Google Maps is widely used to aid navigation. But this digital map service sometimes misleads its users, to the point that their car plunges into the river.
As CarToq reports, tourists in India are on their way to an unfamiliar area and they use Google Maps for directions. The destination is identified as Kerala - a state located on the southwest coast of India.
The group used a Toyota SUB and started the journey from Munnar to Alappuzha. As they passed the small village of Kuruppanthara Kadavu, Google Maps directed them directly across the river.
The map suggests walking straight. However, when the driver followed the instructions, the car entered the river.
Local residents shouted at the driver to stop the car. But that doesn't help.
Residents around the incident immediately rescued the passengers. Luckily all survived, the villagers immediately called a truck and rescued the SUV.
The car plunged into the river after following Google Maps. Photo: Cartog
After the incident, the village officials put up a chain to ensure that no such incident occurs in the future.
The incident experienced by this group of tourists is not the first because there are many other people who also fall into funny situations when they trust the navigation function of Google Maps too much.
As recently experienced by a female motorcycle rider targeting the Kramat Forest area in the Sugihmanik Village area, Responsiharjo District, Grobogan Regency, Central Java (Central Java). The woman who came from Karanganyar was suspected of following the directions from Google Maps.
"It is true that we received reports from residents that there were colleagues who got lost in the middle of the Kramat Forest, Sugihmanik Village, Tanggungharjo District. Combined SAR officers from the Police, TNI, BPBD and Tagana have found victims in the forest location," said Head of Emergency BPBD Grobogan Masrichan as quoted by Antara. quoted from detikJateng, Thursday (17/3/2022).
Officers received a report regarding the stray on Thursday (17/3) at around 19.00 WIB. Masrichan said his team immediately dispatched a team to look for the woman and were finally able to find her in the middle of the forest.
"The victim will be taken to the Tanggungharjo Police. Reportedly, field officers have found a girl from Karanganyar," he continued.
Masrichan said the woman got lost allegedly because she followed Google Maps directions. He said the area had many roads leading to rice fields and forests.
"It is suspected that the victim got lost because he followed the Google Map. Because there are many people crossing the road but into the fields or into the forest. So it is not a public road," explained Masrichan.
Luckily, the woman was still able to contact one of her friends in Grobogan who then reported it. He also had time to send coordinates to facilitate search and evacuation.
The Head of Criminal Investigation Unit at the Tanggungharjo Police, Iptu Gunawan, said that the officers had succeeded in finding the coordinates of the victim.
"The location is known, officers have arrived at the location and will take the woman to the Mapolsek," he said briefly by telephone.
The most recent incident was experienced by a homecomer from Bandung on Eid 2022. Gegara followed Google Maps and got lost in the forest.
Karawang Police Chief AKBP Aldi Subartono said the rescue of a homecomer who strayed into the forest began with a report from the homecomer through the 'Report Pak Kapolres' application.
"From Firman Perdana Putra's report on Friday (29/4/2022) last night, he asked for help so that he could be evacuated in the Kutatanding forest area on the border of Karawang and Purwakarta," said Aldi via cell phone, Saturday (4/30/2022) .
Based on the report, his party then followed up by sending local sector police officers (polsek). "We immediately dispatched officers from the nearby Polsek to look for the lost travelers," he said.
From the sweeping carried out by the local Police and Linmas Babinkantibmas, finally for 1 hour the travelers were found safe.
"Luckily, the travelers could be found immediately, because at that time, from the officer's statement, they looked exhausted and dehydrated," he said.
According to him, the lost travelers followed directions from Google Maps. Then while in the forest the motorbike he was driving had a problem until he was trapped and couldn't move in the forest.
"So according to the information of the traveler who got lost, he initially followed the directions on Google Maps to go to Bekasi from Bandung. Then when he arrived in the forest at the Karawang-Purwakarta border, his motorbike experienced trouble or problems until he was trapped in the forest and not a single resident was there. that way," he explained.
Currently, the homecomers have resumed their journey after evacuating the homecomers.
"So the homecomer at half past eight this morning had returned to continue his journey and he had previously been assisted by the police officers to repair his damaged vehicle," he said.
