How dependent on GPS do you have to be to ignore your own common sense and drive directly into a giant pile of snow?
As much as the Stokeses, a couple from the U.S. Across the pond in America's west coast, the Oregon couple unwisely followed their GPS's advice into some back roads and ended up getting stuck in the white stuff, almost as if they couldn't look out their own windows and observe the environment surrounding them with any hint of common sense or critical thinking.
We know computers don't always work right. Sometimes it's due to human error. Sometimes computers just crash on us. Other times, we're faced with a difficult decision: trusting our own judgment or trusting the judgment of a computer.
In this article, we'll explore five tips that should help you trust your own judgment should you ever decide to ditch the GPS and navigate on your own terms.
Tip #1: Believe your eyes.
The Oregon couple mentioned above didn't follow this basic rule: believe your eyes. If you're driving off a cliff, there's no reason to follow the same road simply because your GPS is telling you to proceed another half mile. As TechDirt notes, this is a bad idea.
Believe your eyes, because the GPS doesn't necessarily know that it's winter. It might not know that there's a traffic jam and that it would be more efficient to try out another route. You can, of course, alert your GPS to some of these issues by purchasing more expensive GPS options, but that's not always necessary if you're on a budget.
Tip #2: Remember instances in which the GPS may be wrong due to ignorance.
As just mentioned, the GPS doesn't always know the circumstances. It may think that one road is better than another because that's how things normally might be. But if there's construction taking place on that road, you would actually get to your destination earlier if you tried a detour. In some cases, the GPS might just not understand that a traffic jam on the highway means you are better off using side roads on the way back home from work.
Tip #3: Try to think about the context that goes into what the GPS is telling you.
This is where your own judgment and critical thinking enters the picture. In some cases, your GPS might be doing a swell job of navigating for you, but won't necessarily be giving you the right information for your situation.
Huh?
Believe it or not, it happens. If, for example, you typed in a specific street - but not a specific address - into your GPS, you may find that your GPS gives you odd directions as you close in on the house you're after. You may know the rest of the way, but if you were to follower the GPS, you would simply be going to the wrong end of the street, at which point it would tell you that you've arrived at your destination. Not pretty.
Tip #4: Don't be afraid to ask directions anyway.
It may seem silly to pull over and ask directions if you suddenly realized that you entered in the wrong street, but it's not a bad idea to suck in your pride and ask for them anyway.
Tip #5: When in doubt, relax.
When you're on the road and not getting the best navigational information, it can be very frustrating. If you can, try to pull over and get your bearings. Thinking with a clear head and a relaxed attitude, you may realize that your situation isn't so precarious. If it is, a clear head can still help you.