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Satellite Navigation a Real Crackpot!

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the asking-for-directions dept.

debest writes "What happens when your satellite navigation system in your car gives you bad advice on which road you should take? In Britain, these systems have been directing drivers down a road near the (aptly named) town of Crackpot that is strewn with boulders and has an unprotected 100ft dropoff on one side! The locals are worried someone's going to go off the edge."

11 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Typical mapper issues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There are a couple of problems with these things, both familiar to MapQuest users.

    1) Things change. New roads (sometimes whole communities) get built, and there is some latency in getting that updated data where it can be used by your GPS-mapper (whether in your car or on the web).

    2) Driving-direction algorithims are good, but not flawless. MapQuest, for example, provides driving directions that will usually get you where you want to go, but may have you take an odd route to get there.

    The bottom line: If you expect your Tom-Tom (or whatever) to magically do all of your thinking for you, you'll eventually wind up going over an 'unexpected' cliff ...

    1. Re:Typical mapper issues by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 4, Interesting

      TomTom are *really* bad though. They're riding high as the most common GPS in the UK.

      Unfortunately their maps are filled with obvious errors, and they ignore people who correct them (it's not uncommon for roads to be 10 years out of date on their maps... they've been told - repeatedly - about these errors but each time a map upgrade comes out no fixes have been done. Add to that the fact the map upgrades are not free and TT are ripe for being murdered by the competition..)

    2. Re:Typical mapper issues by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Unfortunately their maps are filled with obvious errors,

      Copyright traps?

  2. Similar Story by SloWave · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some time back when GPS's in cars were fairly new, I rented a Hertz car with a GPS while on a business trip to Colorado. I didn't ask for the GPS, they just gave it to me. At the end of my trip I decided to try out the GPS, so I programmed it to return me to the Colorado Springs airport. I missed the first turn to the airport but no problem, the GPS said it had an alternate route. So I followed the route until it said I had reached my destination. All I could see however was miles of nothing and a big chain link fence. The GPS insisted I was at the airport however. Finally I dug out the rental car map and it showed me that the GPS had led me to the back side of the airport. I almost missed my flight because of that stupid GPS.

    1. Re:Similar Story by Persol · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Odd timing.

      I'm currently in Pueblo, CO at a test site 30 miles outside town. There's only one paved road to the facility and it's from Pueblo.

      I usually fly into Denver, drove through the Springs, to Pueblo and then head out to the site. Simple trip, just get on 25-S and drive. Get off on exit 101A and drive ~30 miles.

      Well, I wanted to test my new gps. It had me drive down to the Co Springs airport and then take a ~30 mile dirt road. Actually got me there quicker, but the facility keeps that gate locked :/

  3. Crackpot not a "town" by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 4, Interesting
    This story was a real surprise - I never thought Crackpot would get a mention in Slashdot. My parents have a cottage just up the dale outside Gunnerside. However I feel I should point out that Crackpot is hardly a town. It consists of about two farmhouses and a barn! The biggest attraction is probably the name although I do remember going on a good walk from there once.

    Incidently the name comes from the norse "pot" meaning hole or dip (in this case referring to the limestone rift there) and "Kraka" meaning crow. As a kid I was always told it was because they found some roman coins in a cracked pot there but I think the former is more plausible!

    Anyway it was great to see Crackpot on Slashdot. I suppose next week they'll be a story about the nearby town of Hawes (which is pronounced "whores" :-)

  4. Similar Issues by Cylix · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A looong time ago in Seatle I managed to get some similar system.

    Hertz or herts or something car rental came with a navigation system.

    I thought, well this is nifty and set about setting up my destination.

    It was a bit of a pain initially and I was really annoyed I didn't have more time to spend truly learning it before I actually went somewhere. Still, I pressed onward with this great technological advancement and started on my way.

    I swear the damn thing tried to kill me repeatedly.

    Wrong street here, one way there or just it generally shouting at me that I was going the wrong way.

    I was still fairly impressed that it managed to re-calculate the route, but I gave up on it after the second time it sent me down the wrong way on a one way street.

    It ended up being useful to get me close to my destination, but just wasn't responsive enough for my needs.

    I'm sure it is much better now though.

    --
    "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
  5. Magellen Roadmate 760 by browng · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have owned a Magellen Roadmate 760 for six months. Living in Chicagoland for 28 years I find my GPS makes days out more flexible; any new place we wish to go is its command. In the past, going from one area to another would include at least a slght bit of driving towards home till we found a street we know takes us to the new area. With GPS it is almost like a wormhole, as soon after you leave your starting point you are in unfamiliar territory and then sooner than you would think you pop out at your destination. I have learned more about what this area has to offer.

  6. DeLorme is no better. by zenwarrior · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Someone gave me the DeLorme Earthmate GPS navigation system that wires into any laptop and offers realtime voice directions. I have used it on three trips now, each with routes I know with my eyes closed, and it has provided very wrong directions each and every time. In each case, had I relied on it, I would never--or after extended detours--have arrived at my destinations. So regarding DeLorme products, caveat emptor.

    Oh, and should someone give you it as a gift, you can translate their generosity into the words, "Go get lost!"

    --
    /.'s Psychic-in-Residence: Psychic to the Geeks
  7. Re:Too obvious to be a solution by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Every so often, at a sharp curve, you could peer out the window and see the remains of a car or truck that had pitched over the side...We took those curves very, very carefully.

    In Indonesia, they deliberately leave wrecked cars in place as reminders for the following drivers. Occasionally, if such cars are not easily spotted, they're put on top of a platform on a mast, to be more visible ;-)

  8. Re:Reality TV by glesga_kiss · · Score: 2, Interesting
    They don't think for themselves any more, they never question the almighty computer.

    And you think this is somehow a new thing? People rarely question authority figures. Witness the Milgram Experiment which found that 65% of people will inflict fatal electric shocks as punishment when told to do so by an authority figure. That's right, 65% of us are Lyndie England wannabes, given the right circumstances. People are very malleable and easy to lead.

    Computers take this to a new level of (misguided) trust.