View Full Version : GPS Typo Leads Couple 400 Miles Off Course
GPS Typo Leads Couple 400 Miles Off Course
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,535054,00.html?test=latestnews
"ROME — Officials say a Swedish couple looking for the pristine waters of the popular island of Capri ended some 400 miles (660 kilometers) away in the northern industrial town of Carpi after misspelling the destination on their car's GPS......."
Just 'cause you got a GPS don't mean you're going to get there. Sometimes it pays to glance at a map every now and again as you drive through a town.
bandycpa
07-28-2009, 10:43
I was going to suggest spellcheck, but I don't think that would have helped them either.
Capri...Carpi...eh, close enough.
Bandy
HowardCohodas
07-28-2009, 16:26
On one of my first business trips I was driving from Los Angeles to UCSD. I suspected I had missed my exit but continued until I was incontrovertibly convinced by arriving at the Mexican border.
I was on my first cross-country flight and I wanted to do it without radio navigational aids. Thinking I was about 5 miles out, I called the tower to announce my intention to land. Five minutes went by and no airport in sight. This time, I did a 180. I then turned on my radio navigation aids, located my position and followed the highway to the airport.
In spite of what my wife says, I am educable. ;)
I use my TomTom all the time - but still keep a good map nearby to do a general area check of major routes, towns, etc prior to setting out on any trip to avoid treking off too far in the wrong direction.
Flew back yesterday from a week of Sonapicino winery visits* - left SFO on a 757 which - from the visible landmarks - angled SE across CA from SFO to cross the Sierras near Yosemite and pick up I-40 near CA-AZ border - E along I-40 to Amarillo and then US-287 SE past Wichita Falls into DFW. GPS works fine but following the ol' NORM (Nap Of Road Map) is never entirely out of date. ;)
Richard's $.02 :munchin
* Usually no more than 3 per day but set a new personal best on Sunday with 8 in the Russian River Valley. :p
greenberetTFS
07-31-2009, 09:51
On one of my first business trips I was driving from Los Angeles to UCSD. I suspected I had missed my exit but continued until I was incontrovertibly convinced by arriving at the Mexican border.
I was on my first cross-country flight and I wanted to do it without radio navigational aids. Thinking I was about 5 miles out, I called the tower to announce my intention to land. Five minutes went by and no airport in sight. This time, I did a 180. I then turned on my radio navigation aids, located my position and followed the highway to the airport.
In spite of what my wife says, I am educable. ;)
HC,
I guess you were on IFR( I Followed the Road ).........:D
Big Teddy :munchin
HowardCohodas
07-31-2009, 12:57
HC,
I guess you were on IFR( I Followed the Road ).........:D
Big Teddy :munchin
Yep. Also known as geographic navigational aids. :D
Ret10Echo
07-31-2009, 13:08
I read the article the other morning while sifting through the news. I thought it was hilarious that the couple made the assumption that they had somehow ended up on an island (or for that matter didn't realize that Capri WAS an island)....
I have the GPS mounted in the SUV, but always do a map-recon before starting out (handrails, backstop). I get frustrated with the screen because I always feel as if I am looking through a toilet-paper tube....
Just ran into that problem this past weekend, Was going from PA to Richlands NC just outside of Camp Lejeune. Have made this trip 100 times but was leaving from a different location this time and decided to turn on my Garmin. There are two Richlands NC and they are about three hundred miles apart. I caught it quickly but I can see where stuff like that can happen. And as stated above always have a good map handy.
An RVing acquaintance of mine just got his first hand-held GPS for mountain-biking and hiking. His wife's comment: "This [is] a new high-tech way to get seriously lost, much more efficiently." :D
Pat
Just 'cause you got a GPS don't mean you're going to get there. Sometimes it pays to glance at a map every now and again as you drive through a town.Throw in some excitement (possibility of getting KIA/WIA by the enemy while doing 80-90MPH and lost bigger than shit), trying too even look at a GPS was the least of our concern.
KEY "TERRAIN" FEATURES works well! Like that giant-ass mosque that you could home in on.:D
Stay safe.