Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Remember the Haircut I Mentioned?

Well, the place where I take my son to get his haircut, which I won't be going back, is in a city I don't frequent. EVER! Only for his haircuts. Every time I go there I use my GPS to guide me there. Well, this time it got us there with no problems. However, getting us home was a whole 'nother story.


We left the hair salon as we usually do. But, the GPS instructed me to take a turn down a road I never turn down. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking if I am aware the GPS is instructing me to take a turn onto a road it normally never does then why am I even using the GPS? Well, I am "familiar" with the route, but not comfortable going at it alone! I get stage fright.

So, I proceeded down this “new” road. Then, I suddenly became worried. It looked like it was a dead end yet the GPS was telling me to forge ahead. I saw cars turning to the right or left, but NONE proceeding forward. I proceeded forward.


We hit a patch of dirt road. Then about 20 seconds into the dirt road there was a sign…



Gotta tell ya... I was super excited the sign confirmed my suspicions about the pavement... just wish it would have done it SOONER!

What it really should have said is this:

DANGER: This is a dirt/gravel/bumpy ass path (not a road) on the edge of a mountain and it will be about 10 miles before you hit any kind of pavement or see any kind of life again. If you like risks, please proceed. If not, turn around now but be VERY careful as the gravel is loose.


My son thought this was the coolest. He was in the back going, "weeeee, yeee-haaawwwww," "bbbbuuuuuummmmmpppyyyy." I did not. I have a major fear of heights while driving. And, when I say it was on the edge of a mountain I am being serious. I was freaked out. If I went faster than 5 mph we were fish-tailing and it was bumpier than ride on a wooden rollercoaster in a earthquake. It wasn't that my vehicle couldn't handle this because I drive a Jeep Commander.  It was just the road (but I don't really want to call it that because it was anything but a road). We survived and that is the good thing. But, don't be fooled, the second I hit pavement I flew home.
 
Oh, and in case you were wondering, this little detour took us an extra 40 minutes to get home.
 
Do you have any experiences, good or bad, with a GPS? If so, please share.

5 comments:

Ydorj said...

I haven't played with GPS since it's infancy while I was in the Army. Gotta tell ya, There's a good reason for that, and I think you have discovered it.
Just FYI though, I would've YeeeeeHaaaaaa'd too. ;)

HeatherOz said...

Those silly GPS's! We just tested one around our neighborhood but it didn't have any of the new roads. My kids thought it was funny. And my husband and I liked to talk back to the lady that was trying to send us on a wild goose chase!

Liz Mays said...

Last time I used one, I decided to follow what it said instead of taking my normal route to my daughter's house (about 5 hours away.) It took me through backroads and little cities and fields of amber waving grains. It was outrageous!

The weird thing is that it did get me there in the same time as it normally would and I didn't have to pay a toll. However, I'm still going back to the tollroad method.

Heliotropism said...

It seems like we have all had issues with GPS. AND, have learned that technology is not always helpful.LOL.

Thanks for sharing your stories:)

Anonymous said...

Hi new friend, I am now following you via MBC.

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