Don't ever drive in Saudi without a navigation system

The American Thinker ^ | 21 Dec 2006 | Thomas Lifson

[Kitten Festival]

The horrible death of James Kim in the Oregon wilderness reminds us of the potential danger in taking a wrong turn. A number of scary movies, such as 2003's Wrong Turn, remind us that uncivilized territory inhabited by barbarians can also be lethal to the unwary who don't stick to the established routes. Our troops and contractors in Iraq have had to avoid wrong turns, and too many of them have died or been injured by making a mistake in navigating hostile territory.

News comes from India of an unfortunate soul who made a wrong turn, and ended up on the road to Medina.

[Kitten Festival]

Nothing like a little Saudi hospitality for a lost wayfarer over in Medina.

[Always Right]

It is not like Navigation systems don't lead to their share of errors. There are a lot of roads they have incomplete data on and will lead you down the wrong path at times.

[Orange1998]

Whatever happened to stopping at the local 7-11 for directions.

[darkwing104]

Here's an even better tip, Don't drive in Saudi Arabia in the first place. I've been there and the Saudi drivers are extremely dangerous.

[darkwing104]

Whatever happened to stopping at the local 7-11 for directions.

They were closed for the montly Jihad gathering.

[L98Fiero]

We sometimes refer to the Hertz GPS systems as "Ever-Lost", instead of the actual "Never-Lost".

[Rummyfan]

When driving to Jeddah from Taif, the turn-off for Mecca is clearly makered as for MUSLIMS ONLY. I had no idea it was a capital crime though. Effing muzzies......

I once had to fly from Abha in the southwest to Tabuk in the northwest, with a lanidng in Medina. I could not leave the plane in Medina. Sat there a couple of hours waiting to go on to Tabuk.

[Felis_irritable]

I can't speak to Medina, but the main road from Taif to Jeddah goes through Mecca. If you're not a Moslem you don't get into Mecca. There is a bypass, I referred to it as the "Infidel Expressway," around Mecca for us heathen. It is *real* clearly marked and there are tollbooth-like deals before you can enter Mecca to check "Your papers please." I suppose if this guy was on some little badly marked side street he could get lost, but not on a main road. And a capital offense? Please. I'm sure it is, yet another example of those ungrateful animals' intolerance.

And they *are* pretty scary drivers.

[Sooth2222]

It's not just the Saudis. The Germans try to drown you if you make a wrong turn, navigation system or not.

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - A German motorist obediently following the satellite-guided navigation system of his car drove straight into the Havel River in eastern Germany, police said Saturday.

He drove his BMW Friday night past a stop sign, down a ferry ramp and about four meters (12 feet) into the river before stopping. The 57-year-old driver from Hamburg and his passenger were not hurt.

Police said the driver reported he was following the navigation system, which had evidently failed to note that the road in the town of Caputh near Potsdam ended at a ferry crossing.

"Normally accidents like this shouldn't happen," said police spokesman Frank Heinichen. "But that sort of thing can happen when people rely too much on technology."

[LittleMoe]

Hey I use mine in VA since I dont know my way around yet. I can tell you I had a Garmin --I loved it but it was stolen unfortunatley . Wish they would come down a bit in price.
Little Moe

[Uncledave]

I understand that's what lead to the family driving through Oregon recently to take a bad turn leading to the husband's death.

[Jaysun]

It is not like Navigation systems don't lead to their share of errors. There are a lot of roads they have incomplete data on and will lead you down the wrong path at times.

Mine guided me through some obscure college campus at 1:00 in the morning not too long ago. I knew it didn't seem right, but when the thing says to turn left you do it.

[twigs]

They don't speak English!

[HAL9000]

That booth at the fork in the road is known as the "Shumaisy Checkpoint"

One can sneak through it with the appropriate garb - or hike around it.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>Whatever happened to stopping at the local 7-11 for directions.<<<

you'd have to find one where the clerk spoke English so you could understand it.

[monday]

"It is not like Navigation systems don't lead to their share of errors. There are a lot of roads they have incomplete data on and will lead you down the wrong path at times"

Well then, under no circumstances should you buy one.

[monday]

"the capital offense of being non-Muslim and in the wrong place."

We should mark the entire US as "off limits" to Muslims due to their religion and proceed to behead any caught in the country after a designated date. If our 'allies' the Saudi Arabians can do it, so can we.

[Recon Dad]

Apu, the Patistani running the 7-11 whether in the US or Saudi hasen't got a clue when it comes to directions. Hell he knows slurpies, not directions.

[Myrddin]

I've owned and used a Garmin GPS V for many years. It did a wonderful job of plotting my escape from Hurricane Ivan as I drove from Birmingham, AL to Salt Lake City, UT, That said, the navigation programs only care about the shortest or quickest path for the most part. They don't consider whether the path traverses a neighborhood that could be harmful to your personal safety. I wanted to visit Oxford, OH to see the town where my dad attended college. The path calculated by the navigational program took me through a few neighborhoods full of black and latino gangs. It's not politically correct to provide geofenced "avoid" polygons, but that is an enhancement I would seek in my mapping program.