GPS Leaves Couple Stranded For Days

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It’s always funny when people blindly follow a GPS and drive into a pond or some such but what about when it almost kills you? Then again, at least in this situation, I am pretty sure an old school folding map probably would’ve caused the same problem.

A Nevada couple letting their SUV's navigation system guide them through the high desert of Eastern Oregon got stuck in snow for three days when the GPS unit sent them down a remote forest road.
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this happened to a friend of mine, we were out searing for her till 4 in the morning, had to call all the local cops to search with us as well.

oh ya, we were in podunk missouri, the part that is the meth capital of the world, was very dangerous
 
quote from the article: "Their statement was, being prepared saved their life,"

travelling cross country and not looking at a map beforehand = not prepared
 
The GPS didn't almost kill them, their stupidity in driving through 18 inches of snow on back roads to try to save time did.
 
"Gee, that snow is pretty bad, and it doesn't look like this road sees any traffic, but the GPS must be right, right?"
 
"John Rhoads and his wife, Starry Bush-Rhoads,"

I think I see the problem...
 
This is a prime example of how technology has trumped the need to think for one's own self. Seriously, what has happened to common sense. " We can go anywhere we want now, we have our GPS to tell us where to go!"
 
Also, being prepared would include a) having chains b) having enough sense to turn around and find a road that's been cleared when it's obvious that the snow is getting to be deeper than your truck can get through.
 
This is why I never trust GPS in the city. Never know what dark corners it might take you through to get to your destination.
 
Reminds me of the Office episode where Michael drives into the lake.
 
Happened to a sister-in-law of mine. They drove from Geogia to Florida with a Tom-Tom for the 1st time. Car over heated and they got stranded. Good thing was that they had a cell phone, bad thing was they did not know where they were in relations to an exit ramp, mile marker, border OR which way they were going (NSEW)!
 
novadude said:
The GPS didn't almost kill them, their stupidity in driving through 18 inches of snow on back roads to try to save time did.
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If they wanted to save time they should have taken 84 to Pendleton then 395 south....:)
 
Jima13 said:
If they wanted to save time they should have taken 84 to Pendleton then 395 south....:)
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Hell, in the long run they could have driven down the coast to Mexico then turned back north and still been home before they ended up getting there.
 
Cschill1290 said:
This is a prime example of how technology has trumped the need to think for one's own self. Seriously, what has happened to common sense. " We can go anywhere we want now, we have our GPS to tell us where to go!"
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No....

This is just prime example of how stupid people can be..

Let me guess, Skynet will take over soon and robots will rise against men kind?
 
Tylerdurdened said:
No....

This is just prime example of how stupid people can be..

Let me guess, Skynet will take over soon and robots will rise against men kind?
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...what the hell are you talking about. Being stupid and not thinking for yourself are really the same thing. You basically just said the same thing I said, in shorter words and then acted like I said something off the wall....wow.
 
Cschill1290 said:
...what the hell are you talking about. Being stupid and not thinking for yourself are really the same thing. You basically just said the same thing I said, in shorter words and then acted like I said something off the wall....wow.
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No, you are just going off about how technology is now ruling our world or something and how people rely too much about it... which is completely not true
 
Tylerdurdened said:
No, you are just going off about how technology is now ruling our world or something and how people rely too much about it... which is completely not true
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Yes, I fear technology will take over our world...I'm trembling at the sight of my computer as I type this...it's such a love-hate relationship...:rolleyes: And yes, people do rely on technology a lot more than they should in some cases.
 
"Honey, go get directions. I think the GPS is wrong," said the wife.
"Oh no, it's right on. Plus, I know where we are."
"Where?"
"Right there on the gps!"
 
This is pretty hilarious, to be honest. I'll admit, I had a bad experience with GPS once. Not nearly as bad, but when I was making a cross country trip my friend and I finally got to montana and it was around 1 am and we needed gas, so we used the gps to find a station and it took us down some ultra creepy, ultra rough, country road. We learned our lesson pretty fast though and stopped going on any roads marked "CR". Had the road lead into a snow ridden forest, I'm pretty sure we'd have rethought it though.

BUT THE SUV IT HAS GOT FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
 
That CNET guy did this in western Oregon a couple years back. Prime lesson on using your GPS as a possibility, rather than a rule when driving through remote areas. Turn off your shortest distance path generation!
 
the-one1 said:
Happened to a sister-in-law of mine. They drove from Geogia to Florida with a Tom-Tom for the 1st time. Car over heated and they got stranded. Good thing was that they had a cell phone, bad thing was they did not know where they were in relations to an exit ramp, mile marker, border OR which way they were going (NSEW)!
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tomtoms have the emergency button that will tell you what address or cross streets you are at. (also gps coordinates). but it's not intuitive to get to. You can also zoom out on the map to see how far you are from an exit. But then, that's not something you immediately think of in an emergency. I think that's half the point of e-911 and 911 locating services (land line). In an emergency people don't know where they are.
 
