Do we lose our sense of direction because we listen too much to the GPS? In any case, if you only listen to the voice from the car loudspeakers, you might be going astray. Anyone who follows the signs, too.
It takes perseverance to disobey the commands of the navigation device. Because the voice from the car speakers is unyielding. You disobey my orders? Then I’ll keep repeating them until you turn around. And so you don’t have to be surprised if the journey ends like in Vilseck: on a church staircase. In search of a shortcut, a 20-year-old recently followed his navigation system astray. Because the car could easily drive onto the steps, but sat on them just as well, only a towing service could help. “The ways of the Lord are unfathomable”, summarized among others the picture-Newspaper together the mishap.
Whoever has the damage does not need to worry about the ridicule. But the fundamental problem goes deeper: Are we in danger of losing our sense of direction because we rely too much on little technical helpers who also present their knowledge with conviction? In any case, there are plenty of indications of this in the press archive. A parcel driver once had to spend the night in his vehicle because he was being guided up the mountain at Königsee instead of to the valley station of the Jennerbahn – until he couldn’t go any further in the snow. In Bad Kissingen, a truck was stuck in narrow streets for three long hours due to incorrect instructions. And a woman from Augsburg was even stranded on a ski slope thanks to the navigation system. Photos show an SUV among skiers and in tow of a snow groomer.
There it is again, some will now exclaim: If only people would look at the signs on the side of the road like they used to! Unfortunately, it’s not quite that easy, because in these times, which are already difficult to find your way around, you can’t even rely on the official directions anymore. The city of Coburg had shot a Facebook video, showing how drivers could get into the “Parkhaus Mauer” despite the construction site and detour. In practice, on the other hand, a traffic sign on the route pointed out the need to turn left, which prohibited another one at the same point. The BR reports on drivers who circled for a quarter of an hour just to find the entrance. After all: The forest of signs should have been cleared correctly in the meantime.