GPS Directs Driver on to a Snowmobile Trail

 

That's A Funny Story

Hi,

WoW, that's a funny story, glad the woman was not injured. Just goes to show, the more we rely strictly on electronics, in this case a GPS, the more trouble we could get in.

Mike

--
GPS On The Ground | FMC In The Air

Navigation confused

I have heard of people listening to the GPS too much. They drive right past the correct address because the GPS wants you to drive down the block and make a U Turn. There are lots of new roads around here and it drives the navigation crazy when you end up driving over what was field a few months ago.

Bob

--
Robert Woodcock

Wow

That's interesting. Yeah too much dependency on electronics can be bad. In my area they are always doing construction or setting up detours, if you are not careful the GPS may get you lost. Any time I am going to travel long distance to a place I am unfamiliar with I usually verify the directions on google maps or something before I hit the road.

.

GPS aren't idiot-proof. Even if they were someone would come out with a bigger, better idiot!

I can understand, to an extent, blindly following the GPS but you would think that somewhere before hitting a snowmobile trail the tought "Hey this just doesn't seem right."

Guess once again we get an article showing that common sense... isn't!

--
Brian Garmin nuvi 255W

Road?

In the Spring through fall, that trail may be a road.

--
Will nuvi 265W, Vista HCX, amateur radio

New option needed?

Is there a new preferences option needed to turn off snow mobile trails like there is for toll roads??

Seriously though, my Father-in-law might like the option of navigating down snow mobile trails . . . he actually goes north for the winter, spending 3 months in Northern Michigan snowmobiling.

--
dja24 - garmin nuvi 200W, etrex vista, etrex vista Cx

I Q Test

I guess some will have to be given an IQ test before being able to use a GPS. Glad she is OK but come on how much of the trail could show in deep snow....would you drive over a cliff if it directed you there??

--
Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

I have snowmobile maps on my Garmin

You can get free downloadable map overlays for WI, MI, MN, ON, NY, and ND from this site.

http://gpssledmaps.com/

I use the free WI one when I'm snowmobiling. And you can turn it off just by unclicking the map in the map option window.

--
Garmin Nuvi 750

Usefull.

tomkovacic wrote:

You can get free downloadable map overlays for WI, MI, MN, ON, NY, and ND from this site.

http://gpssledmaps.com/

I use the free WI one when I'm snowmobiling. And you can turn it off just by unclicking the map in the map option window.

That is a very usefull site, Thank you.

--
"If there's a new way I'll be the first in line, but it better work this time!"

avoid...

dja24 wrote:

Is there a new preferences option needed to turn off snow mobile trails like there is for toll roads??

There is actually, on Garmin units avoid 'unpaved roads'

OR as many have said and will say again...they are just guides. I almost have no sympathy for these people.

--
Garmin Quest/Quest2/Nuvi660/Nuvi755T

Even Worse

In my area there is a section where the commuter RR runs parallel to a limited access highway. Twice in a two month period drivers following GPS instructions turned onto the tracks instead of the highway. One was towed off without incident, the other was demolished by a train. No serious injuries in either. Both happened at night, the area where this occured is dark and the drivers were from out of the area. The distance from where they turned onto the Tracks and where they should have turned is no more then 50 feet. I think the problem here was 'more' with properly marking/lighting the tracks then with driver error.

Milwaukee Radio Talked About This

This morning, they had a bit of a time with this story, coming from their own state and all. One of the DJ's commented that people seem to stop thinking when they use a GPS, and it's not intended to replace the brain. They also commented that anyone can get one, whether they have a brain or not, which was quite funny hearing this on the radio. razz

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And now, back to your regularly scheduled forum - already in progress . . .

not driver error?

justaguy wrote:

The distance from where they turned onto the Tracks and where they should have turned is no more then 50 feet. I think the problem here was 'more' with properly marking/lighting the tracks then with driver error.

regardless of the lighting, still driver error. I too live in an area with several train and light rail tracks, but I have been able to avoid turning onto them because I know not to drive onto train tracks...I do understand how it could happen if one isn't paying attention, IE driver error...

