BS: Only following orders.....

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Mo the caller
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 04:44 PM

The trouble with both maps and satnav comes when the road is blocked by roadworks/accident etc.
There you are, driving along at route you know well (but anything off that road is unknown territory), or have studied on the map before you set out. Suddenly a diversion sign. If you follow the arrows you spend 30mins going round in a big loop to end up almost where you started, but the other side of the block. Too dark in the car to read the map, and even if you can you don't know how much of the road is blocked.
Satnav not only doesn't know how far the road is blocked, it doesn't know it is blocked.
Now if it could have warned you in time, there would probably been a better route.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 08:25 AM

Doug - no sun visible through the clouds at that time.

Kendall suggested that I put up these photos of the road we got directed to. It seemed to be very isolated and just got worse the further we went.......

terrier - I have heard the same thing about changing the GPS voice to a male one for the Germans. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 10:19 PM

Doug, we bought the cheaper model. It tells you where to get gas, food and lodging, but not a word about the nearest Llama.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:58 PM

Kendall - you are right -- if you do EXACTLY what she (my GPS is female - of course) tells you to do you will not get lost. Blame our diversion into the Bronx on your wife who was obviously chatting to me and distracted me!!

I enjoy Esmerelda saying, as we have reached our target ' You have now ARRIVED at your destination...' I think it is only in my imagination that she says .... 'have a nice day' but surely the reality can only be a matter of time.....

Still for non girl guides people like me, this is a huge boon.....

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:51 PM

Wait a minute! I'm starting to see potential for real fun with these satnav things! Voice selections could be dowloaded like mobile phone ringtones! You could have Hal, the computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It could ask, "What are you doing, Dave?" when you make a wrong turn. Or the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android! "Enough brainpower to run the entire electrical grid of the United States, and I get to tell you how to get to Krispy Kreme. Why don't you just shoot me instead?" The possibilities are endless!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 07:47 PM

The one I borrowed had a speed camera alert - we had to turn it off driving through London as it went off with a hoot like an air raid siren every time we got within 60ft of a camera. I prefered the male voice it came with, he didn't sound half so snotty as the woman. I wanted to scratch her little digital eyes out before we'd got 4 miles - she told me to turn left into a dead end, insisted I could turn right across a motorway - presumably she couldn't see the 4ft barrier fence that went down the middle for 13 miles, and told me I was driving through a non-existant village (well, the by-pass has only been there for 6 years)!

Consequently, I hate the things, and rely on such mundane actions as checking the route before I leave, carrying a map and - horror of horrors... asking people for directions!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: terrier
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:13 PM

"Bitch in the box"...I like it.
I'm not sure I believe this story either but......
I was told that a certain maker of German cars had their SATNAV voice changed from female to male because they had so many complaints from male customers about being TOLD WHAT TO DO BY A WOMAN.

I think of my SATNAV as in car stress relief esp. when trying to navigate 'round unfamiliar inner cities.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: DougR
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 01:53 PM

Kendall: if you can tell east from west, and tell time without a time-peace, why in the world would you need a GPS? An old hand like you? I'm shocked! :>)

Suppose a GPS could be used to locate Llamas?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: autolycus
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:08 PM

I'd recommend anyone troubled by cases of "I was only following orders/I just do what I'm told" to read "Listen,Little Man" by Wilhelm Reich, written in the 30s.

   it's very short.





       Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Amos
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:08 AM

Mebbe 'cuz thet's where he was staying at the time, visiting with ole Utah Phillips?


A

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:23 AM

Betcha I know why Kendall turned off at GRASS Valley!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: jacqui.c
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 08:52 AM

Note - Kendall refers to the 'bitch in the box'. The GPS in California got this name following one particular incident.

We were coming back from a day sightseeing in the snow (in April in California!). We had set the GPS to take us back to Grass Valley and were tootling along the interstate when Kendall saw a road sign for Grass Valley and turned off the interstate. The GPS, which had a rather snooty English accent, immediately went into recalculating mode. I know it's only imagination, but we could almost hear the edge in her voice as she tried to correct the cardinal error Kendall had made by ignoring her directions.

