Near disaster with GPS instructions

As one cannot legislate for idiots neither should they be allowed to drive BMW'S.

Any one who drives down a footpath because a GPS said so deserves time in the funny farm.

LOL

It has long puzzled me that while it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving (quite rightly), it is apparently OK to use a satnav, look at the screen, punch buttons and so forth.
Surely the distraction factor is just as high, or higher?
Doesn't make any sense.
Cheers, Tony

There was a very funny review in the Financial Review weekend magazine by their toys team a year or so ago. They were testing out a satnav and said being weary of technology developed by the US military presumedly therefore designed with the intention of either killing people or assisting with the killing of people, were convinced their fears were well founded when directed to do a U turn on the Sydney Harbour bridge.

The only good thing I have heard about GPS units was from SES crews after cyclone larry in the north.

Most road signs had been blown away and outside crews had no local knowledge, in car GPS units let them find streets without any other directions.

Other than that I would not trust them.

PS I can probably say this now but we were using GPS units to help mapping surveys in the 1970s it was new and not common knowledge, it took one Huey/ Iroquois helicopter to carry the unit and operating crew. How times change !!!

Having driven around some of England's back "Roads" and lanes, I can almost understand someone thinking a footpath was a road

There was a similar case in Victoria about a year ago. An Indian family were going from Bright to Cranbourne. They obviously had the GPS set for shortest route. They went up the Buckland valley road and the driver sent his wife for help after several km of tracks that the local police described as difficult for experienced 4wders. The car was stuck on a rock then they realised it may not be the right way. They had to get it towed back to the road. Doh.

We've got eyes and I assume a brain, so just because we have an in car navigaton system, that doesn't mean we can stop using them (our eyes and brains).

Also I would assume that just as texting is dangerous while driving, more dangerous than talking on a mobile, then so to would be punching in addresses into an in car navigation system while on the move.

Toolman

There is an old saying "the map is not the terrain"

I'd suggest it goes double for satnav, especially when used by people who have never even seen a map.

Very interesting as a planned trip to the old country later this year will see me relying very heavily on this technology. Simply having to drive on the wrong side and in countries where drivers are not as tolerant as aussie drivers I thought an in car navigator would be a valuable tool!

Had to make sure that the Citroen speaks English otherwise it could end up a comedy of errors.

Maybe I may also make the press in a similar fashion.

Kind regards

Hi people,

Just a thought.

A satnav. of any description is an AID to navigation and that is all it is.

I am a pilot and I regularly operate navigation equipment that costs more than most vehicles and yes it can operate and even land the aircraft. We could depart an airport and set the automatic bits at 500ft and not touch anything (apart from gear and flap controls) until we are taxiing off the runway at the destination.

WHEN IT ALL WORKS !!!

I also teach people to fly and we constantly have to reinforce the fact that there is no substitute for properly used navigation skills with the map (or chart in aviation) a compass and a good watch.
And even these can fail or be inaccurate!!

I also have experienced several (one quite memorable) instances where a $50K Garmin GNSS system in a turboprop has been affected by mobile phones even on standby. What chances would you give a $300 Garmin Nuvi in a vehicle???

Happy navigating