Cause they’ve never heard of those and Google is preinstalled.
Comment on Hikers rescued after following non-existent trail on Google Maps
raptir@lemdro.id 1 year ago
I can’t understand why someone would use Google Maps instead of something built for purpose like GaiaGPS or Alltrails when hiking.
deegeese@sopuli.xyz 1 year ago
AA5B@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Probably, or they didn’t plan ahead so went with what they had
SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 year ago
And Google doesn’t exactly say their maps are incomplete or are wrong, and if you are going someplace you absolutely need accurate maps, you should use something else. They just say they are best in class map service, and there is little to disprove that… until the worst happens.
weew@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
because Google maps DOES list hiking trails. And for the popular trails it’s accurate enough. People who have used Google maps to give their first 5 trails will be led to believe that their 6th one will be just fine and dandy.
IonAddis@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Whenever I “can’t understand” something, I stop for a moment, and start interrogating my own assumptions of how the world works, because I clearly made an assumption of how the world or how people in general work and need to correct my own thinking.
It’s very hard to change how others do things. Much easier to start on yourself.
gregorum@lemm.ee 1 year ago
A good rule of thumb, I find is: instead of asking, “how can people think X?” ask, “why do people think X?” It puts one into an open-minded mindset in which one can learn something new rather than a close-minded and oppositional mindset.
vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
gregorum@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Bravo
rab@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
systemglitch@lemmy.world 1 year ago
A surprisingly enlightening comment for social media, thank you.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 1 year ago
Right. These people followed Google Maps into the wilderness without verifying anything and had to be rescued and I’m supposed to ask myself why I thought that was stupid…? I mean it makes significantly more sense to assume that the people who made the poor decision and realized the predictable outcome are stupid, does it not?
CmdrShepard@lemmy.one 1 year ago
The alternative is blindly following some other app into the wilderness though. Doesn’t seem like such a cut and dry example of stupidity.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 1 year ago
I mean yeah, it does actually. Other apps are explicitly designed for that purpose. It’s even recommended by the authorities in the OP.
DoomsdaySprocket@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
To be fair, Vancouver, BC is a popular spot for tourists, especially those doing outdoor activities, who I suppose may come from places with a different hiking and trail culture, and different types of signage. Maybe Google maps is more accurate where they’re from? Maybe they just didn’t realize how much landscape detail the tree cover can hide. Lots of folks who come here don’t speak a lot of English in my experience as well. It’s still on them, though.
I’m not even a hiker though, the trails are just too packed full of people for me here.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 1 year ago
I’m not going to pretend that it’s impossible that they made some sort of honest and totally legitimate mistake but if, as the article says, they simply pulled up a trail on Google Maps and took off, that was an extremely poor decision and Occam’s razor indicates they are stupid.