Why does this happen so often on the left coast?

[agesilaus]

GPS strikes again

BK

[richardcoxid]

I ihink that one of the answers is to just look at the population density of most of the Eastern states vs the west states. There are a LOT of dirt 4x4 trails out west!

[Hammerhead]

For road trips, we carry maps for a backup in case the navigation system quits working. It's nice to have the estimate travel time to our destination for quick updates if we want them.

The Chrysler OEM system in our Jeep has never steered us off paved roads when heading through the mountains in the northwest.

[hook47]

Back in the '90s when I was flying helicopters in Alaska we had basic GPS. Point a to b type. It was useful when you didn't have low lying clouds and a mountain between you and your destination. It is amazing how much fuel you can waste going in a big arc trying to not run into the mountain.

On the ground, my current TV has the OEM GPS and I think it is possessed by evil navigators. Haven't really used it for years but when I have it will have me try and turn into the Jersey barriers between interstate lanes, turn into farmer's fields and such...

Worst part is having the voice turned on for navigation directions. Nothing like being nagged to make a wrong turn and them make a U-turn to get back to the wrong place.

Learned a long time ago, plan a map route first then compare with GPS. My system also has the ability to pre-drive/navigate the route which kind of helps.

[Jayco254]

When I first got my Garmin I took it on a drive where I knew I was going, when I got off the interstate and started to turn left it insisted I turn right, which would of had me driving thru a guard rail, down a hill and into some farmers corn field. When I insisted on going the only way possible to get where I was going at every little road and driveway the Garmin recalculated and insisted I turn around, it wanted me in that corn field bad. Ever since then I went back to using paper maps. This happened in the middle of the country not on the left or right coast.

[BigRabbitMan]

And to top it off,they ran into a "little mud" with a GMC motor home which is front wheel drive and that is the last unit that you want to ever get off of hard pavement. They can get stuck in wet grass!

[daveor]

I live in the area where that couple left the interstate, so I know the road they went on,, Have driven it most of the way before,, GPS had them take some turns that they didn't need to take,, they were on a good all weather gravel road that would have taken them right to a main hwy. I checked mapquest and asked for the shortest route,, it took me the way they went, shortest time kept me on the main hwys. We have had a number of people get lost in this area, because their GPS told them to go that way. If your going uphill and the snow is getting deeper,,, TURN AROUND. Or the road is getting all overgrown, TURN AROUND. Think it is called common sense, which I find a lot of people anymore don't have.

[qtla9111]

I have a Tom-Tom. Sometimes I work in the Rio Grande Valley. I don't know if the problem is the proximity to the border or what but it drops signal like crazy, doesn't recognize streets in McAllen and leads me astray. At 7 a.m. in the morning there is no one to ask for directions. I always check Mapquest the night before just see if they are in sinc. This last week I have worked in Seguin and El Paso and it is right on without dropping the signal.

[Veebyes]

There is something to be said for carrying at least 2 navigation systems when traveling areas unknown.

The stand alone GPS is fine but it does not show much. MS Streets & Trips, with GPS, allows the right hand seat to navigate & keep track of where the stand alone GPS is planning to go.

When all else fails there is the book atlas in the door pocket.

Taking gravel roads over short distances on flat land by daylight is one thing. Gravel roads with a big vehicle in the mountains, not such a good idea.

[fj12ryder]

I'll have to admit that I've not used a paper map in quite a few years, but at the same time I've never relied on a GPS unit to plot my route. I suss out my route with mapping software, then use Mapsource/Basecamp to transfer my route to my GPS. I then pull up the route on the GPS and double check the accuracy. Blindly following a route that was charted by the GPS unit is simply not wise.

I won't go back to paper maps unless absolutely necessary, I just love the detail you can get with mapping software.

[elkhornsun]

There is an ancient computer saying in the industry of garbage in garbage out. Computers depend upon data that is put in by people and programming that was done by people and code that was tested by people. More and more the really talented programmers and testers in this country are being forced into early retirement and the young people coming into the workforce have neither the experience and knowledge nor anyone to mentor them and develop their skills.

This applies to GPS devices which when mapping are using information gathered by two companies that have people drive the roads and make notes. If the road has not actually been traveled by a person working for these companies then the computer makes a guess as it did with this couple.

I see this sort of thing whenever the GPS is set for the "shortest" route. It will calculate the shortest route in terms of distance and ignore the probable maximum speed or condition of the roads in the routing. Choosing "fastest route" instead will keep you on the primary roads.

[wilber1]

dave54 wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:

wilber1 wrote:
...if your on or see a FS road. If the sign has the road numbers horizontal, the road should be passenger car passable in good weather. If the sign has the road numbers Vertical, then it is designated as high clearance 4wd passable. that should be clue #1.

And in the case of "high clearance" roads, the top of the sign will in most cases have the connecting passenger passable roadway number labeled horizontally in smaller type on the top.

That is the design level of the road. Unfortunately, budget cuts have forced the FS to defer road maintenance. So the horizontal road numbers may be a road that has not seen a blade or brushing in several years (the profits from timber sales used to finance much of the road and trail maintenance. No more timber sales means no more road/trail funds).

Each region of the Forest Service has a different number scheme for their roads. Region 5 (basically California) uses PLSS Townships for most roads, and PLSS Ranges for trails. Other regions use different. Figure out the local road numbering scheme and you can determine where the road goes and what other roads it connects with. Private timber companies will have their own road numbering system separate from the FS, even on the same road -- can be very confusing to the uninitiated.

wilber1 didn't write that.

[Roy_Lynne]

Last winter I was working at Fort Irwin, an Army base in the dead center of the Calif desert, nearest town is 40 miles away and there is one road in and out. I turned on the GPS as I was going to take a trip to AZ and it kept telling me to turn left on roads that were nothing but dirt and when I looked at a map, went no where except they happened to go east. I learned then and there never to trust a GPS and verify when I do

[mowermech]

"I read it on the internet, so it must be true!"
"It is on the Garmin map, so it must be right!"
"Garbage in, Garbage out!"
ONE of the above is absolutely true. It is up to US to decide which one we will believe.
My old Tom-Tom once told me to turn right, right now! But it was on top of a hill in Wyoming, and I could see the road where I needed to turn right, about 5 miles further on. I waited until I reached the road!

[fla-gypsy]

dakonthemountain wrote:
Ya know, I'm the Director of Administration for an academic research institute at the university, and I LOVE research and technology... However I've never had a GPS and am not sure I ever will for reasons just like this. My other half LOVES it and has gotten lost numerous times. I LOVE paper maps and sitting down and plotting out my travels and the fun of imagining just what lies ahead based on the topographical indicators on the map... But that's just me... kinda old school when I'm on "vacation".... 🙂

Yup, even old school folks still live on the "left coast"... 😉
Dak

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