GPS Mix-Up Brings Wrong Turn, and Celebrity, to an American in Iceland

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Times: GPS Mix-Up Brings Wrong Turn, and Celebrity, to an American in Iceland

LONDON – When Noel Santillan typed the word Laugarvegur instead of Laugavegur into his rental car's GPS, the New Jersey resident couldn't have imagined that the extra "r"  would make him something of a celebrity in Iceland.

Mr. Santillan, 28, arrived at Keflavik International Airport on Monday morning after a five-hour flight from New York and was eager to get to the Hotel Fron on Laugavegur, a main street in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, local news media reported. But the spelling error got in his way, according to Visir, an Icelandic news website.

While driving nearly six hours over icy roads, Mr. Santillan, who works in retail marketing, had an inkling that something might be wrong, local news reports said.

His suspicion was confirmed when he arrived in Siglufjordur, a remote fishing village in northern Iceland that is roughly 430 kilometers, or about 270 miles, from the airport and has a road named Laugarvegur.

[Brandon]

To quote someone's sig, GPS is not God.

[The Nature Boy]

Mr. Santillan told the state broadcaster that he saw signs showing Reykjavik was in the other direction, but that he had put his faith in the GPS.

Moron

[SteveG1988]

At least the guy took it in good spirits.

[noelbotevera]

We have to keep bringing this up, every time....never obey the GPS.

[vdeane]

He had an inkling that something was wrong?  After SIX HOURS?

[xcellntbuy]

Sounds like a road trip.

[corco]

He had an inkling that something was wrong?  After SIX HOURS?

That's what blows my mind - and suggest the person has almost no geographic knowledge beyond just overreliance on the GPS. If you have to drive six hours on an ISLAND the size of Kentucky to get from the airport to the ONLY major city, you're doing something wrong.

[The Nature Boy]

We have to keep bringing this up, every time....never obey the GPS.

A GPS is a tool, not the end all be all. Before I take a trip, I look at a map to generally get an idea of where I'm going and then I plug my destination into my GPS.

[PHLBOS]

To quote someone's sig, GPS is not God.

Hey, I resemble that remark.   

I'm not sure what rental car agency this traveler was using but in my experience with renting vehicles (especially with ones at airports); the agency usually gives out or has a rough roadmap of the metropolitan/regional area printed on their rental agreement documents/jackets (usually 8.5x11 or 11x17).

While such usually isn't of Rand McNally nor AAA caliber; it can help orient one who's unfamiliar with the area with the very basic road/highway and city locations.  IMHO, such would've helped and avoided an unplanned 6-hour tour of Iceland.

A GPS is a tool, not the end all be all. Before I take a trip, I look at a map to generally get an idea of where I'm going and then I plug my destination into my GPS.

Excellent idea.

[hm insulators]

I don't even have GPS; just good old-fashioned paper road maps. Remember? Paper?

(You want laughs, just go to Home Depot or Lowe's and ask them for an old-fashioned paper job application. Half the time they look at you like you'd just emerged from the UFO that landed in the parking lot.)

[TR69]

Here's a helpful sign (if somewhat lacking in tact, but, oh well) on KY 146 in Anchorage. KY 146 makes a turn off of this alignment here (behind the photographer) while the straight-ahead road shown in the photo is a dead end (obviously).
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[jeffandnicole]

Here's a helpful sign (if somewhat lacking in tact, but, oh well) on KY 146 in Anchorage. KY 146 makes a turn off of this alignment here (behind the photographer) while the straight-ahead road shown in the photo is a dead end (obviously).
< /br>< /br>

Well, when the tactful 'No Outlet' sign is ignored, you have to get a bit meaner!

[The Nature Boy]

I once went to a house in New Hampshire that literally sits on an old road that hasn't existed since at least 50s. This normally wouldn't be a problem but this road still exists on maps and a GPS will route you literally THROUGH their house. One of the people who lives there tells me that she often encounters confused tourists.

