Why you should definitely not always listen to Google Maps

“Turn right”. If Google says that, then you should always scratch your head. Do you really have to turn, is there just a bend in the road or is there another option? Google Maps is extremely useful for getting anywhere, but it is also a dangerous tool for getting nowhere, an Australian family learned.

Australia

Losing your way in the Netherlands or Belgium in such a way that you are missing for days, that is almost clever. In the outback of Australia? There it is a piece of cake to lose. Also to die, so you always have to have enough water and food in your car when you get in the car in Australia. In addition, a good old street book is probably not a superfluous luxury, because then you do not have to experience what an Australian family did experience.

A 27-year-old woman, along with her two children, ages two and four, plus her 50-year-old mother, had gotten into the car to drive from Queensland to Adelaide, Autoevolution writes. Nothing very exciting in itself, more Australians do that, but after the departure from the Noccundra Hotel, nothing more was heard from the group pretty soon.

Google Maps

They had gotten stuck in no man’s land with their SUV. That was because the 27-year-old woman who drove followed everything Google Maps prescribed a little too enthusiastically. Google Maps thought it was a good idea not to take the highway and navigated the woman down a dirt road. However, the car did not agree. The car was stuck and there was no cell phone signal. At this the ladies decided to go for a walk with the children, but after hours of unsuccessful walking they returned to the car.

The hope was that someone would find the car (and therefore also the family). They had even put the letters ‘help’ on the floor with clothing. That was a good thing, because in the end they were spotted by a helicopter. They were out of food and water, but they were all rescued in time. Fortunately, because this could have gone completely wrong.

Be responsible

Was it Google Maps’ fault? Not really: that just decided to choose a faster route to the final destination. It is of course always up to the driver to see exactly what that route entails and to assess whether the car is suitable for that route. Although a situation like this may not occur so quickly in the Netherlands or Belgium, we sometimes have to deal with other Google Maps tensions. For example, Google Maps does not always know exactly what a bicycle path is and does not always warn against steep sections, such as the case around Maastricht and Valkenburg. So always judge for yourself whether you are on the right track, or whether a detour that may cost you a few minutes more is not better.

Thanks for the tip, Ronald!