asmith Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Read this in one of the local rags last week and it made me laugh. North Straddie is one of the islands just off the coast here in Brisbane, you need a car ferry to get to it. Taking the Most Direct Route to North Straddie Island Three Japanese tourists came unstuck on their planned Australian holiday on Thursday when they abandoned their hire car in Moreton Bay after they tried to "drive" to North Stradbroke Island. The low tide and a GPS navigation system lured them into the bay at Oyster Point at Cleveland. A firm gravel surface quickly gave way to the renowned bay mangrove mud and the Hyundai Getz was soon up to its axles, but not before they managed to travel about 500 metres. The tourists retrieve belongings from their stranded hire car. Their planned adventure to Straddie ended at 11am and the incoming tide soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle. By 3pm the car was stranded in two metres of water and the subject of much amusement from onlookers on the shore and passing boat and ferry traffic. The Tokyo students had wanted to take a day trip to Straddie and believed their GPS unit would be able to guide them there. The GPS forgot to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud between the mainland and the island. Red-faced tourists abandon their car in Moreton Bay. Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and "it told us we could drive down there". "It kept saying it would navigate us to a road. We got stuck . . . there's lots of mud." Yuzu and and her travel friends Tomonari Saeki, 22, and Keita Osada, 21, were all looking forward to a day trip to the island, but headed back to the Gold Coast courtesy of a lift from the RACQ tow truck driver who was called to the stranded car. After assessing the situation, no attempt was made to recover the vehicle. A four wheel drive owner who saw the incident contemplated winching out the car, but abandoned any attempt due to the speed of the oncoming tide. The three students will fly home to Tokyo on Saturday. "We want to come back to Australia again. Everyone is very nice, even today," Ms Yuzu said. Mr Tomonari said even though their holiday had ended on an unusual note they were happy no one was injured. "It has rained every day on our six day holiday. Hopefully next time we come back it will be sunny," he said. He also joked that the car became stuck because it was built in Korea. "Maybe if it was Japanese it would be okay," he said. The car was covered by insurance, but will cost the tourists about $1500 in excess charges. Full collection of photos here and a video at the end
Fuzz Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Does Skynet think so little of us that it assumes we will blindly follow GPS directions and drown ourselves?... I guess so and amazingly it almost worked!
Ghabanos Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 "if it was a japanese car this would not have happened"... hilarious reaction but seriously surprised that the GPS gave totally incorrect directions (i don't have much experience with GPS)
BatFastard Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 He also joked that the car became stuck because it was built in Korea. "Maybe if it was Japanese it would be okay," he said. Not because of the morons driving it of course. Unbeliveable!!
Rushman Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 The first photo is priceless.....so close to the ferry but yet so far --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631504,-87.070626
ptrthgr8 Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Idiots abound. That issue defintiely has much more to do with the intelligence of the end user than it does the nav unit itself. Around my neck of the woods it's common for folks with OnStar or other similar navigation services to go out ice fishing in the winter months, drive out to the middle of an iced over lake, and then call OnStar to ask for directions. Apparently, the nav folks don't know which lakes ice over in the winter... so it's fun to hear them ask if the driver/passengers/car are okay. "Why?" typically asks the driver. "Because you're in the middle of a lake!" typically replies the operator. Funny stuff. Cheers, ~ Greg ~
capnshazam Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Im a firm believer in the idea that common sense is so rare it should be considered a super power
CanuckSARTech Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 "if it was a japanese car this would not have happened"... hilarious reaction but seriously surprised that the GPS gave totally incorrect directions (i don't have much experience with GPS) ....And yet, the driver/occupants were made in Japan, and likely the GPS was made there also. But they got stuck 'cause the car was made in Korea?? Dumb comment. Country of origin has nothing to do with it. Just....never mind....
Coolio Posted March 21, 2012 Posted March 21, 2012 I give them credit for making 500 metres! Moreton Bay mud is pretty thick and stinks. If you've ever sampled a dirty mud crab caught out there you'll know what I mean!
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