GPS errors like that though wouldn't be solved by looking at a map. GPS units still rely on maps and if maps aren't updated, using a paper map won't help you either. A lot of the anti-GPS vitriol should be directed towards mapmakers.

Sticking to numbered state/federal roads when possible is generally a good idea if you are totally and completely unfamiliar with an area.

[PHLBOS]

I once went to a house in New Hampshire that literally sits on an old road that hasn't existed since at least 50s. This normally wouldn't be a problem but this road still exists on maps and a GPS will route you literally THROUGH their house. One of the people who lives there tells me that she often encounters confused tourists.

GPS errors like that though wouldn't be solved by looking at a map. GPS units still rely on maps and if maps aren't updated, using a paper map won't help you either. A lot of the anti-GPS vitriol should be directed towards mapmakers.

There is a difference though.  Using an old/erroneous map alone isn't going to cause someone to aimlessly drive through a house (per your listed NH example); blindly following a GPS containing the same information could.

Sticking to numbered state/federal roads when possible is generally a good idea if you are totally and completely unfamiliar with an area.

Such is generally a good idea regardless of what navigation tool (maps and/or GPS) one uses.

[hbelkins]

I'm glad that referenced story didn't identify an American tourist named Doug, Steve or Anthony. 

[epzik8]

Here's a helpful sign (if somewhat lacking in tact, but, oh well) on KY 146 in Anchorage. KY 146 makes a turn off of this alignment here (behind the photographer) while the straight-ahead road shown in the photo is a dead end (obviously).

This is my new favorite unusual sign. Right alongside "THIS IS NOT ROUTE 12" in Vermont.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm glad that referenced story didn't identify an American tourist named Doug, Steve or Anthony. 

LOL

[vdeane]

Plus GPS makers generally create their own data.  While paper maps are a source, they're not the only one, and there are many electronic maps that are less accurate than paper (we have a thread for Google Maps errors for a reason).  A major factor in this is that electronic maps can be updated when an issue is discovered, which in turn incentivise a reduced quality control effort.

[The Nature Boy]

I once went to a house in New Hampshire that literally sits on an old road that hasn't existed since at least 50s. This normally wouldn't be a problem but this road still exists on maps and a GPS will route you literally THROUGH their house. One of the people who lives there tells me that she often encounters confused tourists.

GPS errors like that though wouldn't be solved by looking at a map. GPS units still rely on maps and if maps aren't updated, using a paper map won't help you either. A lot of the anti-GPS vitriol should be directed towards mapmakers.

There is a difference though.  Using an old/erroneous map alone isn't going to cause someone to aimlessly drive through a house (per your listed NH example); blindly following a GPS containing the same information could.

Sticking to numbered state/federal roads when possible is generally a good idea if you are totally and completely unfamiliar with an area.

Such is generally a good idea regardless of what navigation tool (maps and/or GPS) one uses.

As I implied, the difference is the tendencies of users. People tend to just blindly follow technology and not question what they're being told. A GPS is a tool, often a very useful tool but people should remember that it is a tool.

When I use a GPS, I try to eyeball the route before blindly clicking "Go" but I've seen WAY too many people who just blindly follow.

[roadman]

When I use a GPS, I try to eyeball the route before blindly clicking "Go" but I've seen WAY too many people who just blindly follow.

I've fallen into that trap of not eyeballing the route on the GPS, or checking it out beforehand with a map, before accepting it.  The first time I was heading from Latham NY back home to Wakefield MA, I threw the GPS on to guide me back to I-90 without consulting a map first.  Got the "involves toll roads" warning and blindly hit "Yes", then got the route and blindly hit "OK."  About forty five minutes later, instead of having found I-90, I was entering Massachusetts on Route 2 outside of Williamstown - no biggie, as I knew how to get home from there - even if it was a longer trip than I had planned for.  When I got home, I plugged the reverse route into the GPS and discovered that the question I answered 'Yes" to was not "Do you want to use toll roads?", but was "Do you want to AVOID toll roads?"