OT Trusting GPS

David G · Mar 18, 2015

I found out this week that trusting GPS with using a town name only is a bad idea. There is a incorporated and an unincorporated Middleton in NY state. The two places are about 60 miles apart on the other side of a mountain, which makes it a 90 mile drive. I ended up driving through the Catskills at 1:00 in the morning.

Use the Zipcode if unsure.

Bob · Mar 18, 2015

When in our little town of 1200, my (older) Garmin gets two street numbers off as you drive to the southern part of town.

Goose · Mar 18, 2015

When I was doing real estate inspections, I lived by my GPS. I always entered the zip code instead of the town name, partly 'cause it was easier.

I also found areas where GPS is not dependable. Plattsmouth/Nebraska City area in Nebraska come to mind. There are also areas of NW Missouri where GPS is virtually worthless. I was once trying to find a food bank about three miles from downtown Savannah, MO. I was driving around on country roads outside of town trying to find it. I'd come to a stop sign and the GPS would say, "Turn right on Road 326". I'd look up at the sign and it would say, maybe, "Road 468". I finally stumbled onto the place just trying to get back to town.

GPS is a tool, nothing more. You still have to have a good idea of where you're going.

Alan K · Mar 18, 2015

A friend of mine a couple miles north of me said a couple people that have tried to find his place with GPS makes him 4 miles east of where he is.

Dachshund · Mar 18, 2015

Youngsters around rely on GPS, and always get lost! Like was said, you still need to know what you are doing. I have a niece who can't get out of the driveway without GPS. Sad, really.....

dr sportster · Mar 18, 2015

Not to mention Middletown NY ,home of Orange County Fair Speedway.

old · Mar 18, 2015

Well since you have been to my place you may understand. I have had more then one person try to find my place with GPS. Many have told me the thing sent them here and there and 7-20 miles out of there way and even tried to bring one guy in form the other side of the creek where there is not even a road

DoubleR · Mar 18, 2015

I drove a truck for 35 years and could just about always find out where to go without getting lost.
Got a GPS after I retired and now a phone with GPS. Seems like I'm always getting messed up and lost.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 18, 2015

I have never had a Rand McNalley atlas to fail me.

Sprint 6 · Mar 18, 2015

I have always wondered if GPS units set routes to bring you by advertisers.

GeneMO · Mar 18, 2015

My problem with em is that they will get you there, but you may not want to take the route they send you.

We got routed through some of the most blighted areas of Memphis TN the other day. It was trying to get us home to MO. We made it but damned near had to shoot our way out of the hood.

Burned out houses and buildings. Windows boarded up, grafitti everywhere, and they plumb gave up on chain link fencing and went to razor wire (concerntina wire). Bars on all the windows and doors. Damn it was rough.

Gene

redforlife · Mar 18, 2015

Seen an over the road semi heading down a dirt road. I thought "what the heck". It continued on down that same dirt road to a muddy portion of it and got stuck. Had it been able to not get stuck, the road became a dead end. A state high-way is parallel and just 2 miles away from where this happened. Come to find out, the driver was following GPS and had about 75 miles to go to the destination. Yep, GPS had instructed the driver to turn off of a another state highway and onto a dirt road that had been dead ended for years at about the 6 mile mark. The driver should of been smart enough not to turn a semi off a state highway onto a dirt road with another 75 miles to go. Thats not neither here nor there though, cant always depend on GPS.

JMS/.MN · Mar 18, 2015

I trust my map reading abilility...nothing else needed for the last seven decades....really comical watching today"s people that think today"s electronics is better than common sense and basic training.

Gambles · Mar 18, 2015

Before smart phones became the norm, my daughter had a GPS because, well, she's a girl.
This was a couple of years ago, but the thing would always tell her to turn left about a 1/2 before she was supposed to when she was coming home. The left turn would make her hit a dead end. I was always curious what the stupid thing would say once she would hit the dead end.

Brendon-KS · Mar 18, 2015

We have problems in our area since not all roads are maintained with sand or gravel. If the gravel ends within the mile there is usually a sign to warn drivers. But, we're only a mile from the county line and if one county maintains a road but the other doesn't there isn't a warning. It isn't uncommon during wet weather for unknowing drivers to follow their GPS's down roads that are barely passable with a 4WD truck, let alone a passenger vehicle. Most farmers around here have had strangers with very muddy shoes show up at their door requesting a pull with a tractor. We always have to tell folks coming to our place to take our prescribed route and NOT follow their GPS.

jm. · Mar 18, 2015

This part of the country there are two large rivers which are only bridged one time in the county. Lots of places the GPS will run you down to the river but no way to cross to the road on the other side. It just sees the roads not the bridges.

T in NE · Mar 18, 2015

Never tried it in Frontier County did you? The Stockville road is listed as an unknown road by online maps. Its known again at the red willow line.

Tim in OR · Mar 18, 2015

A few years ago, Our Niece was getting married at on of those destination places in the sticks a little south of the columbia river gorge. The directions were underlined when it said NOT to use a GPS. We had camped about 35 miles away, so we decided to do a dry run the day before. We like exploring. The day of the wedding, we got a call from another family member. They were lost. I asked them what they were near and suggested how it would relate to the map and directions. They said "We didn't bring it, we have a gps". We left the venue and hunted them down, returning just in time. If it says don't use gps, don't.
Its fun to watch at those times, but not accurate.
Tim in OR

2x4 · Mar 18, 2015

Dang you were lucky! Check out Fox TV news Memphis to see why it's the 6th most dangerous city in America. I never go there w/o the best protection money can buy.

2x4 · Mar 18, 2015

same way with my place. One bunch was lucky enough to find a squirrel hunter who knew where my place is.

Bret4207 · Mar 19, 2015

GPS, smart phones, google glasses, tablets, microchip implants and rap music. All things i have no interest in making use of.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 19, 2015

Had similar experience, Orlando International and Orlando Municipal. Good thing they were not that far apart or I would have missed a flight.

keh · Mar 19, 2015

At least it didn't try to send you to Savannah, GA.

KEH

OT Trusting GPS

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