A little GPS humor

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I needed that sign for a former home. Long driveway at the end of a dead-end street and the house was tucked behind trees. 2.1 acres total. You couldn’t see the house until you were most of the way up the drive.

A couple people told me there was a nice park on my street. They were surprised when I told them that was my property and my house, not a park.

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I live on a small court in a small residential development, not really on the way to anyplace else.

One Sunday morning dozens of people wound up in my court looking for the Bills stadium, about 25 miles away and not ever close to a route to the stadium. I don’t know what they were using , but it was completely wrong.

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I live in the Northeast US. When I was younger and we had just moved here, many college-aged kids and tourists would come down my rather long driveway to have a picnic at the “lake”. Well that “access road” was my driveway, and it’s a bay, not a lake. We put up a sign towards the top that indicated it was a private drive. The problem ceased until a few years ago when some of the neighborhood kids would vandalize the sign repeatedly and at random. A trail camera solved that. I heard there are even trail cameras now that include a cellular radio for remote check-ups. Neat stuff!

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When I first got my Smartphone, I decided to use Google Maps to guide me to a park with which I was not familiar. The park was probably no more than 15 miles away, but I had never been in that part of that particular town. Google Maps guided me into the center of a cemetery, and announced that I had arrived at my destination. :roll_eyes:

Because this was my first time using Google Maps, I figured that I had done something wrong, so I exited from the cemetery, drove a couple of miles, turned around and headed back in the direction that the app indicated. Once again… into the cemetery.

It turned out that, in addition to the cemetery not being a park, it had directed me to the wrong town, and I was at least 10 miles from where I actually wanted to go. A few weeks later, I gave Google Maps another chance, and it directed me to drive across RR tracks in a location where there was no crossing.

Ever since then, I use either the GPS installed in my car, or I use WAZE, and neither of them has ever been “off” by more than a block or two.

The problem with GPS n my 2017 Rav4 is it costs $700 to update the GPS. There has been highway remodels, and have run into a few exits that have gone to the opposite side of the road that gps instructs. So I use my old garmin with lifetime free map updates. The screen is getting a little dim so I may need to upgrade the unit, which I will do with LTM updates rather than $700 for a static maps update. Can’t trust it :frowning:

Before Covid I was traveling at least once a month. I’ve used Google Maps from my Iphone for years…and not once did I have a problem. I’ve probably used Google Maps several hundred times in the past 5+ years. What I find Google Maps to be better at is traffic. It gives me different routes depending on traffic. It seems to have much better traffic updates.

Our Acura Nav was only $200 to update, but even with the update it missed the new four lane road that was built. Looked like we were driving through a 30 mile corn field. Tom Tom I think is the product.

About four or five years ago we were on vacation in Michigan and decided to drive up and take the ferry to Mackinac Island. I used our laptop to get Google Maps directions. At one point we found ourselves on a country road with a “pavement ends” sign. There was also a reference to a bridge that we never saw.

Going to a friends house we were given a map that showed where her driveway is since if you’re following your GPS it says you’ve arrived after you pass the driveway. I grew up on a private road that shows up now but for some time it give’s up at the end of the road where the mailbox’s are.

There are actually two ferries to Mackinac Island, One from Mackinaw City in the lower peninsula and the other from St. Ignace in the upper peninsula. We stay overnight ie either place when we go to Green Bay and we watch the ferries ply back and forth. Mackinaw Island is an interesting place to visit, but once is enough. I feel the same way about Disney World.

I finally broke down and bought a GPS last year . $49 for a Chinese Garmin clone but I only use it for the voice prompts about where to turn. I study the route before I go on my computer or a map.

I don’t need glasses for driving but I cannot see the GPS screen without reading glasses, and I can’t drive with reading glasses. I don’t like to take my eyes off the road long enough to read a route anyway.

Yeah been there once and across the bridge. I agree once was enough but tend to hit Disney most every year.

I have been to Disney Land and Epcot . And I have been trying to get that time back ever since .

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You are extremely fortunate :smiley:

I can’t do ____ without glasses or contact lenses

Until I get cataracts . . . I’m hoping I won’t, but I assume it will eventually happen if I live long enough . . . nobody’s taking a scalpel or laser to my eyes

I’ve known so many people that had the lasik procedure and still need the darn glasses to do just about anything

World not Land-there is a difference. Most people there that I have seen have smiles on their faces and have fun. So I suppose that could be a problem for some.

I had cataract surgery about 20 years ago, and the technology (which could have changed by now…) didn’t involve a scalpel. Instead, the surgeon inserted a special needle which vibrated ultrasonically in order to–literally–liquify the old cloudy lens.

Then, the old, now-liquified lens was suctioned out. Through the same tiny incision, a folded soft plastic lens was inserted, and it was truly amazing to see the folded lens unfold like the petals of a flower as I gazed at the surgical lighting. Obviously, I was both sedated and anesthetized for the procedure.

I had both eyes operated on (outpatient basis), about 2 years apart, and the result is that I now only need to wear glasses for very close work, or for driving. Anything in between, I don’t need to wear glasses anymore.

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Like I said . . . until I get cataracts which warrant a procedure . . . nobody’s “messing” with my eyes

I’ll wear contacts and glasses until that point . . . to be specific, contacts at work, and glasses at home and on the weekends

I had mine done nine year’s ago with laser never regretted it or needed glasses since.

All of the people I know who’ve had lasik and cataract procedures do indeed still need glasses

My MIL doesn’t. She had her surgery about five years ago. The lenses have a near and far prescription, kind of like bifocals. The difference is that the two prescriptions are concentric rings. Most people get used to it. Pretty amazing. She said she needs reading glasses for very small print, but doesn’t need them for reading the newspaper.