http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/30/gps-sends-another-driver-onto-train-tracks-of-doom/
About the same time that he sent me the article (literally, to the hour), I was driving around Virginia, terrified that I was speeding/not yielding/going too slow/about to die, etc. I hate. hate. hate driving in the East, and refuse to do so unless I absolutely have to. Unfortuantely, this was one of those cases: I had to (well, I wanted to) go to the mall and Richard had to stay at the law school and do homework.
"Exit left in 400 yards," Elphie2 (our GPS, a TomTom) told me. As I exited, I noticed some police cars further down on the exit lane, with a couple of cars pulled over to the side. "Suckers," I thought as I tried to pass the police cars. Then, one of them told me (ME!) to pull over. I did so with confusion, as I knew that I had not been speeding.
Our dialogue went something like this:
Cop: "So, I pulled you over because you took an HOV exit."
Me: "I'm sorry! I'm new the area and my GPS told me to exit here, and she didn't even ask me if I wanted to avoid HOV lanes (pointing emphatically to Elphie2)"
Cop: "Sorry, it's the 30th of the month and we haven't yet met our quota for tickets, so we have to give you one anyway."
(Cop leaves)
Elphie2: "Ha ha ha! Gotcha!"
Me: "Grrrrrrrr."Okay, the cop didn't actually say that. Neither did Elphie. But I knew that's what they were thinking.
Now, before you say it: I know I should have still been looking for HOV signs even with Elphie on. But I still contend that this is a prime example of GPS: Foe.
It must be said that Elphie has done well most of the time and kept me from getting lost, helped me find the nearest Wendy's and encouraged in life generally. But sometimes she just gets me into major trouble. Besides this incident, she once got me, Richard and Carma into a major traffic jam near the Lincoln Tunnel when she should have had us take an earlier exit.
So the question must be asked: Is your GPS a friend or foe?
3 comments:
The GPS is definitely my friend and just as definitely Nana's foe. If you are nice to it, it is nice to you. It knows that Nana is jealous.
Oh my goodness, my GPS definitely has a mind of its own, and he (Jimmy) has gotten me way lost on many occasions. Then he acts like it's my fault and has to recalculate even though he led me astray in the first place! And one time, very creepy, Ann and I were driving down this mountain where we didn't have satellite reception at first. The GPS started asking all sorts of questions like if we were indoors or underground. Then all of a sudden it asked us, "Is today September 13, 2008?" Um, creepy. We were both scared and became convinced that Jimmy was actually an evil spirit who would lead us to an abandoned lot to be killed.
p.s. my word verification word below is "yodqi" which I find to be very cute.
Emily, I have found that once we hooked up our Tom Tom to the computer and updated it, it does specify HOV lanes. Plus you get free updated maps with more Points of Interest. I highly recommend it, though the downloads do take awhile.
The other problem you may have is that GPS units can smell your fear (of driving), and feed off of it. Or, they may be resentful of being re-named. You may have to take it to GPS obedience school.
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