Google Maps Leads Pedestrian Into 4-Lane, Directly Into A Lawsuit
Frequent viewers of "The Office" on NBC may remember one particular
episode where Michael Scott followed a GPS unit into a lake. While it
was hilarious on the television, similar episodes seem to be happening
in real life. On more than one occasion, a motorist has followed a GPS
unit into a murky spot, but most of the time the worst to stem from it
is lost time, lost money or added miles.
But in the case of a 20-something from Utah, a similar situation has now led to a lawsuit. According to court documents filed in a District Court in Utah, a pedestrian was attempting to follow directions from Google Maps that would take her from one side of Park City to the other. The only problem? She was struck by a speeding car while following the route, injuring her for six weeks and causing her to rack up serious medical bills. The suit states that Google provided unsafe directions, and now she's seeking over $100,000.
Reportedly, Google Maps led her to a 4-lane road without any sidewalks, and she still attempted to follow the route. At night. Of course, it's easy to say now that she should have simply hailed a cab or asked a local for better directions, but at the time, she simply trusted a name like Google to not lead her astray. As she found out, even Google Maps can be off sometimes, and walking on a 4-lane is never, ever a good idea.
It still remains to be seen if Google will shell out or be found responsible, but until then, you may want to heed that phrase about Google's walking directions being "in beta," and also, pay attention to Common Sense.
But in the case of a 20-something from Utah, a similar situation has now led to a lawsuit. According to court documents filed in a District Court in Utah, a pedestrian was attempting to follow directions from Google Maps that would take her from one side of Park City to the other. The only problem? She was struck by a speeding car while following the route, injuring her for six weeks and causing her to rack up serious medical bills. The suit states that Google provided unsafe directions, and now she's seeking over $100,000.
Reportedly, Google Maps led her to a 4-lane road without any sidewalks, and she still attempted to follow the route. At night. Of course, it's easy to say now that she should have simply hailed a cab or asked a local for better directions, but at the time, she simply trusted a name like Google to not lead her astray. As she found out, even Google Maps can be off sometimes, and walking on a 4-lane is never, ever a good idea.
It still remains to be seen if Google will shell out or be found responsible, but until then, you may want to heed that phrase about Google's walking directions being "in beta," and also, pay attention to Common Sense.
