Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Bob Medley via leaderlive.co.uk
It's becoming obvious that many people don't know that most navigation apps, be they Google Maps or any alternative, come with an option to avoid unpaved roads. Reports of people stuck in the mud or going through the desert keep coming, as navigation apps tell these people to use shortcuts through the middle of nowhere to avoid congestion or closed roads.
A British couple that recently tried to avoid the A483 closure originally relied on the road signs to find a way around the restrictions, but after going towards Llangollen, the driver decided to switch to plan B. They launched their sat-nav, hoping it would find a better route to avoid the traffic.
And it did, but the suggested route recommended the driver to leave the paved road and use a muddy narrow road where the vehicle could barely fit. Despite the obvious signs, the driver followed the sat-nav, going on the unpaved road with a few more cars, likely guided by navigation software.
It didn't take long before everybody realized that leaving the paved road was a bad idea. The driver told the local media that the road kept getting "worse and worse," eventually coming across a flood. It was the moment he understood he couldn't go any further, but when he attempted to turn around, the vehicle got stuck.
The mud, the grass, and the rain made it impossible for the man to continue the journey, and after nearly an hour of repeated attempts to get the car out, the driver decided to walk back to a nearby farm. It turns out that vehicles stuck in the mud are a common sight for the people at the farm.
While the story ended without someone getting hurt, it's not unusual for drivers to go through horror experiences because they take everything on the sat-nav for granted. The worst possible scenario happened in 2020 when two Russians left the highway to follow a faster route suggested by Google Maps. The navigation app didn't know the road was closed due to snow.
After driving for a while, the vehicle got stuck in the snow and broke down in an area without a cellular signal. Due to the low temperatures, the two passengers couldn't walk for too long to seek help, so they decided to spend the night in the car. The Siberian weather proved fatal for the driver, while the passenger was found by the local authorities with severe injuries.
Traffic authorities always recommend drivers to follow the road signs and prioritize common sense over navigation apps. If a driver doesn't look proper for your car, you'd better stay on the paved road, as it's always better to be late to the destination than not arrive at all.
And it did, but the suggested route recommended the driver to leave the paved road and use a muddy narrow road where the vehicle could barely fit. Despite the obvious signs, the driver followed the sat-nav, going on the unpaved road with a few more cars, likely guided by navigation software.
It didn't take long before everybody realized that leaving the paved road was a bad idea. The driver told the local media that the road kept getting "worse and worse," eventually coming across a flood. It was the moment he understood he couldn't go any further, but when he attempted to turn around, the vehicle got stuck.
The mud, the grass, and the rain made it impossible for the man to continue the journey, and after nearly an hour of repeated attempts to get the car out, the driver decided to walk back to a nearby farm. It turns out that vehicles stuck in the mud are a common sight for the people at the farm.
While the story ended without someone getting hurt, it's not unusual for drivers to go through horror experiences because they take everything on the sat-nav for granted. The worst possible scenario happened in 2020 when two Russians left the highway to follow a faster route suggested by Google Maps. The navigation app didn't know the road was closed due to snow.
After driving for a while, the vehicle got stuck in the snow and broke down in an area without a cellular signal. Due to the low temperatures, the two passengers couldn't walk for too long to seek help, so they decided to spend the night in the car. The Siberian weather proved fatal for the driver, while the passenger was found by the local authorities with severe injuries.
Traffic authorities always recommend drivers to follow the road signs and prioritize common sense over navigation apps. If a driver doesn't look proper for your car, you'd better stay on the paved road, as it's always better to be late to the destination than not arrive at all.
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