--
Garmin Quest/Quest2/Nuvi660/Nuvi755T

Yes, but not their's alone.

craig470 wrote:

regardless of the lighting, still driver error. I too live in an area with several train and light rail tracks, but I have been able to avoid turning onto them because I know not to drive onto train tracks...I do understand how it could happen if one isn't paying attention, IE driver error...

I agree that there was driver error, but there is some contributory negligence on the part of the DOT. I would think that these drivers also knew better then to drive onto RR Tracks, but if you saw this area on a dark night you would understand how easy it is for a stranger to the area to make the turn without realizing that they are RR Tracks. Once you make the turn and your headlights light it up, it's too late, because you're hung on the tracks.

I had stated that I DO

I had stated that I DO understand how it could happen if someone was not paying attention. There are similar intersections up this way, but cannot blame the GPS. People unfortunately look to blame something else for the problems they cause on their own. sad

--
Garmin Quest/Quest2/Nuvi660/Nuvi755T

.

justaguy wrote:

I agree that there was driver error, but there is some contributory negligence on the part of the DOT. I would think that these drivers also knew better then to drive onto RR Tracks, but if you saw this area on a dark night you would understand how easy it is for a stranger to the area to make the turn without realizing that they are RR Tracks. Once you make the turn and your headlights light it up, it's too late, because you're hung on the tracks.

Maybe I have a special edition Garmin but mine shows RR tracks as a thin line with "hash marks" where the roads are thicker with my route highlighted.... While I don't stare at the screen while driving when instructed that I'll be making a turn I look at the screen (when safe) to see exactly when I'm supposed to turn , not to mention Jill's occasional mix up of left and right.

Can't really blame DOT for a cities growth, commuter tracks are laid besides roads because that land is already being cleared and leveled for roads so financially it only makes sense to lay them along side the roadway. Possible aid to idiots: Make the section of roadway between tracks bright yellow indicating a trains path? Might solve people stopping on tracks and getting nailed by the 7:30 from Boston.

Just my two cents.

--
Brian Garmin nuvi 255W

nothing...

JAFOZ28 wrote:
justaguy wrote:

I agree that there was driver error, but there is some contributory negligence on the part of the DOT. I would think that these drivers also knew better then to drive onto RR Tracks, but if you saw this area on a dark night you would understand how easy it is for a stranger to the area to make the turn without realizing that they are RR Tracks. Once you make the turn and your headlights light it up, it's too late, because you're hung on the tracks.

Maybe I have a special edition Garmin but mine shows RR tracks as a thin line with "hash marks" where the roads are thicker with my route highlighted.... While I don't stare at the screen while driving when instructed that I'll be making a turn I look at the screen (when safe) to see exactly when I'm supposed to turn , not to mention Jill's occasional mix up of left and right.

Can't really blame DOT for a cities growth, commuter tracks are laid besides roads because that land is already being cleared and leveled for roads so financially it only makes sense to lay them along side the roadway. Possible aid to idiots: Make the section of roadway between tracks bright yellow indicating a trains path? Might solve people stopping on tracks and getting nailed by the 7:30 from Boston.

Just my two cents.

...will stop idiots from getting hit by trains...population control IMHO. I mean really...really?

--
Garmin Quest/Quest2/Nuvi660/Nuvi755T

Like the bus driver

who drove under a low underpass because that's what the GPS said to go. You have ot have an once of common sense.

--
John_nuvi_

Ein

Ein wrote:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/42307277.html

Coming from east towards Lake Poinsett St. Park last fall. Used Garmin map, avoided gravel roads in the routeplanning and ended up at midnight in a swamp: N35.541267 W90.651377
Extremely funny, blocked by a huge a ditch. It's fun to turn a Cadillac on a mud road at midnight!
Should have used my head razz

--
Nüvi 765T, Nüvi 1390T, Nüvi 2559 and 2695 LMT, GPS12, GPS18 (used in nRoute and Oziexplorer on laptop), GPSmap76CSx, SonyEricsson X1 (For OziExplorer CE maps)