GPS Navigation System Warning!!

Submitted: Friday, May 30, 2008 at 14:59
ThreadID: 58179 Views:3520 Replies:8 FollowUps:13
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Heard a warning to motorists on the radio this morning about using GPS'.

The Radio station ( 3AW) warned people to be careful when using GPS navigation following the plight of family in a sedan who Ploted travel from Bright in Victoria to Packenham.

No not being distracted as you may expect.

The family followed the GPS which took them over several 4wd tracks and isolated country.

The GPS was obviously set for shortest route. For those not familiar with the area, a direct line would take you across some of Victoria's most rugged parts of the high country.

For God's sake how stupid are people. Surely they can figue out that you should not drive a car on 4wd tracks, even if your GPS tells you to.

About a month ago there was a similar case where a person drove down the as yet unopened Eastern Tollway. I wonder if the GPS directed them around the barriers and DO NOT ENTER signs.

The radio station must have had a bad news day.

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Reply By: Stephen M (NSW) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:21

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:21
Wouldn't surprise me. There was a case a few years ago over in USA where some one bought a Winni Bago (spelling) and set cruise control and decided to get up out of drivers seat and head back to the rear of the trailer, well you know the rest. Apparently he sued them and won because no where did it say you had to remain seated when actuating the cruise control. Is it true, I don't know, one of those things you here but wouldn't surprise me. Regards Steve M
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Follow Up By: Stephen M (NSW) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:22

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:22
Sorry should be hear not here. Regards Steve M
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Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:02

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:02
Urban Myth ...
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Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 17:00

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 17:00
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Follow Up By: Member - dieseltojo K (VIC) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 17:43

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 17:43
I thought Cruise Control was only for going up the well known creek.Come to think of it my truck didn't come with paddles either.
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:04

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:04
That urban myth has been told in so many different ways including an American tourist going up the Bruce its not even funny anymore.
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Follow Up By: Boobook2 - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:55

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:55
This one aint a urban myth. Vic Police even did a press release.

here is one of many articles

News Ltd Story
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:37

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:37
Boobook

I think they were taking Stephen down - not you.

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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:41

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:41
There is a lesson in this for the driver!!! Buy a 4x4!!!
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Reply By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:48

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:48
Those who engineer something to be foolproof underestimate the enginuity of the common fool
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Reply By: Member - Serg (VIC) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:50

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:50
You got a point. Sort of. But I would consider using GPS navigation system only in city – outside I would rather study map and use GPS for mere figuring out my coordinates. I am a computer engineer, yet GPS managed drive me onto unsealed road when I was cruising in Tasmania. It was dark outside and it was very difficult to see where it leads up until it became too late. Thankfully I was on 4WD, otherwise I would be forced to go 2 hr back, because there was no way to cross those creek in sedan! From another hand GPS was annoyingly try to convince me that costal way from Hobart to Launceston is faster and shorter then overland one. Despite each and every sign shows that it is shorter overland. Sure, one can argue that maps need to be updated, GPS need to be properly set etc etc. But what the heck? 20 y.o. paper map is good enough while 1 y.o.GPS need to be updated?!? Thanks, I would rather use trusted way.
Also recently GPS fails to find out way from Sydney CBD to Hume Highway and I been force to stop and study map. In my strong opinion those gizmos only good enough to fiddle around city where one has nothing to lose.

Cheers
Serg
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Follow Up By: DesF - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:22

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:22
Hi, I was wondering what brand of GPS you had ?. all the ones I have seen either give you the " Shortest Route" or the "Fastest route".
when I was in Perth last Aug it caused a few incar
" discussions"?? , untill we realised the quickest way's were usually the longest.( freeway's etc).
But as you say always check the map as well, but they are great for city driving in a new town. ( voice insructions)
Cheers Des.
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Follow Up By: Member - Serg (VIC) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:33

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:33
Navman. But it does not matter. They *ONLY* good to get (finally!) to destination in new and very hostile city like Sydney. Or if road blocked and you have to find out way through small local streets. Outside cities and in my home city I will outsmart any GPS.

Cheers
Serg
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Reply By: Member - Toolman (VIC) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:40

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:40
I heard the interview with the person in question (on the ABC). Quite frankly in my opinion, he was the problem and not the GPS. Actually the term "GPS" is a misnomer as this was an in car navigation system. Based on what I heard I would suggest he would be just as dangerous with a paper map.

I do however think it is fair enough to warn people about the dangers of relying on such devices if the user is less than knowledgable about the product.
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Follow Up By: Boobook2 - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:48

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:48
Yes I heard, the Local Police and the wife interviewed later in the day. They took a sedan down the Buckland Valley Road and got stuck on rocks at above 1000m on Tea Tree Track for those that know it ( not exactly the Hume Freeway). The Policeman who was interviewed said that it was an area that experienced 4wders with well equiped vehicles find a challange. The sedan had to be towed out by 4wd and had sustained damage.

Unbelievable....

Ahhhhh somewhere along that track you would have to think something was wrong with the rocks hitting the bottom of the car. Unless of course you were from India, then you might think you were on a freeway. Or Perhaps you are a Melbourne Taxi Driver from India, in which case you would never ever realise you were going the wrong way.
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Reply By: DIO - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 18:17

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 18:17
Most people would agree that simple, basic 'everyday' commonsense is required to drive a vehicle on our roads, HOWEVER obvioously no such commonsense is required to operate GPS. Next thing some idiots will be calling for them to be banned because too many people are getting lost !!!!!!
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Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Kath - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 18:20

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 18:20
Boobook, I remember the overnight trip we were doing from Port Augutta to home, I put in to do the shortest distance to home. I was expected to go down fire traills in the hills East of Adelaide until I found gates to open. I learnt my lesson to go the quickest route after that. I even had to go through Outback Apsley in Victoria, where I had never ventured without the relevant passes before.
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:12

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:12
If you read the instructions carefully ( if at all) you will see that you can use addresses as waypoints and follow the track to where you want to go. I live outside of Brisbane and dont know my way around the city at all well.
What I do is get the refidex out the night before going to an unfamiliar place and plot a route(under advanced planning or similar) and then just follow it.
No problems, saves stopping enroute to check where you should be.
Just use the main routes and dont have any trouble. Sometimes I only use it for a part of the journey and turn it on when I get to the unfamiliar bit and usually get there OK.
It will always recalculate the route even if you are lost, I find.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Kath - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:55

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 19:55
Graham! Read the instructions? The problem was that I changed the instructions to "Shortest Route" when I shouldn't have. LOL Wish it was daylight for the change of views but it was kangaroo time - after dark. Fun, and the hoppers managed to avoid tyres and bar fortunately.
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 20:40

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 20:40
Wasn't meaning you or anyone in particular but was pointing to a way of avoiding the above. Most people seem only to read instructions when all else has failed. Me included sometimes.

Sometimes the quickest route isn't always that either. Have wound the wheel innumerable times going through back streets when it wasn't really any quicker than the long way around
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Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:03

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:03
Off topic but in a similar vein of maybe an Urban myth.

From Computer help desk files

Lady I cant see the picture on my monitor
HD have u checked the connections etc.
Lady I cant see where they are.
HD Have you turned the light on
Lady no
HD well do so
Lady it wont go
HD Why
Lady cos we are having a power cut
HD Have u got all the boxes your computer came in
Lady Yes why
HD Well the computer has a serious problem so you should
pack it up and take it back to where you bought it.
Lady What sould I say is wrong with it
HD Tell them you are too +*++** stupid to own one.

And after 10 years of repairing the things I dont doubt it for a minute.
AnswerID: 306825

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