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Following GPS, Man Drives Van Up Swiss Mountain, Gets Stuck
That's exactly what 37-year-old Robert Ziegler recently did, when his van's GPS system directed him up some ruggedly mountainous terrain in Bergün, Switzerland. Although Ziegler had his suspicions about the route, his navigation system didn't tell him to turn back until his van was hopelessly stuck along a narrow path. "I kept hoping each little turn would get me back to the main road," Ziegler tells Metro.co.uk. "In the end, it told me to turn around, but, of course, I couldn't by then."
Eventually, both Ziegler and his van were airlifted from the Swiss mountain by a helicopter and an awe-struck team of rescue workers. "He says he didn't see any footpath signs but he must be a fair driver to get that far up a glorified goat track," a fire service spokesman says. While following a satellite navigation system up a mountain may not be quite as moronic as, say, a pedestrian following Google Maps onto a major highway, Ziegler's saga stands as further proof that drivers tend to take GPS directions as gospel -- even when they make no sense, whatsoever.
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Comments
49
Subscribe to commentsjeanniej84Sep 30th 2010 1:03AM
Just like a man not to ask for directions!!!!!!
Morris511Oct 1st 2010 9:02AM
@(Unverified) You have to understand us men. We don't ask for directions because we are not lost!....We just haven't got there yet ;-)
donaleeOct 1st 2010 12:18PM
@(Unverified) Gee, that must have been my husband!
jerseygal1964Oct 2nd 2010 3:23AM
@(Unverified)
jlusmomSep 30th 2010 1:04AM
just like a man not to ask for directions!
ANIGHTAL1Oct 1st 2010 12:23AM
even in the U.S. delorme HAS TRIED TO DO THAT TO ME, IT GOT ME EAST OF PAGE ARIZONA STATE ROUTE 89 I THINK 31 OF THE LONGEST ROUGHEST 4 WHEEL ROADS BUT GREAT VIEWS MY 90 FORD TAURAUS MADE IT FLEW RIGHT BY A 4X4 TRUCK STUCK ON A HILL I TRIPLE CHECK NOW, WOW
poetwranglerOct 1st 2010 3:31PM
@(Unverified) The Page, Arizona, area is SCARY with GPS. Luckily, my friend and I have common sense enough not to turn no matter how often the impatient lady told us to, and then had to tsk and recalculate. Common sense, a map, and GPS are all needed; unfortunately, the first is in short supply.
One tip for if you're lost, drive faster so you won't be lost quite so long ;-)
Larry KlamerusOct 1st 2010 6:51AM
Now That's just plain STUPID !!!
Clay GunterOct 1st 2010 7:10AM
Between computers evolving into"cloud"(internet storage of info.) and GPS easily having the potential to direct(or in this case misdirect!) a persons location and direction? He who controls corporations, controls YOU like a puppet! That's a BAD(very BAD) thing! Your everyday life becomes controlled by machines!
clayOct 1st 2010 10:29AM
@(Unverified) as you type that on a machine(computer)
JoOct 1st 2010 7:57AM
The same thing happened to me this past spring. I was house sitting friends in Cali and had to rely on my GPS to get me around. I needed I-5...easy enough....GPS sent me up the a mountain where I ALMOST got stuck. Funny thing was I could SEE I-5 from the mountain and had to laugh to myself thinking "THATS where I want to be-NOT here!"
EileenOct 1st 2010 8:13AM
A few years ago my daughter and I were in Florida. Had a rental car with GPS and her portable GPS as well. The night we arrived (late) BOTH of them led us into a very dark residential neighborhood in search for a Wal-Mart. Just to see what was up we tried it again the following day and it did the SAME thing. Who writes the maps for these things. Maybe they need a paper map or the Internet Maps.com. Unbelieveable... I hate the GPS things, give me a paper map any time.
John SOct 1st 2010 8:46AM
It just proves what I've been saying for years. Common sense isn't so common, and logic is extinct.
surfvaOct 1st 2010 8:56AM
Which way to the beach?
realramboOct 1st 2010 11:37AM
:-} .............
CatOct 1st 2010 9:35AM
Recently, I used my GPS to get to National Harbor near Washington, DC...the Nation's Capital!!!!. I followed everything to the T! Right up until the point it had me take a ramp into ONCOMING traffic on 495!!! only people from the NoVa, MD and DC area can relate to this FU! Lucky to be alive!
TonyOct 1st 2010 9:37AM
I didn't think it was possible but this guy is more stupid than a woman !!
cgholdcraftOct 1st 2010 12:46PM
@Fathertimema
At least that guy was smart enough to admit he made a mistake. You, on the other hand, will go through life never even knowing the mistake you're making thinking that you are smarter than ALL women. We've got you far outwitted, fella!
jeanie wOct 1st 2010 9:45AM
Oh for Heaven's Sake...anyone with 1/2 a brain doesn't completely trust a GPS system. We have an after-market GPS in our car. It's a Sony. We LOVE it. We drive a LOT and depend on the GPS system to help us get to unknown locations. So far so good. HOWEVER, that being said, common sense should prevail and its pretty damn obvious that going up a "goat path" on a mountain is NOT where you need to be. That's just plain stupid. And for the fella who said he's not lost, just "not there yet"? Baloney...he's lost. lol..thank God my husband isn't afraid to ask for directions. We never rely 100% on our GPS, but its been wonderful when we did. We wouldn't be without it. Just common sense folks..really.
MariaOct 1st 2010 9:47AM
I still print directions as a back up even though i use my gps. you never know if it malfunctions or something just doesnt sound right. you can always double check with the directions on paper.