Death by GPS...

ChanW

Don't believe your GPS too much.

Here's something to pay heed to...
http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/death-by-gps/

ScottG

Right-O. Even though I don't usually venture too far off the beaten path, there's always a trusty DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer nearby. There's one for every state.

For now anyway... GPS heavyweight Garmin just bought DeLorme, and the Gazetteer's future is uncertain, so get 'em if you want 'em!

Photomom

Poor decision making, in every case. 

Nomad

And GPS maps aren't always accurate.
Have a friend with some lakeshore, a county park down a ways off the main gravel. GPS will steer one down a cow path on his property a half mile from the park. He finally had to put up a gate with a sign - look left, that's the park way over there in the trees. Of course there's no place to turn around so one will have to back out a couple cuty blocks thru a couple tight turns - nit fun if pulling a camper.
Even though smart phone maps get updated more often than dedicated gps, until last year, Google still directed to the cow path.

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

Great article, @ChanW. As much as I love using GPS when hiking, I still like to have paper topo's and a compass. Hardly anyone carries map books in their vehicle anymore. We once had Apple Maps take us to the middle of a field (had to get out of the car and walk 500 feet) to get to a friend's house near Fresno. When I put the address into Google Maps, it took us to the correct location, nearly 15 miles away. Also interesting is that Garmin purchased DeLorme and there is talk that DeLorme may get out of the printed map/gazette business.

jkjenn

I use the Delorme Gazetteer for off road travel and like the NatGeo Topo maps for hiking.

Nomad

Nope, hardly anyone carries printed maps that I've run into. Almost all using maps on phones/tablets. Work fine as long as you're situationally aware and realize they could steer yo wrong.

Story from last week...
Decided to go explore a colorful canyon (loop road) 2-3 miles from my campsite. Since it was close, I left my iPad with all my map apps in the T@B. After twisting/turning through deep caverns and getting somewhat disoriented direction wise, I came out thinking I was somewhat close to where I entered so needed to make a right turn - wrong.  Was 3miles further west and somewhat south. After 2-3 miles the road deteriorated and I realized that it should have been a left. Since I knew I just needed to turn around, I decided to just explore a little further. Was just getting ready to turn around when a guy on a bike appears - this is in the middle of the desert on a BLM road.
Turns out this was his first big week long bike trip. He had all his maps cached on his pad but he'd forgotten to turn off the cell connection so all that searching for a tower killed the battery, he was navigating by memory, trying to remember BLM road numbers and wasn't where he thought he was. He'd have eventually hit civilization but it'd probably been midnight. Anyway, he was headed to the same campground I was in so I built rock towers with arrows at each turn to guide him in. He finally showed up about 8:30.
Moral of the story - Make sure your electronic maps don't die on ya when you need them the most.

Ratkity

That was nice of you, PXL. He was fortunate!

Mouseketab

I use my Navigation on my truck, and Google maps in rental cars, but I do carry an updated road atlas in my truck. My maps on the truck are a little out of date, but not quite ready to spend the bucks to update them. I've needed the atlas occasionally. Once when hunting for a campground my truck didn't have quite right and no cell signal for Google maps.

IrishCamper74

I'm a fan of the app, Waze for road/highway driving. Very handy when it comes to driving to & in an unfamiliar area. It has real time traffic updates and automatically reroutes you in case of major accidents, etc. Road hazards and police presence can also been seen on your route. 
But yes, I have friends & some family that rely on it way too much and end up miles away from their intended destination because situational awareness went out the window.
They are a handy tool but so are road signs & the seemingly forgotten skill of simply paying attention and looking out the window.

Nomad

In the areas (midwest boonies) I find Apple maps have been more accurate - but I always cross reference between several map apps.
In the case above, none of those BLM roads show in normal map mode. Gotta use satellite view. I had a cell signal on my iPhone so was able to show him where he was on Apple maps and what turns to expect.

Ratkity

The picture I posted was when IPhone maps were horrid. They have improved dramatically and exceed the accuracy of all other GPS systems. ALL of them want me to drive through downtown DC because one of the roads is an "Interstate". Oiy.. Never, ever drive thru there unless you know what you are doing and where you are going.

