Your car hit a train? My GPS made me do it.

[ericsp]

When I read the article in the newspaper, I envisioned Flip Wilson saying, "The GPS made me do it." After reading the article, I was left with a question. Was he driving with his eyes closed?

[Anonymous]

well at least he had sense enough to get outa the car

[kevarc]

I use Google maps on my Blackberry.  I travel a lot now with my job.  I NEVER trust their directions.  Jeez. Try going from the Airport in Philly to Pottstown.  I wanted me to get off the interstate and go down a bunch of 2 laned roads over hill and dale.  The Map itself got me there.  And with the new software, it will tell you where you are at.  My 8700 does not have GPS, so it must be working of signal towers.  Right now, in Honolulu it tell me I am within 1700 meters, I am actually about half that from where it shows me.  When I did it at home, it had me on the other side of the interstate. 

[spokyone]

I use a moderately priced handheld GPS. I learned a long time ago not to trust it for directions in large cities with interstate cloverleaf. Washington DC comes to mind. Of course MapQuest has mistakes in their database also. When planning my route at home, Google Earth and my map software alert me to interesting RR junctions and bridges as well as non RR attractions. It is easy to transfer waypoints to the unit and then find the little dirt road that takes me to the waypoint. I tried the DeLorme maps before, but I like my current system better. And as a bonus, GPS sure makes it easy to find my truck in the airport parking lot.

[Krazykat112079]

And, as I've mentioned before, I've heard that some truck drivers use their GPS for guidance while driving in less-than-optimum conditions (snow, fog).  IIRC, the impression I got was that they essentially couldn't see the end of their hood, but forged ahead anyhow, based on the display of their GPS.

I would not be surprised to hear this be one of the major causes of the huge pile-up near Madison, WI on the fog choked stretch of I90.  One of the witness accounts say that everyone was slowing down and a truck came up from behind and began plowing through everything.

[richg1998]

http://thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/NEWS01/801030409

As if we haven't heard enough exscuses for car v. train incidents, this is a new one.  I guess you really shouldn't take that friendly GPS voice at its word, right?

On a more positive note, the driver will be held liable for the damage caused because of his inability to think for himself.

 

You cannot fix stupid. Ron White says this a lot.

 

Rich

[csmith9474]

I use a moderately priced handheld GPS. I learned a long time ago not to trust it for directions in large cities with interstate cloverleaf. Washington DC comes to mind. Of course MapQuest has mistakes in their database also. When planning my route at home, Google Earth and my map software alert me to interesting RR junctions and bridges as well as non RR attractions. It is easy to transfer waypoints to the unit and then find the little dirt road that takes me to the waypoint. I tried the DeLorme maps before, but I like my current system better. And as a bonus, GPS sure makes it easy to find my truck in the airport parking lot.

I don't trust Mapquest at all. It is alright for a general idea of what route to take, but after finding out that it sent me almost an hour out of the way once, I just assume compare everything against a map.

[SchemerBob]

This reminds me of that woman who drove onto the tracks in front of the Amtrak Crescent last year. It was caught on tape by a cop who saw what happened from a nearby road and got her out of the car just in time. From what I remember, she did the same thing - turned right on to the railroad tracks. In this case, though, it wasn't GPS related, instead it was - suprise, suprise - talking on the cell phone while driving.

As for GPS, I think it is completely unnecessary. All you really need to do to get somewhere is to look at a road map. Is that so hard? There are route signs on highways, you know. Then if you can't find your way in a town/city you can ask for directions from a local.

As has been stated earlier, computers are only as smart as the people who make them. But my guess as to what happened in this case is that the GPS receiver was telling the guy to turn on a road that was just across the tracks. I would expect that it would give you a little warning before saying "turn left" "turn right". The problem here is people depend on electronics too much. Electronics are meant to be used as tools, not as a replacement to your brains.

[tree68]

Properly used, a GPS can be a great tool for those who truly need it.  I'm not sure I want some guy driving down the road with a map unfolded in his lap (as you know they would - who wants to pull over to the side of the road?).

The key, of course, is "used properly."  I used my GPS somewhat on my way to the Richmond (VA) airport last fall.  Signage wasn't as helpful as it could have been, and trying to get lined up in the proper lane was important, so I verified how far it was to what I was looking for once or twice.

The folks to take the instructions from their GPS and act on them without further investigation deserve exactly what they get.

Then there's the commercial with the guy who's talking to his wife on the cellphone when the sexy female voice announces that he's arrived someplace he maybe shouldn't have been...

[vsmith]

 THIS IS THE VOICE OF GARMIN THE OMNIPOTENT! TURN DUMMY TURN!

stupid driver is as stupid driver does what even stupider computer voice tells it to do....

Also...

This reminds me of a story that a pilot friend told me.  He had a buddy, also a pilot, who was from Europe and never owned a car, using public transportation all the time.  He decided to tour the US by renting an RV and driving across country.  After going into the back to make a sandwich, he was rudely introduced to the fact that cruise control is not the same as autopilot as the RV rolled off the highway and off into a field.

Nice one, Urban Legend though, old one, many varients, this ones an interesting version, usually involves driving off cliff. BTW seen the movie "The Darwin Awards"? This story has a very promenent part in it.

