The GPS reroute that stranded me for 6 hours near Amarillo

Honestly, I was hauling a load of produce through Texas last spring and my truck GPS told me to take a 'shortcut' down FM 685, which turned into a dirt road that ended in a locked cattle gate with no turnaround. I ended up backing up for over a mile with a 53-foot trailer, blew a steer tire on a rock, and had to wait 6 hours for a road service truck to come out from Amarillo. Has anyone else had a 'trust the tech' moment that cost them a full day, and did you go back to paper maps or just learn to question every route?

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terry_lewis2119d ago

Ran into the same deal outside of Tuscaloosa once. GPS said county road 14 was a through road, but it turned into a gravel path that dead-ended at a washed-out creek crossing. Had to unload half the pallets just to get a forklift in to winch me out. Now I cross-check the route on two different apps and still look at the actual map view before I commit to any road that looks unpaved. Also got a cheap satellite messenger that shows me trail and ranch roads, but honestly the biggest help was learning to just call the shipper and ask what the local drivers use. Saves me a headache every time.