It took more than the GPS October 14, 2017, 07:14:57 am Killer GPS?It took more than the GPS to get in such a predicament. We happened to drive this road in May. It's not really bad, but it's not for passenger car tires. 1 Likes
Re: It took more than the GPS Reply #1 – October 14, 2017, 05:48:43 pm I've said this before, but it bears repeating. A GPS has neither good judgment nor bad judgment. It has NO judgment. GPS simply determines your Global Position - where you are on the planet. Most GPS units work with mapping software that takes your location information and, usually, the location information for your destination, then applies some computer algorithms to create a route for you to follow. That route will be based on data entered regarding roads. If you use your settings to avoid unpaved roads, you can usually avoid some screwy directions and routing, but you may occasionally want to travel a gravel road. Bottom line, the driver still has to exercise judgment, because a GPS cannot.Ken F in NM 2 Likes
Re: It took more than the GPS Reply #2 – October 14, 2017, 07:39:00 pm "Bottom line, the driver still has to exercise judgment, because a GPS cannot."----There are so many stories of people abdicating good sense and blindly following the instructions from a GPS; sometimes the result of over reliance on technology is a minor inconvenience, and sometimes it results in injury and/or death. Even after it becomes obvious that the 'directions' given by the GPS are leading the followers into potential disaster, quite a few people still bash on because the GPS says to! Are they in a trance? Is the disembodied voice so soothing and hypnotic that their brains go into meltdown? I've heard of instances and have also been a passenger in vehicles where the driver's attention was so focused on the screen and the voice that s/he was completely oblivious to his/her surroundings; in one case, the driver went round and through the same construction zone three times before coming to! That was the route the all-knowing GPS told him to take, so he did; three times. (He was reminded that the GPS was really not a sentient being.)I can see some use for a GPS (with updated software) when driving in an unfamiliar city or knowing which lane to be in to exit and a few other possible uses, but it's just a tool, not an excuse for not using good sense. 1 Likes
Re: It took more than the GPS Reply #3 – October 14, 2017, 07:58:17 pm Quote from: JCT - October 14, 2017, 07:39:00 pmI can see some use for a GPS (with updated software) when driving in an unfamiliar city or knowing which lane to be in to exit and a few other possible usesIf you'd try one on a trip for a few days, I think you'd be much more excited about them! We've been using them for over 10 years, and it's far better than we are at getting to our destination. The ability to find our way at night, when reading street names on street signs is nearly impossible makes it worth owning one. And having maps for the entire US and Canada in a box a little bigger than a deck of cards - priceless! 2 Likes
Re: It took more than the GPS Reply #4 – October 15, 2017, 07:05:46 am I could have titled this post Death By GPS. It is just one instance of people being careless. A GPS is not required to be careless.We have used Garmin since they were introduced. Their best use, for us, is to locate stores in cities.I normally use them for routing, but ONLY after checking the suggested route to paper maps. I often have to set waypoints to force a route I favor over the one suggested. We carry a Rand-McNally, state maps and Delorme/Benchmark maps for all states.We find the distance to next turn informative, both in towns out. How far the next turn is in a town is helpful for knowing how long I have to make a lane change.I know not to trust settings such as to avoid unpaved roads. I had an instance this year where the suggested route was 8 miles on a dusty unpaved road vs an extra 6 miles on paved. Shorter route/faster time setting can trump avoidance settings.I have posted here before about directions such as Make a U-turn on an Interstate, turn left into a canyon, take a shortcut down an alley, etc.They are helpful, but they need to be watched like a 3-year old. 1 Likes
Re: It took more than the GPS Reply #5 – October 15, 2017, 11:43:21 am We have many GPS stories.Three winters ago, while in Death Valley, we tried going over Hunter Mountain, from the north to south, but the snow was too deep. It was a genuine 4X4 attempt. Soon after turning around, a Subaru Outback pulled up, complete with a family of four . The driver asked how far away Panamint Springs was and how long would it take to get there. They were low of fuel and their GPS showed gas available at the Springs. When I told him the pass was closed, he still wanted to make a run at it, being needing fuel.I guess he finally figured out that if a built Jeep couldn't make it, they wouldn't either. Knowing they didn't have much fuel, I suggested they turn around and let us follow them out, just in case.We ended up following them all the way back to Stovepipe Wells, where they filled up, discovering they had less than a gallon left.It amazed me how anyone, in the winter, can take off down a dirt trail, family in tow, without extra food, clothing, fuel or any real idea where they are going, much less inquiring with local authorities as to the road conditions.Must be darwinism in action.Larry 2 Likes
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