NKDietrich said:
"Gee, that snow is pretty bad, and it doesn't look like this road sees any traffic, but the GPS must be right, right?"
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this is how it really is.

even when i went cross-state the other day, i had both gps's going, my carpc and my phone. once we left the state, they both had very different ideas to how to go. i asked my co-pilot (stupid) which way was best and i get a reply "i dont know"..... ...... i mean it shows the distance in miles i just couldnt see it because im driving.....

anyway he says "go with the carpc"... and i tell him "the carpc is preloaded maps, the phone is always updated. the phone should be more accurate"

"go with the carpc"

so we went with that, and 3 hours later we realize it was set to NOT go on toll roads. we lost over an hour of driving and a tank of gas... it just baffles me how, even given all the technology you could want, all the time you could want... nothing to do, he was just sitting there, and he couldnt be useful at all. gps's arent stupid, people are.
 
krupted said:
....so we went with that, and 3 hours later we realize it was set to NOT go on toll roads. we lost over an hour of driving and a tank of gas... ......
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My biggest complaint about using a GPS for off-road driving is getting it to follow the trail or FSR I want and not give me the fast route across a highway. I realize this is exactly opposite what most people would want, but I want to go *over* the mountain, not around. I usually have to create waypoints far enough along the trail that it's shorter to take the trail than the highway. (also had this problem creating a route along Route 66. Faster highway routes kept changing my route as I was driving)

Garmin has Trucker/RV and small car GPS maps, they should have off-road only maps with features we can use! (follow trail, don't use highways, nearest water tank).
 
Everyone looks at me weird when they see I have a spare coat, spare jersey insulated gloves, a 24 pack of bottled water, a two boxes of emergency snacks in my trunk. I feel pretty damn justified after reading this. I mean you never know.
 
well my carpc is nice that it uses iguidance, which does allow to use local roads only, or a combination of anything you want.... but i havent tried it on trails. i dont even live by mountains :/
 
piscian18 said:
Everyone looks at me weird when they see I have a spare coat, spare jersey insulated gloves, a 24 pack of bottled water, a two boxes of emergency snacks in my trunk. I feel pretty damn justified after reading this. I mean you never know.
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screw em. same reason people ask me constantly "why do you have all these tools and stuff in your truck?" its just a stupid question, nothing more.
 
Dr. Walter Gibbs, from the movie Tron: "Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop."

Almost there...
 
piscian18 said:
Everyone looks at me weird when they see I have a spare coat, spare jersey insulated gloves, a 24 pack of bottled water, a two boxes of emergency snacks in my trunk. I feel pretty damn justified after reading this. I mean you never know.
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I have a blanket, water, folding shovel, sand, salt, rope, tow rope, jumper cables, flashlight, batteries, flares, glowsticks, tools, full size spare tire, duct tape, tire chains, MREs, waterproof matches, oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, first aid kit, sewing kit, maps, dead mouse, cardboard boxes, etc in my trunk.

Last thing I want to do, is die in the middle of nowhere. Course, I never clean my trunk out either.


I tried a GPS out before. They're stupid. Shortest route, doesn't equate to the fastest route. Nor the most fuel economic route. I still chart out where I'm going on a map, then buy a city map when I get there.

All the maps I've bought over the years, was still cheaper than the stupid GPS. The maps don't have a sexy English accent like the GPS did though.
 
I once wanted to go to the bathroom so I took out my pocket gps and asked it to point me in the right direction.


about 20 minutes later I found myself in my neighbors living room with left over turkey and a remote control in the other hand. He came home later that day and wasnt to thrilled. Not sure why though.
 
Well if its anything like what I saw here in Dallas on Christmas Eve in the snow & ice, I think its that people think they can drive through anything when they are behind the wheels of a truck or SUV.

Its what we saw spun out and wrecked on bridges the most that night.
 
People also forget to update their GPS after owning it for so many years.

I know some areas they drastically change the roads. Anyone following their outdated GPS religiously would go straight into a wall.
 
Taikero said:
Haha. Nice list, though. Going to add a few things to my car because of it.
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It's good to hear that my list helps someone create their own little survival kit for their car. It'd suggest a $50 kit at least from a Checkers, Napa, etc. They'll have flares, first aid kits, jumper cables, tow cables, flashlight, and blanket. Good place to start.
 
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