So the other day I was driving to a friend’s house and although I have been there before, I never really paid attention on how to get there because I always use my GPS and follow its directions. When I got my first GPS system I wasn’t sure if I would get my money’s worth from it. I can’t believe how often I use it and what I use it for. I love having it. My newest car has one in it too because now I feel like I can’t live without it.
But, I realized using my navigation system is like having another back seat driver and doesn’t the world already have enough of those? The only difference is the back seat driver is in the front of the car! If you have a GPS in your car then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Yes, it is very nice of it to tell you how to get to your destination, but if you make one wrong move then forget about it! It lectures and demeans you.
Think about it. If you have GPS in your car and you set your route it tells you step by step what to do. Great. Gets you where you need to go. But how many times can it tell you turn right. It does it like six times before you need to turn, “In 1/4 mile turn right. In 1/8 mile turn right. In 300 feet turn right. In 100 feet turn right. Turn right here.” I mean really? If you miss your turn then you’ve got a serious problem. And, if by some weird chance you have now missed your turn, it tells you, “Please make a legal u-turn. At the next possible place, make a legal u-turn. Make a legal u-turn.” Yeah, I got it, lady! You want me to make a legal u-turn! I think it really wants to say is, “Damn it, make a legal u-turn moron!”.
It takes like 4 or 5 times of the u-turn lecture before it will recalculate your route. And forget about stopping off for gas or food or a potty break. It is like you have broken a cardinal rule or something. The lecture you get from the GPS at that point. Yikes! You’d better not even think about deviating from the calculated route! Hold your pee, pack a lunch and make sure you are all gassed up before you go.
And, why is it they use a woman’s voice? You know the old cliché about how men always say they have the nagging wife in the passenger seat? Do you think it is a coincidence they use a woman’s voice? Do you think they do that because it nags you or is it because women are smarter, ask for directions, and know where they are ultimately going where as men don’t? I’m going with the latter.
I know having a GPS is great. I opted for it in my car again. But really, does it have to be so condescending at times? And, the great debate continues whether man or machine smarter? If you ask the GPS it will tell you machine is smarter. Just listen to it and its condescending tone. It thinks it knows everything, which sometimes it does. But, how many times has it sent me the wrong way? Enough times to know not to always trust it!
Technology is great and I would not trade in my GPS. I use it far too often and love its convenience. I’m just saying sometimes I don’t need another back seat driver. My two kids are already becoming human navigation systems and sometimes I think they are smarter than my GPS. And hey, at least the kids let me stop en route (especially if it benefits them!) and I don’t get reprimanded for it!
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