# Never trust your Sat Nav ...



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Driver drowns after following sat-nav into river

My initial response was to laugh, but actually it's not funny at all!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Driver drowns after following sat-nav into river
> 
> My initial response was to laugh, but actually it's not funny at all!


I agree, and under normal circumstances I would not ever laugh at something so tragic... but what kind of a pilock follows the word of a sat nav to that extent? There were stories in the UK about people driving accross farmers fieds because "tom tom" told them to, and one farmer who claimed to recover one stranded motirist per week.

I travel a lot, all over Europe and I admit I have become very dependant on my Sat Nav but come on... sometimes common sense just kicks on....or it should... surely!


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> but what kind of a pilock follows the word of a sat nav to that extent?


It says right in the article - it was dark, he couldn't respond in time. All sorts of factors at play, I would imagine.

I hate my OH's GPS. It's nearly four years old and hasn't been updated all that recently. I swear on my Guia Repsol that the stupid machine sends us on ridiculous routes (especially in Galicia!) that could easily be avoided by using my dear old year 2010 paper map. 

However, boys and their toys...


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

halydia said:


> It says right in the article - it was dark, he couldn't respond in time. All sorts of factors at play, I would imagine


i see your point BUT as a qualified driving instructor I have to add, you drive according to the conditions. Cars have lights! You shoudl NEVER not be able to respond in time, in bad conditions, pitch black etc then you drive slow enough to be able to make decisions!!!

Race round the mountain where I live at 2am on a winters night and you wont have time to make decisions, and end up dead. Take your time, use your full beams, and concentrate fully and it's as safe as any other road (almost!)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

halydia said:


> It says right in the article - it was dark, he couldn't respond in time. All sorts of factors at play, I would imagine.
> 
> I hate my OH's GPS. It's nearly four years old and hasn't been updated all that recently. I swear on my Guia Repsol that the stupid machine sends us on ridiculous routes (especially in Galicia!) that could easily be avoided by using my dear old year 2010 paper map.
> 
> However, boys and their toys...


We do use ours when going somewhere new, if only to take a snapshot so we can find our way back to where we left the car!

However I remember a nightmare situation in Toledo where we could actually see our hotel in the distance, but one of the roads was closed and the GPS kept sending us round and round in a surreal perpetual detour ...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> i see your point BUT as a qualified driving instructor I have to add, you drive according to the conditions. Cars have lights! You shoudl NEVER not be able to respond in time, in bad conditions, pitch black etc then you drive slow enough to be able to make decisions!!!
> 
> Race round the mountain where I live at 2am on a winters night and you wont have time to make decisions, and end up dead. Take your time, use your full beams, and concentrate fully and it's as safe as any other road (almost!)


Or don't drive after dark ... (my preferred option, but I'm a bit of a wuss!)


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> We do use ours when going somewhere new, if only to take a snapshot so we can find our way back to where we left the car!
> 
> However I remember a nightmare situation in Toledo where we could actually see our hotel in the distance, but one of the roads was closed and the GPS kept sending us round and round in a surreal perpetual detour ...


driving in Toledo (in the centre)- now that is a challenge and not for the feint hearted !!!!


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## JBODEN (Jul 10, 2009)

There was a program on TV about sat-navs. They showed a driver in the USA who drove across (not around!) a roundabout in broad daylight. How stupid can you get!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Sat Nav, goodness gracious, we have only just got flush toilets here


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> driving in Toledo (in the centre)- now that is a challenge and not for the feint hearted !!!!


Worth it though, amazing place!


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

I often drive from Málaga to Almería and if I followed the instructions of my Sat-Nav I would end up driving over the mountains... literally. 

It thinks (yes, I do know that it doesn't really) that the motorway has been completed. A natural mistake to make, I suppose, as these are the only provincial capitals in the region that aren't fully connected by a motorway or dual carriageway.


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