[vsmith]

Somebody please take the techno-lemming's driving priviledges away and make him start over again - before he kills somebody. (won't happen, this is "normal" for California)

Sigh   -  I remember when California drivers were much more competent than the current crop 'blessed' by the DMV. That was back in the days when the "average" driver would get a ticket every 18 months (figure derived from the number of tickets written per year was 2/3rds the number of drivers).

Reminds me of a comment about the first accident between a Blue Line train and a car in Long Beach. The driver claimed he saw the train but didn't believe it - provoking a comment from the friend telling the story "Is it normal for you to have hallucinations while driving?" 

Driver competency in California today depends which brand of cereal box they get there license from. Sad to say I see absolutly horrid drivers on a daily basis. What really cracks me up about this story is that the guys a freakin computer programmer, not a low IQ fry cook job in any way shape or form. Worst are either giant SUV drivers who think their cars make them omnipotent, or luxury sedan driver jawflapping on their cellphones while writing notes and reading a document as they sail down the road at 80mph.

[Krazykat112079]

This reminds me of a story that a pilot friend told me.  He had a buddy, also a pilot, who was from Europe and never owned a car, using public transportation all the time.  He decided to tour the US by renting an RV and driving across country.  After going into the back to make a sandwich, he was rudely introduced to the fact that cruise control is not the same as autopilot as the RV rolled off the highway and off into a field.

Nice one, Urban Legend though, old one, many varients, this ones an interesting version, usually involves driving off cliff. BTW seen the movie "The Darwin Awards"? This story has a very promenent part in it.

The answer is no and until I recieved the first of many responses to it in this thread, I fully believed it.  In my defense, the man that told it to me was an important person in my high school years.  He was one of my church youth group leaders who, among many things, taught me how to drive stick and took me out water skiing on his own time after I had hurt myself on a mission trip and was unable to ski with everyone else.  I had no reason to doubt his story until this thread.

[Semper Vaporo]

...
As for GPS, I think it is completely unnecessary. All you really need to do to get somewhere is to look at a road map. Is that so hard? There are route signs on highways, you know. Then if you can't find your way in a town/city you can ask for directions from a local.
...

OH DEAR!  You obviously didn't get the memo...

MEN DO NOT ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!

Paper maps are only allowed in two circumstances.

First, if the man made the map himself.  In that instance refering to the map is just the man verifying his own work.

Second, use of a map is allowed if the only other recourse is to ask for directions.  It is best that nobody see it occur, except when there is an overwhelming need to get the spouse off'n yer back.

Use of GPS is a great solution when the inate masculine "Dead-Reckoning" neurons are impaired for some reason, causing one to have to stoop so low as to "need" a map; BUT! Because you are using a computer, it shows a certain masculine techno-savvy that masks the use of the map and makes it okay.

 

[vsmith]

This reminds me of a story that a pilot friend told me.  He had a buddy, also a pilot, who was from Europe and never owned a car, using public transportation all the time.  He decided to tour the US by renting an RV and driving across country.  After going into the back to make a sandwich, he was rudely introduced to the fact that cruise control is not the same as autopilot as the RV rolled off the highway and off into a field.

Nice one, Urban Legend though, old one, many varients, this ones an interesting version, usually involves driving off cliff. BTW seen the movie "The Darwin Awards"? This story has a very promenent part in it.

The answer is no and until I recieved the first of many responses to it in this thread, I fully believed it.  In my defense, the man that told it to me was an important person in my high school years.  He was one of my church youth group leaders who, among many things, taught me how to drive stick and took me out water skiing on his own time after I had hurt myself on a mission trip and was unable to ski with everyone else.  I had no reason to doubt his story until this thread.

Dont feel bad, I was thourgholy bummed out when I found that some of my favorite stories turned out to be Urban Legends. Whenever someone tells you its a freind of a friend sort of story, thats when ya go OK, maybe...Always remember, before the advent of the internet, very few people were aware that most of these stories were aprocryphil. In fact it wasnt until author Jan Brunevand started cataloging these stories and publishing them, that people started to realize just how many of these thier were...

Oh and the stories that were bogus? ...the JATO Chevy Imapla (guy straps JATO rocket to car, fires it off, goes 300mph and hits mountain), and the Human Polaris missle (guy tries to kill animal in angled drain culvert by pouring gas down it, then proceeds to claim his prize by crawling down gets stuck, cant see, so lights match, and FOOM! Human Polaris launched out of drain pipe)

[spokyone]

...
As for GPS, I think it is completely unnecessary. All you really need to do to get somewhere is to look at a road map. Is that so hard? There are route signs on highways, you know. Then if you can't find your way in a town/city you can ask for directions from a local.
...

OH DEAR!  You obviously didn't get the memo...

MEN DO NOT ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!

Paper maps are only allowed in two circumstances.

First, if the man made the map himself.  In that instance refering to the map is just the man verifying his own work.

Second, use of a map is allowed if the only other recourse is to ask for directions.  It is best that nobody see it occur, except when there is an overwhelming need to get the spouse off'n yer back.

Use of GPS is a great solution when the inate masculine "Dead-Reckoning" neurons are impaired for some reason, causing one to have to stoop so low as to "need" a map; BUT! Because you are using a computer, it shows a certain masculine techno-savvy that masks the use of the map and makes it okay.