Death By GPS

But, it's the culling of the herd. People need to start thinking for themselves again.

But I see what you mean. Ah, at least that one was saved ?

In Pace Requiescat Carlos Sanchez

Of course, people have been dying this way in Death Valley and other wilderness areas, because of their own poor judgment, poor planning and naivete, misled by bad information, for centuries.

by the time a Lalaland jury gets done with this case the manufacturer will be held responsible because momma was too stupid to think for herself and a ten gazillion dollar verdict will be passed along to us, the consumers...momma should be tried for child endangerment...what happened to this child is awful and only one person is to blame

Sad for those people. I remember the first month I had a GPS and I was going down a area near the ocean. With new bridges and old maps naturally you are driving over rivers.

The irony is that I fingered the ocean and I was heading in the general direction toward the water. Assuming it was traffic until it told me to turn down a dock and head straight out.

Yes, the GPS does exactly what you ask to go. Wayfinder. Gets you there but not the safest way.

It would be easier to understand this sad incident if the valley were named Paradise Valley or Aqua Gorge. Visiting a place called Death Valley would prompt me to much more research before the trip.

If we assume for a moment that the mother is a normal mother, she will be punished plenty by her grief. Who knows whether she will engage a lawyer to blame the GPS manufacturer. Wanting to assign blame is a normal part of the grief process but it does not aid recovery.

To me this story emphasizes the reason we should all have a backup to our GPS. Looking at the route on a map can save a bunch of headaches. Maybe someday a GPS manufacturer will display the route the way Google does before you embark on it and give options. The screen of the GPS is much smaller but it still seems possible. This would be a way for stand alone GPS's to show some differentiation versus cell phones.

I too am frequently guilty of thinking I can just plug the address into my GPS and get there. Usually it works. When it doesn't the worst that's happened to me is I didn't get to my destination.

Jim

for her loss, losing a child is a terrible thing no matter what the circumstances.

Regards,

Norm

It has a sad ending. But if one wishes to be adventurous, one must plan for it. Must have a good knowledge of equipment limitations (Jeep as well as GPS) and be well prepared. Seems Mom didn't have the knowledge nor the preparations. And pop tarts aren't enough...

Too many people depend on "tech gadgets" instead of common sense, learning and experience as well as "analog" backup, i.e., paper maps and being properly equipped for potential mishaps.

Too bad that lives are lost because of this and it is quite common.

I have On Star in my car I took Chevy up on their offer of a month's free GPS (they call it turn by turn directions) service any way I was looking for this house and the GPS said turn right,so I did turn right and found out it should have been a left turn.Fortunately it was a small subdivision,but this proves be prepared,and if a long trip keep plenty of water food and if it is winter plenty of blankets.And maybe TomTom are better GPS,or at least their maps.

I heard someone said, "Never Get Lost". Now, I know what I will buy, in case I am in trouble on road.

i almost took a turn at a one way road before. i didnt take it when i realized why all the cars parked on the road were facing the opposite direction.

also.. the first time i had a gps, i was tempted to push buttons while driving.

those who get their drivers license should have at least a day dedicated to driving caution safety and the GPS.

..As my Father would have said: "Ya Can't Fix Stupid"!!

Nuvi1300WTGPS

The Darwin Awards (2006) is a movie based on this kind of stupidity. It could be worth renting again.

www.darwinawards.com shows how others have helped cull the herd.

I never set my GPS for the "shortest route". It's often an unpaved or 4 wheel drive road. It's really a poor setting to use. The shortest route is very rarely the best route.

It amazes me that people will follow the advice of a machine rather than taking a look at the terrain and saying, "Nope. No WAY am I going there!"

That's really sad.

Thats why I still use iron sights on my pistol and have a magnetic compass when hiking. The new stuff is great but can fail too.

The article mentions about roads having been closed for years. Those roads were probably never shown on the state highway map anyway, just on the topo maps. However in my county there are a few paved roads that had a bridge wash out in 1993 and the maps and Navteq have not been updated either. The county has put up signs that say Dead End.

All I can say is wow, how can some people have no common sense.

In my early years with computer instruction I was exposed to a very simple yet underestimated term. Given to my class as GIGO. It was expanded as "Garbage In Garbage Out". We all look at each other in confusion back then but as time wore on the examples became more and more obvious.

In later years it was said that anything made my man is subject to error as man in NOT perfect. Analog was one of the best educators and needs to be a pre-requisit to being exposed to the digital world. What did we do before Selective Availability was turned off?
..SoapBox Off...

a while back there was a similar story, a contributor for CNET died in a similar fashion, only froze to death, no indication a gps was involved. the family got lost in unfamiliar territory, and got stuck.