at the traffic light on Flamingo, under the monorail. I was stopped at a red light, but the GPS thought I was still moving, and speeding up! Once I got out of the area, it corrected itself.


Interestingly, the in-flight magazine listed a GPS as an acceptable electronic device except during take-off and landing. I had my GPS in my carry-on, so I pulled it out to see where we were. After a minute or two of no signal, it asked me if I was in a building.

Quote: FleaStiff

Some twelve wheeled trucks have been sent down a road and then across a bridge that is a pedestrian footbridge. In Utah some GPS instructions send two-wheel drive vehicles into sand or off cliffs or onto roads of dubious sense for those not equipped with survival gear. Some GPS units lose a precise understanding of where they are if their batteries get low. Many routes that are safe in Summer tend to be deserted in Winter but somehow a GPS unit may not know this. One GPS unit suggested a road be taken on which a noted Internet Techie perished the previous year when his vehicle got stuck in snow for several days.

I've heard of a GPS unit directing the driver to drive across the Atlantic Ocean but it was probably a joke.

A couple from BC got stuck in Northern Nevada after following GPS directions. The husband went out to get help and has not been seen since. The wife was found barely alive 30 days later.

I use GPS when travelling around, but I like to have a map to back it up as well. And I'll go with the map over the GPS.... google maps on an ipad is a good way to navigate in most cases, plus I don't have to reprogram anything if we decide to take a detour, or want to know what that town over there is....

Most GPS units are not equipped to detect interference be it from other electronic devices or be it from intentionally spurious signals. You can mislead any GPS by simply broadcasting a locally powerful signal since so few units are rugged or programmed to be doubtful of jamming signals.

One Search And Rescue unit on a training mission discovered just how far "off" a position signal can be if the battery is low. It was the SAR team leader's own personal unit but it showed him almost two miles from where he actually was.

My GPS story... about 4 years ago my buddy brings his Garmin along as we are driving about 40 miles to a movie theater. It puts me on a toll road (strike one) and after about 10 miles tells me to exit. I pay the toll when I exit, maybe $1.50 or so, then it instructs me to continue straight...which puts me back on the fricking toll road.

Our joke was "Garmin...sponsored by the North Texas toll road commitee"

Quote: NicksGamingStuff

I had an interview at the Cosmopolitan today, their career center is off site on Badura Avenue. I put in the address on my phone which uses google maps. The GPS took me to a vacant field.

By now, I assume you know that the Career Center is on West Badura on the opposite side of South Decatur. It's one of those broken roads.

36° 3'52.61"N
115°12'37.06"W

I fail to see how in this day and age, they just don't post lat and long for directions along with street addresses. It's not like GPS and computer based maps are a brand new thing. It would save a lot of trouble.

I drive by that career center all the time, since it is on the way to my friend's condo here. Badura provides a useful shortcut to Warm Springs from the 215 exit. That whole area is new, including the underpass under the railroad tracks on Warm Springs. It is very hard to drive around the area since so many roads are unfinished. For example, to get to Blue Diamond and the Silverton which is due south, you have to drive north, then east to Decatur or Dean Martin, and then south again.