14 ms·

Google may send people the wrong way, but the choice to drive in a muddy field is the driver, and driver's alone

3JPLW 7y ago
I'm more sympathetic. I can imagine being in that situation — going down a dirt road — and laughing at the absurdity of it all and yet needing to get to the airport to catch a flight and not having any better options. I'd wager it didn't get muddy immediately upon starting down that road. Once it did, though, it was probably too late with a line of cars behind you and nowhere to go but forward.
- _nalply 7y ago
  Once it happened to me that it got too sandy too sudden and I got stuck. It is easy to make fun of such mishaps but hey shit happens. It happened even without Google Maps.
- alistairSH 7y ago
  ...yet needing to get to the airport to catch a flight... You could leave a little earlier. But, more generally, I agree. It's hard not to follow the GPS and road conditions can change rapidly. My own anecdote... driving along 495 outside DC, there's a crash on the Woodrow Wilson, and the GPS says "take some side roads" to all 10,000 of us on that stretch of interstate. Massive gridlock ensues, not just on the interstate, but also all the surrounding neighborhood roads as cars tried to pass through parking lots and alleys to get home.
frogpelt 7y ago
It was the 99 other cars that gave them the courage. I've faced the same situation but I was alone, and I didn't take the dirt road.
- isostatic 7y ago
  Well at least something to pass the time 99 cars stuck in the field, 99 stuck cars turn one round, drive it arround, 98 stuck cars in the field....
pvaldes 7y ago
The choice can be less obvious in northern places. In some countries there are permanent roads and temporary roads through frozen rivers and lakes. The proposition of crossing a muddy field maybe does not trigger any alarm in this areas if the road is opened in winter season and closed in summer.
c22 7y ago
Just wait for the self-driving cars...

I'm more sympathetic. I can imagine being in that situation — going down a dirt road — and laughing at the absurdity of it all and yet needing to get to the airport to catch a flight and not having any better options. I'd wager it didn't get muddy immediately upon starting down that road. Once it did, though, it was probably too late with a line of cars behind you and nowhere to go but forward.

_nalply 7y ago
Once it happened to me that it got too sandy too sudden and I got stuck. It is easy to make fun of such mishaps but hey shit happens. It happened even without Google Maps.
alistairSH 7y ago
...yet needing to get to the airport to catch a flight... You could leave a little earlier. But, more generally, I agree. It's hard not to follow the GPS and road conditions can change rapidly. My own anecdote... driving along 495 outside DC, there's a crash on the Woodrow Wilson, and the GPS says "take some side roads" to all 10,000 of us on that stretch of interstate. Massive gridlock ensues, not just on the interstate, but also all the surrounding neighborhood roads as cars tried to pass through parking lots and alleys to get home.

frogpelt 7y ago

It was the 99 other cars that gave them the courage. I've faced the same situation but I was alone, and I didn't take the dirt road.

isostatic 7y ago
Well at least something to pass the time 99 cars stuck in the field, 99 stuck cars turn one round, drive it arround, 98 stuck cars in the field....

pvaldes 7y ago

The choice can be less obvious in northern places. In some countries there are permanent roads and temporary roads through frozen rivers and lakes. The proposition of crossing a muddy field maybe does not trigger any alarm in this areas if the road is opened in winter season and closed in summer.

c22 7y ago

Just wait for the self-driving cars...