Google Maps creates 100-car strong traffic jam on a muddy road

Following tech instead of common sense isn't always wise.

One of Google Maps' greatest features is its ability to redirect motorists if it detects heavy traffic. This function became a whole lot less convenient for the nearly 100 motorists who got stuck on a muddy dirt road near the Denver airport after following a detour suggested by the app.

An accident on Peña Boulevard in Denver, near the city's international airport, caused a big traffic jam that Google Maps detected almost immediately. The app gave users two options: they could wait in traffic, or they could take a detour and get to their destination without losing too much time. Many motorists were on their way to the airport, either to catch a flight or to pick up a passenger, so they happily followed Google's detour to arrive on time.

Denver-based news channel ABC 7 reported the detour provided by Google involved driving on a privately-owned dirt road that was a muddy mess. Some cars made it through, but others got stuck in the muck and created a second traffic jam involving nearly 100 cars. Motorists told ABC 7 that they found the alternate route a little bit odd, but they followed it because they trusted Google, and they could see other cars in the distance.

Getting out of the mud was easier said than done. Connie Monsees, one of the drivers who followed the detour, told ABC 7 no one could make a u-turn on the road because it was only wide enough for one car, and many of the motorists who tried turning around in a nearby field either got stuck in a deep ditch, or damaged their car crossing it.

The motorists trapped in a slippery mess came together to help each other out. Those who could drive across the mud took others to the airport so they wouldn't miss their flight, while the ones driving an SUV or a truck towed stuck cars to firmer ground.

Google hasn't commented on the incident, and there's no indication that Apple's rival software sent iPhone-wielding drivers on the same detour. This isn't the first time we've heard about motorists getting stuck or lost while following a navigation app, however. ABC 7's traffic anchor believes drivers trust technology more than they trust their own common sense.

"You are driving. Google Maps is not driving. Google Maps is not perfect. You need to know where you are going and, if it does not look like that's where you should be going, turn around and try again," ABC 7's Jayson Luber suggested.

Photo by Ronan Glon.