Death by GPS.

We have all been led astray by GPS systems and sometimes it is good to have a backup. In my 2019 Toyota, I have been led miles out of the way sometimes to the middle of a corn field 3 times. After the in car NAV had proudly announced "you have reached your destination". Each time, Google maps has led me quickly to the right place.

I'd give it a 95 but I tend to do research before hand and have a general sense of where I am going and what routes go near there before I start. Sometimes even printing out directions for my Navigator to follow.

 

At least nobody died when Google Maps tried to guide people around a dust storm that closed I-15 on November 19, by sending them down a narrow bumpy dirt trail through the desert, turning un-navigable to many or most highway vehicles:

Google apologizes after map led drivers down dirt path into the desert

Checking other sources, here is the huge traffic backup on I-15:
I-15 closed near California-Nevada border due to dust storm, low visibility

... and here is the huge Google-induced backup on the narrow desert trail:

[... oops, I haven't learned how to link TikTok videos here, direct link crashes PC. And I still can't post still images to show which one to play, so just take you best guess here:
TikTok - Make Your Day]

 

this is what one of the direct urls looks like, not surprised messin with these could be a pain.
www.tiktok.com/@lamag/video/7307155102773742894?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

the link works for me since I already watched this one, others may need to cut, paste and pray.

 

That is the one I was trying to link. But having watched barely a dozen TikToks in my life, I haven't yet gained proficiency.

Compared to certain roads I'm accustomed to, the displayed segments don't look that bad, provided traffic is negligible. But traffic jams, with insufficient room for turnouts to allow passing or even turning around, change everything.

I have taken some Google Maps alternate routes that were 'interesting', but turned out quite worthwhile. Good scenic routes off the beaten path, no regrets at all. But I have also declined others that appeared unreasonable, un-seasonal, or even impossible, and found numerous other bad or outright closed ones when reviewing news stories suitable for this thread, and when selecting counterexamples to others' claims that Google Maps is very reliable.

I'm astounded at the number of vehicles on that failed alternate. I'd never have guessed that that many people would need GPS assistance navigating from Vegas to LA all at the same time, or would try to dodge a weather closure of the paved roads.

 

I as well have followed google voice directions to my chagrin. while taking a wide circle around an area after missing an exit. I know, half my fault, but after following the route I was given to the destination and arriving, than checking the alternative route I followed, I was wondering is I wasn't being punished for missing an exit on the google planed route.

 

I have not (yet) been personally chagrined for taking any Google Maps suggested routes, merely surprised by some lower road standards than expected. All have turned out well, so far, some even very pleasantly more scenic and untrammeled than expected.

But I'm sure that degree of good experience is because I have rejected some of its other suggestions that seemed unlikely to turn out well, for various reasons including probable seasonal closures. During a discussion of its 'reliability' last winter, I even found a couple (2nd and 3rd choices shown, not 1st) that I knew for certain were closed for the season. One was even buried deep under ski trails that I used work as a volunteer Nordic Ski Patroller in Mt. Rainier National Park -- tourist road near Paradise in summer, ski and snowshoe trail in winter.

Based on what it has previously suggested, I won't be surprised to eventually be chagrined for accepting one of its proffered choices.

 

I have been and remain disappointed that Tesla has yet to use their downloadable data to override and correct the Google map errors. The single most common are 'dead speed' zones where previous roadwork had temporarily blocked access and a Google scanning car happened by. These become predictable "phantom brake" places.

Bob Wilson