Anyway, she told us to take a right turn and we did. That put us on a fairly narrow, snow covered side road. Seemed strange but we thought "She knows what she's doing". We kept on down this road, the snow got thicker and we were finally driving along the wheel ruts of a previous vehicle. As we went further on we could hear the snow scraping on the underside of the van we were in and were thanking our lucky stars that the compact that we had wanted had not been available.

We finally came to a place where the snow under the van was getting too deep. I was starting to get a little worried by this time but, knowing that Kendall was used to this sort of weather, trusted in his ability to keep going. Right about then we came to a closed gate across the road and a four wheel drive parked beside it. No sign of people, no lights (it was starting to get dark), nothing. The GPS was not talking to us. At this point we decided that it would be best to turn around and go back the way we came. Luckily, Kendall was able to turn the van around, I'm not sure that I would have wanted to try in those conditions, and we made our escape.

My theory was that the GPS got snitty about our ignoring her directions and decided to teach us a lesson. That's when she got the name, the Bitch in the Box.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:14 PM

When the "Bitch in the box" says, "Go point .02 miles and turn left, you must wait until she says, turn left. Do EXACTLY what she says, when she says it and you will not get lost.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 10:24 PM

I LOVE my GPS (fondly known as Esmerelda....). I have - literally - no sense of direction......as a realtor I would often find myself driving through areas I didn't know -- GPS is soooooooo comforting. I would prefer never to drive a car without it.....it is so very freeing. When Jacqui and I drove down to the Getaway last year, I programmed the Getaway location from my house, hit the road - and got lost just once - took one turn into the Bronx in error. In all honesty, if I had looked at the map first I probably would have been too intimidated the drive (circling round so close to NY).....

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:30 PM

Up until recently, I was a firm believer in maps, but when we landed in Sacramento and picked up the rental car, it was pitch dark and raining. Trying to read a map with the dome light was impossible, and I'm damn glad we sprung for the GPS.Otherwise we never would have gotten out of the city before daylight. No, they are not perfect, but I won't go without one now.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 08:59 PM

I dunno anything about satnav, but I know that driving directions from sites like Mapquest can send you miles out of the way. Their algorithms seem to take a "To get to Point A, you must travel through Point B" approch, even if it's obvious to anyone looking at a map that going through Point B is a 20 mile detour.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:57 PM

There was a case of a road in Devon that went over a river... trouble is, the bridge over it was a foot bridge and the road stopped at the river. Several vehicles had to be hauled out of the drink due to sat navs telling them to take this road.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: jacqui.c
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:41 PM

We used a GPS in California last year and it was so useful (most of the time) that we now have our own. That was handy finding our way around Albany last month and I've been using it to get oriented locally now that I have a driving license.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Alba
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:39 PM

Indeed Ivor as I was wondering if any of the other "accidents" occured on the Autobahn. Does anyone think that the satnavs have a problem when cars are travelling at high speeds?
I rather doubt however that this malfunction (both of Machine and Driver) is only happening in one Country. I would be willing to bet it is an International issue on the roads...and/or this will now become an excuse that some bad Drivers may try to use when they are involved or cause an accident!!
My Best to all as always,
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:36 PM

Kendall-
I'm sure that you'll be happy to know that, since GPS (or SATNAV) systems became so widely available, nost new boats (including those up to the $250,000 range) don't come with compasses or in-dash provisions for a compass.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: autolycus
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:14 PM

Perhaps Wolfgang can help us with the original question.





      Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Gizmo
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:59 PM

Seems to make more sense spending money on a decent road atlas, A to Z etc etc than one of those sat nav thingies.

Tsk - don't blame computers, they are not the ones who get it wrong, it is the human progarammers, or obeyees who are the fools.

