I went to photograph a HUD home today in an area that was not familiar to me. But I felt confident in my ability to locate the property, because I had my trusty GPS navigational device on board.
I knew that the house was in a remote area, but I was surprised when the pavement ended on the road that I was traveling for the first time and with seven miles remaining to the property.
Then, things took a horrible turn …literally! I was directed through an area that had just been logged, and the road was rutted, pitted, rocky, flooded and washed away in places. And worst of all, there were still miles more to travel.
At one point, I realized that it was impossible to turn back, and that my only hope would be to find another way out of the nightmarish landscape of mud and debris.
Finally, we came to the road the on which the property was located, and it was PAVED! Not only was it paved to the house, on the return trip we discovered that it was paved all the way to a major highway!
It seems that the GPS had calculated the shortest route without regard to the condition of the road. In this case, it nearly had me stuck in the middle of nowhere.
From now on, I’ll be sure to check a map before heading out into unfamiliar territory. Technology is great, but if we depend on it too much we might be taking unnecessary risks.
And the consequences could be dramatic!
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Been there done that!
Richard,
I routinely ignore the path that my GPS wants me to take. She gets really angry too.
Rich
Richard....I'm from the old school.....I love my trusty map book.....
Ugh! I'm starting to hate my GPS. I've been ignoring her a lot lately too. She tells me to make left turns in areas posted 'no left turn' or where there's a divider. I love when she tells me to make a right... while driving over a bridge!
~ Vienna
Richard - You know how I feel about GPS. If you need it , you don't know it. Maps by burnt synaptic knowledge are key. ...Just a map reader that remembers for a living :) ....bet you can find stuff that's not on a map in your area !
You'll do just fine. We in the south have a sense of smell that is awesome.
Too bad that they cannot program common sense into GPS's...
Hi Richard, I had to laugh reading this post (sorry). I had something similar happen to me recently. Thank goodness for the good ol' Thomas Guide.
Mark...
I know that a lot of us have. Thanks/
Rich...
I made the mistake of not knowing where I was going ... so I had to listen. Thanks so much.
Barbara...
I should have had backup! Thanks, my friend.
Vienna...
Don't take ANY turns on bridges! lol and thanks.
Claude...
I should have looked at a map. It would have saved a lot of frightening moments! Thanks so much.
Michael...
I wish that were the case! Thanks as always, for the comment.
Richard, just went through something very similar to your little romp in no mans land.
Richard...I don't have a GPS and don't plan on getting one. I have a great sense of direction, that I need to keep my instincts sharp.
I know sveral people who use it all the time that now they get lost in their back yard without it.
Richard, this was a very familiar story. I had such an experience. You kind of feel your stomach sink when you realize there's you may have made a bad choice by following the GPS.
I just went through this same thing last Thursday and ended up on a rutted dirt road staright through a farm. No place to turn around so straight forward I went bumping all the way!! It brought a good laugh to the Buyer and me but I sure was glad when I found pavement again. LOL
Ah yes, the trusty GPS, or not so trusty. I would be useless without mine, but unfortunately in the hills iot does not know when there is a dead end. I always give myself plenty of time to get lost. But still, for me it is a lifesaver.
Richard, got to watch that shortest route...it can get you into trouble...as you well know! Glad you got to your destination safely!
Richard, very good point. I don't have GPS in the car, I do sometimes use Google Maps on the blackberry. I know it can all be terribly wrong however.
Hi Richard...I get a kick out of the GPS when it tells me there is no such road in the city when I know perfectly well there is. Of course, it's funny only when I really know how to get there and was checking to see if there was a preferred route.
Kate
Richard,
How funny. I have been in similar situations. Sometimes you don't know where to pull the tirgger and turn back and then you just hang with it and it comes out Ok.
LOL! I remember traveling roades like these when I had a sports car. It was horrible! So I finally got an SUV. MUCH better for those surprise roads! Now I don't have my SUV anymore, but I'm familiar with most of those types of areas. And I tell the GPS to show me several routes. But then, I am a Florida girl. Give me any vehicle, and I will NOT get stuck in sand! Yeah baby! haha
My girl on my GPS and I have a strained relationship because of this. . . But I still use her almost everyday
Richard, this is a good reminder that our reliance on technology can get us into a mess at times. I've heard of some people that drove right into a lake following their GPS.
I've found that using my GPS is a crutch. I frequently find myself not remembering road names when I use it. But, I just can't live without it....even if it isn't always correct.
My collection of ADC maps is one of my most valuable real estate tools. We have so many new roads in Northern Virginia, the GPS gets lost regularly.
Or, operator error may contribute.
Good morning Richard,
The GPS is a great system but is not 100% accurate. Always wise to carry a good mp book in the trunk. Glad to hear you found it and an easier way home!
Good Morning Richard, I don't have a GPS. I don't want one just for this reason. I'd rather use Mapquest which is always reliable for me when I'm not familiar with an area. I'm glad it worked out for you :)
Those GPS devices will leave you in a lurch when you start to get off the beaten path. I have found this out more than once.
Richard:
I am stunned at some of these comments. I thought, a this point, all Realtors were using GPS systems. I know it is a crutch but I absolutely love not getting lost all of the time. Mine works 99% of the time and those are great numbers for me.
GPS systems are great in urban and suburban areas. When you are traveling in a rural area, they are wrong a lot of the time. This could have deadly consequences, especially during periods of severe weather. Sounds like you were lucky this time.