Do you remember when you had to get from place to place without the help of a GPS or Google Maps? It certainly was a much simpler time, but technology has made things a lot easier.
With apps like Google Maps you can easily find the shortest route or one that avoids traffic.
But while Google Maps is extremely helpful in getting us from point A to point B, let this be a reminder not to put all of your trust in the technology.
Connie Monsees was driving to Denver International Airport when she encountered traffic.
“So I pulled out my Google Maps to see if there is a better way to go, and it told me to take the next exit and it would be about half the time,” Connie told ABC News’ Start Here podcast, according to NPR.
She took the exit and noticed she wasn’t the only one who listened to Google. She followed a line of cars down a street, which eventually turned into a dirt road.
“My thought was, ‘Well there are all these other cars in front of me so it must be OK.’ So I just continued,” she told Denver7.
But she quickly changed her mind when she noticed the ground beneath her car became muddy and tougher to drive on. Even though it was sunny, several days of rain created a “muddy mess of a field,” which made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many cars to continue.
In total there were about 100 cars lined up on the single-lane road.
“That’s when I thought, ‘Oh this was a bad decision.’”
Dozens of drivers were directed down a muddy dirt road in Colorado this weekend, resulting in a backup nearly 100 cars deep. So why did Google Maps point them there in the first place? https://t.co/It5qvwA6NQ pic.twitter.com/BP7Q1Cugfo
— Start Here – The Daily Podcast from ABC News (@StartHereABC) June 26, 2019
Connie was able to free her car from the muddy mess, but others weren’t so lucky.
While Connie did question why Google set people down a dirt road, she didn’t blame the app.
“I don’t know that it’s so much about Google, it’s about us — that we want so badly for life to be efficient that we try to take shortcuts that aren’t really necessary.”
In a statement to NPR, a Google spokesperson advised all drivers to “follow local laws, stay attentive, and use their best judgment while driving.”
I think this is a GREAT lesson for everyone.
Don’t blindly follow the crowd, or in this case technology.
Share this to alert your family and friends!
