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Old 08-23-2012, 04:37 PM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
2,793 posts, read 5,586,737 times
Reputation: 2528

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Driver Follows GPS Directions Into Water at Whittier Harbor - ktuu.com

WHITTIER, Alaska—
A driver was following his car’s GPS device when he drove into the water in Whittier Harbor Thursday morning shortly after getting off a ferry, according to local police.

Whittier Police Department Chief Dave Schofield says the driver was in a Subaru with two dogs and a cat as he drove off the ferry at about 6:15 a.m., in the dark under heavy rain. When the vehicle’s GPS told the driver to turn right, he then drove down a ramp into the harbor at near high tide, submerging the vehicle in five feet of water.

According to witnesses, two women who were following the Subaru went back to the ferry terminal to summon help. An ex-Marine jumped into the water, then shattered the car’s rear window with needlenose pliers.

Schofield says rescuers were able to remove the driver and the dogs in a matter of minutes, but the cat was trapped and died.

The driver, who was reportedly stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, was apparently uninjured but taken to a hospital on base for observation. The rescuer who broke open the rear window suffered glass cuts during the incident.
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Old 08-23-2012, 05:08 PM
 
4,715 posts, read 10,484,620 times
Reputation: 2186
YIKES... I have had some interesting GPS directions as well... I don't implicity trust them either.

and I guess it is true that there is no such thing as a retired Marine! Glad the driver and dogs were ok. Sorry to hear about the cat.
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Old 08-23-2012, 05:23 PM
 
Location: Bliss Township, Michigan
6,424 posts, read 13,196,876 times
Reputation: 6902
Feel sorry for the cat, to hell with the driver. Stupid is as stupid does.
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Old 08-23-2012, 05:27 PM
 
Location: 112 Ocean Avenue
5,706 posts, read 9,597,757 times
Reputation: 8932
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nephler View Post
Feel sorry for the cat, to hell with the driver. Stupid is as stupid does.
I'm with you on that one. The guy must be related to Treadwell.
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Old 08-23-2012, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
17,823 posts, read 23,389,303 times
Reputation: 6541
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakster View Post
YIKES... I have had some interesting GPS directions as well... I don't implicity trust them either.

and I guess it is true that there is no such thing as a retired Marine! Glad the driver and dogs were ok. Sorry to hear about the cat.
It depends on the horizontal datum you are using. First, GPS road maps for Alaska are not very accurate. Second, if you have your GPS set to NAD27 while your road maps use WGS84, you can be off by more than 200 meters. NAD83 and WGS84 are very similar to each other, and the discrepency is much smaller, but you still want to use the correct horizontal datum.
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:06 PM
 
Location: NY
206 posts, read 569,329 times
Reputation: 320
Actually this is a serious warning to those that think a GPS is infallible. I have used one, hand held and auto, for many years in all types of weather and terrain.

First, you have to understand the military uses a different system, so don't panic!

If you have satellite TV, then you can get a feel for some of the problems. Bad weather, bridges, tunnels, canyons, mountainous highways, etc. You need to lock on to at least three satellites in three different parts of the sky to get good accuracy. There is a ground based helper system but I never found it to be much help.

There is a go back feature on all hand helds that is invaluable. If it's off to begin with it will still take you back to where you started.

The vehicle ones I dont' trust at all. Nice to have maps and voice directions but by the time you realize there's something amiss, it is too late and time for your Saturday night bath
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:08 PM
 
4,361 posts, read 7,040,031 times
Reputation: 5216
I recently read about someone who was driving for hours, along a remote secondary highway in central California, where he had never been. His GPS indicated there were several gasoline stations along the route. It turned out that they were only oil refineries. Unable to refuel, he barely made it to his final destination with his engine smoking.
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:29 PM
 
Location: NY
206 posts, read 569,329 times
Reputation: 320
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowlane3 View Post
I recently read about someone who was driving for hours, along a remote secondary highway in central California, where he had never been. His GPS indicated there were several gasoline stations along the route. It turned out that they were only oil refineries. Unable to refuel, he barely made it to his final destination with his engine smoking.
Yeah, thanks for reminding me! The GPS map data has to be updated continually and if no one notices , the errors are eternal!

Google Earth is another one to play musical chairs with placement of items on there maps. I just did a long cross country trip. Twice, my motel was on the other side of the Interstate.

This is a huge amount of data we're talking about, so I expect errors.

If you are not the adventurous type, double check everything.
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Old 08-23-2012, 07:13 PM
 
Location: 112 Ocean Avenue
5,706 posts, read 9,597,757 times
Reputation: 8932
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glitch View Post
It depends on the horizontal datum you are using. First, GPS road maps for Alaska are not very accurate. Second, if you have your GPS set to NAD27 while your road maps use WGS84, you can be off by more than 200 meters. NAD83 and WGS84 are very similar to each other, and the discrepency is much smaller, but you still want to use the correct horizontal datum.
I don't speak Alaskan, give it to me in English, please.
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Old 08-23-2012, 07:58 PM
 
4,988 posts, read 9,984,413 times
Reputation: 3285
Quote:
Originally Posted by AKStafford View Post
Driver Follows GPS Directions Into Water at Whittier Harbor - ktuu.com

WHITTIER, Alaska—
A driver was following his car’s GPS device when he drove into the water in Whittier Harbor Thursday morning shortly after getting off a ferry, according to local police.

Whittier Police Department Chief Dave Schofield says the driver was in a Subaru with two dogs and a cat as he drove off the ferry at about 6:15 a.m., in the dark under heavy rain. When the vehicle’s GPS told the driver to turn right, he then drove down a ramp into the harbor at near high tide, submerging the vehicle in five feet of water.

According to witnesses, two women who were following the Subaru went back to the ferry terminal to summon help. An ex-Marine jumped into the water, then shattered the car’s rear window with needlenose pliers.

Schofield says rescuers were able to remove the driver and the dogs in a matter of minutes, but the cat was trapped and died.

The driver, who was reportedly stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, was apparently uninjured but taken to a hospital on base for observation. The rescuer who broke open the rear window suffered glass cuts during the incident.
Subaru

Doesn't surprise me in the least.
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