Google Maps directs vehicles from Las Vegas to a casino-infested desert area – Casino.org.
The post was made on November 30, 2023 at 04:41 AM.
Last updated on: November 30, 2023, 05:04h.
On their way back to Los Angeles from the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Shelby Easler and her family received a unique notification from Google Maps. It warned them that the most direct route, traveling southwest on Interstate 15, was expected to encounter a dust storm.
A group of vehicles, including a caravan, was stuck on a rugged trail near the border of Nevada and California for several hours. (Picture: Shelby Easler)
The application suggested taking a different path, a desert road connecting Nevada and Southern California, which not only bypassed the dust storm but also reduced the travel time for the family by 50 minutes.
Easler’s sibling, who was behind the wheel of their Toyota SUV, adhered to the directions, which guided them onto a narrow off-roading trail, trailing a lengthy procession of vehicles also following the same route.
Easler, 22, shared in a TikTok video that her navigation indicated a left turn after traveling three miles, leading her to believe that there would be a road ahead. However, as all the other cars continued straight, she assumed it was a viable route, only to find out that it was not. The video has received 134K likes.
Due to a car being stuck at the front of the long line of vehicles, none of the cars behind were able to move forward. Additionally, the road was too narrow for any of the cars to turn around.
Additional vehicles continued to arrive.
Police assistance not availableIt is not possible to receive assistance from the police.
Easler stated that making a 911 call was not effective, as the California Highway Patrol was occupied with handling the closure of the freeway and accidents, preventing them from reaching the individual in need.
After being stuck for many hours, the drivers came to the realization that they must individually turn around by maneuvering through dense bushes and over rough terrain. This resulted in multiple tire punctures and misalignment for most of the drivers.
Easler referred to their SUV as “doneso” and mentioned that her family had to take an Uber back to Las Vegas and fly home while it was being towed back to Las Vegas for repairs.
A representative from Google informed the Washington Post, which also reported on the incident, that they regret what occurred and have decided to stop directing drivers between Las Vegas and Los Angeles along the narrow backroads near the California-Nevada border off Interstate 15.
When @LasVegasLocally posted Easler’s video on X (previously known as Twitter), they joked: “If Google Maps ever directs you to the Mojave Desert, be wary. This is how artificial intelligence will attempt to eliminate us.”
