SPlog

Not A Thru Road - Your GPS is Wrong! - Dead End

With the modern day of GPS, it’s a wonder people buy maps anymore. Especially since most smart phones now have a GPS locator build right in. It means stopping and asking for directions is officially out of style, no matter how far you drive.

Well even though the great GPS is showing the way of the future, it doesn’t mean that there may be a few speedbumps along the way.

I own a android phone as most know. And with that I have Google maps leading my way when I need to get somewhere unknown. But I’ve found out really quick not to trust the GPS completely. Especially the phones are bad because they rely on a local cell tower to give their location, not a satellite. So if there is no service, there is no GPS. Pretty bad if you drive in a dead zone and don’t know how to get out. Not only can you not call someone, but you can’t load up your maps to find your own way out.

The first problem is the maps not showing correct roads.

Let’s hear about this story http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/gps-mishaps-trust-tech-leads-trouble/story?id=10013723 This is the famous story about a lady who followed the directions of the GPS right onto a railroad track into the path of an oncoming train. Rare you say, well not when it happened several other times. GPS leading people into danger is actually a pretty common problem. Do a Google search and find out yourself.

The second problem with GPS is the places in the wrong location.

Did you know that Hammond’s Field (a local baseball field) is only a couple hundred feet away from my home church. Actually according to Google maps, it sits right on top the church parsonage, when it’s supposed to be downtown.

Take my problem just last year. I was in Oklahoma with my Dad, and we were using my phone to lead us home. Well I decide to wait until the next town to get gas hoping it would be cheaper. Well I waited to long and the gas light blinks on. I started to panic a little since the next town was about 30 miles away. So I grabbed my cell and typed in to search for near gas station. It found only one.

So we took the next exit and began our search. Well the GPS lead us to a back road, that winded around for a couple of miles, then said to turn onto a dirt road. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have enough gas to go back to the highway, and the dirt road winded some more. It was bad. Deep holes and big rocks made for a bumpy ride.

Finally we made it to the gas station. Or at least that’s what my phone said. It led us right into someones back yard. Bummer! I was nearly out of gas and the only way out was to go the same way we got in. Luckily there were two people with chainsaws near the road (if you can call it that – it looked like a trail to me). They sent me to the nearest gas station just on down the road another mile.

Although I can laugh now about it, it has brought to my attention that if we follow blindly, we are going to eventually be led right into a trap that we can’t get out of.

It reminds me that as people, we need to be careful of what or whom we follow. We can just as easily be left stranded, or lead right into harms way. I am reminded of the verse Psalms 27:11 “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” If we aren’t aware or careful, our enemies may be able to lead us right into danger.