SatNav blamed but alcohol the real cause in car on tracks

Darren

Must be a slow news day as the papers report another 'SatNav to blame for idiot driver' news item.

This one comes courtesy of The Telegraph who report the case of Satlegh Mohammadi who drove his Fiesta onto the main Doncaster to Hull line.

Mohammadi claimed his SatNav was to blame for instructing him to turn onto the tracks but a court was told that he had been drinking at the time of the incident and had been arrested at the scene by Police Officers although the subsequent test measured him as just below the drink-drive limit.

Mohammadi was banned for 20 months and given a 12 month community order plus £60 costs.

_________________
Darren Griffin

NickG · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject:

> measured him as just below the drink-drive limit.

So alcohol almost definitely NOT the cause then despite the article title?! You'd have to be several times over the limit to be so confused that you turn onto a railway without any other prompting. Some tests have shown that proven that some people react to satnav instructions almost in the same way they react to instructions under hypnosis. That's far more likely to be the cause than a glass of wine.

There have been cases where people have followed completely stupid instructions while totally sober, such as driving a HGV down a narrow cliff-edge path designed only for pedestrian access (an Argos van if I recall correctly). I don't think you need alcohol for people to make stupid mistakes when following sat-nav Smile

M8TJT · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:47 pm Post subject:

NickG · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:54 pm Post subject:

Steveee · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:10 pm Post subject:

Did anyone ask if he was using a TomTom suffering from stuttering and GPS lag. Wink

That would be a reason for turning too late or misunderstanding the instructions. Rolling Eyes

_________________
Steveee
Where am I?
==============
GO 920 (retired)
Garmin Oregon 550T
Garmin Drivesmart

DennisN · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject:

Blimey Darren! Are you seriously presenting that as a genuine photo of the incident?

I wish I could create stuff like that, (although I'd have made it a car with a can of lager displayed as a roof decoration, bit like those Red Bull cars).
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Darren · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:25 pm Post subject:

DennisN · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject:

Next time I shall have reverted to brainless old git!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

mike170469

	PocketGPS
	Web