Cranial Malfunction

With the ever increasing improvements in technology, we enjoy the comforts of simplicity. We are no longer "required" to work as we once were. Instead of being "obligated" to use a map and compass, individuals choose, instead, to rely on hand-held GPS units which provide a detailed map of a desired destination - in addition to seeing the exact progress one makes during the actual journey itself. It is hard to argue that we are not making advances in technology, but the question I constantly ask myself remains - what are we advancing towards?

My first story comes from MULTIPLE sites. A couple from Nevada go on a road trip during the middle of winter (just before Christmas, to be exact) relying on their car's GPS unit to get them to their destination. It only makes sense to pick the "quickest route" - that is unless the road happens to be the most remote route at the same time. Weather conditions were poor, and the couple ended up stranded for three days. After the storm was over, their cell phone was able to get a strong enough signal to place a call to the local sheriffs office.

Second story: A little less than a month after the first story took place a woman was hit by a car while going on a walk in Park City, UT. She used Google maps before going on the walk to see how to get to her destination. The directions included using a road which had no sidewalks, and which was unsafe for someone to walk on as cars using this road travel at high speeds (and I'm sure drivers assume no one is stupid enough to walk on it). The lady is claiming that Google did not specify that the road was unsafe for someone to walk on, and she is suing for $100,000 due to her physical and emotional damages. Apparently she couldn't see that the road was unsafe once she started walking next to the speeding cars???

The topper: 16 Adults and 10 children go on a trip to southern Utah and decide to travel from Bryce Canyon Nat Park to the Grand Canyon, using only their car's GPS. They are directed to use some rough roads, and AFTER traveling 25 miles in the wrong direction, one car got stuck, and the other two cars were too low on fuel to try to backtrack. Children are crying, and they have very little water and food. They were so lost that they didn't know how to retrace the turns they took, and ended up waiting until the next day (thankfully) when a plane spotted them and sent for help.

So, what did all three stories have in common? Crappy directions? Faulty GPS/navigational systems? Nope. All three lacked good judgement. In the first story the couple should have realized that the "quickest" road is only quick if your vehicle is able to travel on the road suggested. The woman in the second story should have taken one look at the road and decided for herself that it was not safe instead of relying on Google to make that decision for her, and the adults in the last story were just plain dumb. I mean, how far should you travel without being absolutely positive that you know where you are headed? Definitely not after 25 miles, especially when kids are with you.

My only compliant with the "advances" in technology is that I feel it makes a certain number of us independent on something other than our own intuition, judgement, and research. Using a GPS in addition to a compass and a topographical map is the perfect combination. I have yet to read one article which states that using a GPS, by itself, is all someone needs. In order for the GPS to work effectively the unit has to be aligned with the proper satellites and have enough battery power. If the individuals in the first and third story would have had a simple road atlas than they would have clearly seen which roads were more frequently traveled, and they would have had the greatest chance of getting them to their destination without harm or incident.

There are a few positive stories I found which show how GPS units have saved individuals from catastrophes such as THIS guy who was on a remote bike ride with some friends and ended up braking his ankle. They simply used their cell phone and gave the GPS coordinates to the authorities who then dispatched a police officer to pick the injured guy up. I'm not sure if this story overshadows the story I read about though where a disgruntled ex-employee of a car manufacturer disabled more than 100 vehicles by accessing the GPS units remotely....

Final word: Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and if you don't know how to use your head to plan ahead, than just stay home...