A hiker almost died because of Google Maps and it’s not the first time – HuffPost

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UNUSUAL – We’ve all been fooled by Google Maps, which recommended the worst route, but it didn’t always end so badly. At the beginning of November, a hiker in Canada had to be rescued by helicopter after a “ghost hike”. The path only existed on Google Maps and led to dangerous cliffs, as you can see in our video above.

Rescuers said on Facebook that this operation was the third at this point on the mountain. Two years ago, a walker fell fatally there. And if this time Google has updated its forest map by removing the non-existent path, this is not the first time that the application has been at the center of tragic incidents.

In 2022, an American driver died after trusting Google Maps, which suggested he was driving over a bridge that had actually collapsed. However, residents had repeatedly contacted Google asking to change their maps online. And on November 3, IOL in South Africa reported that a tourist was shot while crossing a dangerous community outside Cape Town airport. You guessed it, this was the route recommended by Google Maps.

In response, Google reiterated that it is not its job to figure out which neighborhood is risky and encouraged “drivers to follow local laws, remain vigilant and use common sense.” » Still, the US government has warned travelers to South Africa, advising them not to rely on GPS, saying the most efficient route is not always the safest. And if we listen to the rescuers, when hiking you should prefer special applications such as CalTopo and Gaia GPS or even a compass and a paper map to find your way.

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