GPS (Global Positioning System) seems to be enjoying testing people’s ‘common sense’ by leading them into amusing predicaments with its misleading directions, wouldn’t you agree? While we can view this with a sense of humour, recent tales of drivers getting entangled on paths meant for pedestrians after trusting their GPS leaves us with no choice but to make that observation! A Thai woman became an unwitting participant in this comedy when her car ended up stranded on the Wiang Thong Bridge, a small 120-metre wooden suspension bridge over the Yom River, connecting two villages in Tambon Wiang Thong in Sung Men district.
In a setting straight out of a slapstick comedy, the incident unfolded on January 28 around 5:40 p.m. The 38-year-old driver, hailing from Nong Muang Khai district, was en route to visit her friend in Sung Men, navigating an unfamiliar area solely relying on her GPS directed by the pinned location her friend sent.
However, she alleged that the GPS (in its wisdom) directed her to cross the Wiang Thong Bridge—a 40-year-old structure meant only for small motorcycles and pedestrians. Unaware of the bridge’s restrictions, she decided to trust her digital guide blindly.
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“I was focusing on the GPS and did not look around. I thought the bridge was sturdy and likely used by others,” confessed the woman to The Pattaya News. The car managed to advance about 15 metres before disaster struck, with the front left wheel becoming lodged in a gap, bringing the vehicle to an abrupt halt.
“I was so scared because I was in the middle of the Yom River. I was afraid the car might fall into the river,” shared the distressed driver.
Luckily, passerby Makun Inchan, set to cross the bridge, noticed the stranded vehicle and heard the driver’s calls for help. Recognising the urgency, Inchan promptly alerted emergency responders, who swiftly arrived to assess the situation. Rescue efforts were then initiated to retrieve the stranded vehicle without causing additional damage. Two tractors towed the Honda Sedan back to safety, ensuring the successful removal of the woman’s vehicle from its precarious position on the bridge.
Coincidentally, this incident follows recent reports involving an SUV driver in Gudalur, a hill town in Tamil Nadu. In a navigation ‘misadventure’, the driver, solely dependent on the guidance of Google Maps, discovered himself in a perplexing situation—stuck on a flight of steps.
Read More: Tamil Nadu Driver Relies on Google Maps for ‘Fastest Route,’ Ends Up on Flight of Stairs
Is it the fault of the GPS, or perhaps a matter of one’s conscience?
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