Rental car struck by train after GPS led driver onto tracks

[308Mike]

Apparently, the driver must have left his brain at home in Philly. I have a hard time blaming the GPS for his getting stuck on the tracks:

San Diego deputies: Rental car struck by train in Little Italy after GPS led driver onto tracks
Posted: 10/11/2013
Last Updated: 9 hours ago


SAN DIEGO - Authorities say a rental car GPS navigation system led a tourist to drive onto the train tracks in Little Italy Thursday night, moments before a train collided with the vehicle.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said the incident occurred at about 10:45 p.m. at West Grape Street and Kettner Boulevard in San Diego.

The man told police that he had just arrived on a flight from Philadelphia, and had rented a late model Nissan Altima from Hertz. But after he punched his downtown destination into the Hertz NeverLost GPS system, and followed the GPS instructions given, the car ended up on the train tracks and got stuck.

Sheriff's deputies said the driver exited the vehicle, and called 911, but as he was explaining the situation to the dispatcher, an Amtrak SurfLiner passenger train promptly collided with the rear end of the Altima.

Fortunately, neither the man, nor the passengers and crew on the train suffered any injuries.

10News has learned there was a delay though for those on-board the train. It took about an hour for the southbound train to be released from the scene to arrive at its final downtown stop.

A San Diego police officer later transported the driver back to the Hertz rental lot to redeem a new vehicle. It is unclear if GPS was included in the replacement vehicle.

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[Yogimus]

I blame the shitty car that can't clear the tracks.

[randy]

Lets be clear... the gps isn't at fault here, the idiot driver is.

+1

"The map is not the terrain"

[Yogimus]

again, his car DIED on the tracks.

[308Mike]

Lets be clear... the gps isn't at fault here, the idiot driver is.

+1

"The map is not the terrain"

Using a good ol' map book is my way of saying I prefer to do my own old-fashioned direction-finding. HOWEVER, I DO APPRECIATE Google Map's Street View of an area I haven't been in previously so I know what landmarks to look for and what should look familiar when heading there!! If someone was to incorporate that feature (Google's Street View) with GPS directions (along with auto-updating at least twice a month), they'd have a real winner on their hands (and have the price low enough it would be available to the common man)!!

again, his RENTAL car DIED on the tracks.

FIFY.

[Windy Wilson]

Well, this should put the lie to the oft repeated observation (by Dave Barry?) that rented cars handle better than either front wheel drive or rear wheel drive cars.

[Weetabix]

again, his car DIED on the tracks.

Who drove it there again? The article doesn't say he was on a crossing and it died. It says he turned onto the tracks and got stuck.

[Yogimus]

ah valid point