Mouseketab

Ratkity said:

The picture I posted was when IPhone maps were horrid. They have improved dramatically and exceed the accuracy of all other GPS systems. ALL of them want me to drive through downtown DC because one of the roads is an "Interstate". Oiy.. Never, ever drive thru there unless you know what you are doing and where you are going.

OY is right! I frequently have to drive from VA to MD and back when on work travel. Only way to do it is after 7pm and on the North Beltway.

Nomad

The nice thing about online map systems (Apple, Google, etc) is they are constantly being updated. Not true with dedicated GPSs without some grief.

Ratkity

My sister and BF love Waze. I got ticked off with it when I was testing it. Major flaw is erroneous self-reporting of construction or other obstacles abound because of people testing the app and putting down things that aren't there. There's no way to delete those reports. I got frustrated and stopped using it. It works for them and that's great. Gimme a paper map and I'm happy (usually). Backup is Iphone because like PXL said, they are updated way more often and there's so much new housing and construction around where I live. 

Tabaz

I was a member of a search and rescue group with the local sheriff's department for several years.  Because of that experience, I always carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on my person when venturing out alone.  My current model is the Delorme Explorer which has a very nice interface with your iPhone and iPad.  In case of an emergency, it has a simple to use SOS feature.  We would joke that PLBs "Take the Search out of Search and Rescue." Prior to the Delorme, I carried a McMurdo Fast Find and a SPOT when in a small plane.

Verna

Waze is not for me. While navigating to my destination outside of Washington, D.C., Waze interrupted the directions for an exit 1/2 of a mile away to tell me of a stalled car two miles farther. Luckily, I heard enough to get me off the correct exit and in the correct direction. Despite the passenger's preference for the new found "toy" of Waze, I grabbed my GPS and started navigating with Garmin.  We found our destination with Garmin with no firther interruptions.  And, with all of my traveling, I always have a Road Atlas with me and a paper state map. Thank goodness for AAA and their maps. 

Cyclonic

Ratkity said:

The picture I posted was when IPhone maps were horrid. They have improved dramatically and exceed the accuracy of all other GPS systems. ALL of them want me to drive through downtown DC because one of the roads is an "Interstate". Oiy.. Never, ever drive thru there unless you know what you are doing and where you are going.

Yup, unless you know exactly where you are going you would want to avoid that mess.  Took my wife into work (6am is not too bad) 3 days a week for several years, so I know the route well.  If you don't you are screwed.

I have always flat out enjoyed reading maps, so I will spend probably too much time figuring out a route for a trip, well in advance.  I keep back-up hard copies, but for the driving itself I have found Waze does a very good job, but it also helps that I mostly already know where I am going.

RZRBUG

Well, we've been down this road before (so to speak), and as I said before, I use a Garmin and a Rand McNally atlas.  Still do, and have yet to find a reason to change.

Nomad

Larry - When they (soon) quit printing those RandMcNally's you'll be forced to change :-)
I have noticed there are fewer and fewer printed maps in gas stations and some info centers.

RZRBUG

It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around a world without printed matter, but I suppose it may happen some day.  The library was one of my refuges when I was a child (that and the hay loft), and there is just nothing like feeling the heft of a real book, leafing through it, and smelling the ink and paper.  When it happens I will deal with it, but not before.  Besides, it will be kinda difficult lugging around an 11 X 17 iWhatever like the atlas.

Wanderoo

I am a hard-copy person and love maps, too.  I adore the DeLorme Gazetteer maps and use them in conjunction with my truck's GPS (which is pretty darn good). I just need to give them a plug here.  :)

Nomad

I've been basically paperless since probably 2002. Miss the smell but nothing else.

RollingLagrima

Ratkity said:

My sister and BF love Waze. I got ticked off with it when I was testing it. Major flaw is erroneous self-reporting of construction or other obstacles abound because of people testing the app and putting down things that aren't there. There's no way to delete those reports. I got frustrated and stopped using it. It works for them and that's great. Gimme a paper map and I'm happy (usually). Backup is Iphone because like PXL said, they are updated way more often and there's so much new housing and construction around where I live. 

I agree.