A frustrated council in Western Australia has erected signs warning drivers against using Google maps after GPS-based directions repeatedly sent travellers down unsafe roads.
The Shire of Quairading, two hours east of Perth, has put up two large signs encouraging motorists to avoid part of the Old Beverley Road and instead travel via Quairading-York Road.
The shire says while the online maps send drivers on the quickest route, the gravel road is dangerous in some conditions, particularly for those unused to driving on country roads or carrying caravans and heavy loads.
Traveller Brian Sheldrick posted an image of one of the signs to social media after driving through the region earlier this year.
He opted to follow the sign’s instructions and took the safer Quairading-York Road to Perth.
Old Beverley Road can become hazardous after heavy rain and is dangerous for drivers unaccustomed to driving on gravel roads.
Greg Richards, who lives on Old Beverley Road, said he had seen many confused travellers and a serious crash.
“If you’re coming from the east, the GPS will send you through this gravel road and some people have never experienced a gravel road before,” he said.
The issue has frustrated the Quairading shire for the past eight years.
Shire president Jo Haythornthwaite said council had made numerous requests to have the maps changed.
The signs have attracted attention around the world after being posted on a Sign Appreciation Page on Facebook.
Ms Haythornwaite said that the road was commonly used by locals, who better know how to navigate the road.
“I’m very familiar with the road and I have used it, but I would pull my speed right back,” she said.
“I know how to do that but of course someone who’s never been on it doesn’t have that experience.”
The Facebook post has since received 14,000 likes while comments have highlighted the issue around the world.
Google says that a variety of sources are used to provide the most up-to-date information. It says it uses a combination of manual and automated techniques to check for accuracy.
“When there’s an issue, we work to fix it as quickly as we can,” the company said in a statement.
“We take a wide range of factors into account to deliver the best driving route, including road size, directness, estimated travel time, and fuel efficiency.”
A grazier in Queensland has also elected to erect his own sign after years of having bemused strangers arrive unannounced on his sprawling inland Queensland property.
(news.com.au)
