Don't Follow the Arrow!

One of the first things most Geocachers learn is to not follow the arrow on the GPSR too closely. Thanks to a story on Engadget I've been given a perfect example of why we don't. It seems that some maps in the vehicle navigation units have flagged a particular railroad right-of-way as being a road. That might have been a handy shortcut were it not for the fact that its an active rail line. Fortunately Jose Silva had the good sense to call 911 and get away from the car after making the mistake of following his Magellan's directions. That car was struck by a commuter train a moment after Mr. Silva called 911, resulting in a horrific mess and stranded commuters. Nobody was reported as being injured in this case, but it certainly serves as a reminder that the GPSR is just a tool and does at times need to be questioned.

For more information, read "Driver blames GPS for crash with Metro-North train in Bedford Hills" article on LoHud.com.