Gizmo - who will probably start a campaign to get people using their brains to think, rather than rely on a computer chip to do it for them

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: alanabit
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:49 PM

I am not so sure Kendall. It seems to me that there is barely any idea so stupid that some berk won't try it out sooner or later!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:44 PM

A few years ago, there was a story about a rich Arab who came to America, and while he was here purchased a new camper van that had all the bells and whistles. One of the extras was Cruise Control. For the ones who don't know what that is, it's a device that you can set your speed and as long as you don't touch the accelerator pedal, it will automatically hold that speed.
Well, it seems he misunderstood what it was for, he set it, then went back to make tea and at the first curve it left the road, and that required him to buy another van.
I don't believe this one either.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: The Walrus
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:18 PM

Michael,

By the same token there was the chap who made a wrong turn and ended up travelling the length of the M 25 (the motorway circling London, for non-UKers) and having been stopped by a policeman, originally from the North, wouldn't believe that he was only a few miles from home and not almost at his destination.

That one did make the newspapers at the time.

Walrus.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 12:11 PM

I wouldn't want to sail with these flange heads!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Michael
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:23 AM

In the '80s a friend who was in the Derbyshire police was asked by a driver at Junction 30 on M1'Where is North London?'He had come from South London following signs to 'THE NORTH'. Jct 30 is about 150 miles from London.
So it's not JUST technology that does it.

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:55 AM

It supposedly uses what is called GPS, Global Positioning System, over here.

Poor patient! Eight hours for a twelve mile trip!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:41 AM

Am I correct in believing that most people don't know east from west? That they can't tell time without a time piece?
This story is beyond belief. No one could be that numb!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:11 AM

Satellite-based navigation systems. Often based on GIGO and defective liveware programming.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: guitar
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:00 AM

what is sat nav? the reason is that I don't drive so I take it it a thing that tells you were to go.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Megan L
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:55 AM

True story several of my family were going from glasgow to edinburgh
ok so most of the were english but still :)
they pile into three cars with sat nav "which way do we go"
Three different answers in the end they took the bus. sheesh i hardly ever drive but sat nav glasow to edinburgh castle even i could do that it is only one road.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:29 AM

re Rapaire's link:

As with most "computer errors" it was most likely the loose nut at the keyboard who punched in the wrong destination.

Anyone who can drive 200 miles before realizing they're lost misses a lot of the fun and adventure of an unscheduled scenic trip.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Gurney
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 03:52 AM

"There again, that was partly my fault. I meant the next turn. Not this man's lawn."

Bob Newhart, 'The Driving Insructor.'

I used to know that by heart. Nice to know some things never change.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 10:36 PM

That's just bizarre, Alba. And the ambulance one, too!

Peter, thanks for the info. I also support Military Families Speak Out.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 10:23 PM

Here ya go.

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: GUEST,Peter Woodruff
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 10:16 PM

couragetoresist.org will present over 1,000 signatures of American enlisted to Congress tomorrow. The petition is called "Appeal For Redress" and it calls for an end to the war in Iraq. This is BIG!

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Amos
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:39 PM

What is this proclivity for unreasoning blind compliance? Is it a particularly German trait? Or is it international?

A full grown man being ordered about by a satnav robot voice? Sheeeeeshe!



A

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Les from Hull
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:39 PM

Funny that all our national and local newspapers missed that one! Of course you can believe anything you read on the 'net!

Subject: RE: BS: Only following orders.....
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:30 PM

Like the guys in England who were transfering a patient from one London hospital to another and ended up in Manchester....

Subject: BS: Only obeying orders.....
From: Alba
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:11 PM

Found this little snippet while browsing and it made me chuckle.

BERLIN (Reuters) - A 46-year-old German motorist driving along a busy road suddenly veered to the left and ended up stuck on a railway track -- because his satellite navigation system told him to, police said on Sunday.
The motorist was heading into the north German city of Bremen "when the friendly voice from his satnav told him to turn left," a spokesman said.
"He did what he was ordered to do and turned his Audi left up over the curb and onto the track of a local streetcar line. He tried to back up off the track but got completely stuck."

The police spokesman said about a dozen trams were held up until a tow lorry arrived to clear the car off the track.
Several German motorists have crashed their cars in recent months, later telling police they were only obeying orders from their satnavs.

eh.....!!!?:)

Jude