Author Topic: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS  (Read 189 times)

Offline seaeagle1965

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Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« on: December 15, 2012, 08:31:30 PM »
A man caught driving the wrong way on a Victorian highway has told police he was following instructions from his GPS unit.

The 37-year-old was pulled over after travelling down the Hume Freeway between Clonbinane and Broadford, in central Victoria, around 4:30am AEDT.

The New South Wales man told police he had referred to his GPS for the 20-kilometre journey.

He said he was unconcerned by passing traffic because he thought he was on a dual carriageway.

Last week, Mildura police issued a warning about relying on devices that use online maps.

Authorities have rescued six people from the Murray Sunset National Park over the past two months due to inaccurate data.

In another incident.......

Meanwhile, another New South Wales driver had his car impounded after being caught doing 177 kilometres an hour (110 mph) on the Hume Freeway last night.

The 17-year-old P-plater told police he was speeding because his car was running out of petrol.

Man caught driving wrong way on freeway blames GPS - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Offline YouCanToo

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Re: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2012, 12:11:11 AM »
I bet that was one excuse that they haven't heard before!!  ::) Perhaps they need to take away his GPS , as it has to be malfunctioning.  Even though we know it is the loose nut behind the wheel.




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Offline pupthai

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Re: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2012, 01:36:03 AM »
There was a group of three women visiting Seattle and using the GPS they drove their rental SUV down a boat ramp into the water.  It was dark and raining so as the road started down hill and they saw water they though it would just come back up soon so they kept going until the truck stalled window deep in the lake.
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Offline YouCanToo

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Re: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2012, 03:24:31 AM »
There was a group of three women visiting Seattle and using the GPS they drove their rental SUV down a boat ramp into the water.  It was dark and raining so as the road started down hill and they saw water they though it would just come back up soon so they kept going until the truck stalled window deep in the lake.

Just goes to prove you can't cure stupid!  :o




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Offline topcat

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Re: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 04:35:28 AM »
Not that I am one to raise asparagus, BUT...

The next thing I believe I'll hear is an  outbreak of drop bear attacks and hoop snake deaths in SE Aus.

Seeing that I drive through the "area of concern"  on a fortnightly basis:
1) the apple maps error was around 20km not 3000 light years as the media seems to be suggesting
2) it is important to note that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal in this country
3) if you can get mobile coverage in that area good enough to use the internet, then how come you can't call 000 (911 to you folks), so getting lost for 5 hours, 24 hours, 342 years seems a bit like a load of ...
4) I was in Mildura on the day that the original "lost in the Sunset park" story broke.  In fact, I was having a beer with the local copper.  The original story is this:
 
A young couple were in the park doing whatever young couples do.  They were low on petrol and got a bit lost trying to find their way back out.  So they rang the coppers and the coppers drove out and showed them the way back out to the main road. Yay! Everyone was saved. Nobody died of thirst, drop bear bites nor hoop snake strangling. 

Seeing as it is summer here and the general level of news events is kind of low, the local newspaper police reporter beat up the story a bit to the level of "couple saved from Sunset Park".  (For gawd's sake he had to have something to put on page 6!)

This is where it gets out of hand.  The newspaper guy is talking to the copper.  He whips out his iphone and discovers that Mildura isn't where it should be.  Aha! There's a story there!  He showed the copper, who said (and I can't quote, but it went along the lines of) "Yep, that's not right I suppose we ought to warn people about that."  Now, multiply that by about 4 levels of media....

Yes, he did file a report and yes, it went through the required channels and yes, Apple were notified and yes Virginia, there is a dingo with Sandy Claws and ... they fixed it!  Wow! Isn't life good after all.

But, ( ;D;D;D), that's not the end of the story is it? 

Offline Just17

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Re: Man caught driving wrong way on Australian freeway blames GPS
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2012, 04:36:55 AM »
A guy I worked with, back in the day, was done for speeding, and went to court to defend himself rather than pay a fine and have his licence endorsed.

He produced the car's user manual (a BMW) and referred to the manual instructions, that the vehicle should be driven at high speed at intervals, to keep the engine in good working condition.

He claimed he picked a straight stretch of road with no turn-offs, and little or no traffic at the time, so claimed there were no safety concerns.
The cops confirmed the conditions at the time.

He got off with a warning .....  I suspect the judge thought he deserved some leniency because of his cheek!  :D

« Last Edit: December 16, 2012, 04:39:01 AM by Just17 »
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