We live in a world of ever changing technology and -
Well I'll just skip the deep and insightful introduction regarding man and machine and get right to the point. Our story begins on a chilly January 19th, 2009. Los Angeles native Lauren Rosenberg decided to take a stroll through the park. Unfortunately for Ms. Rosenberg, who was visiting Utah at the time, the area was relatively unfamiliar. That's when she made the mistake...the mistake that almost cost Lauren HER LIFE.
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| One day technology will own you and everything you hold dear. |
You see dear reader, Lauren Rosenberg used Google Maps to get walking directions from 96 Daly Street to 1710 Prospector Avenue. What seemed like an innocent inquiry for help from a machine was really a diabolical plot to end Ms. Rosenberg's life...or that's what her lawyer tried to convince the judge. You see, Google Maps directed her to take a 1/2 mile section Deer Valley Drive, which is a part of Utah State Route 224...a highway that lacks sidewalks...on foot. A sensible person would use their brain and reconsider the proposed route when approaching a BUSY HIGHWAY WITHOUT SIDEWALKS WHEN THEY ARE IN FACT ON A WALK; Laure Rosenberg proved to the world she is not a sensible person.
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| Would you trust this little guy over common sense? |
This is when Patrick Harwood enters our story. You see, Mr. Harwood and Ms. Rosenberg's paths crossed when Harwood struck Rossenberg on the very same highway Google Maps instructed Rosenberg to walk on. She proceeded to sue the driver of the vehicle for an undisclosed amount and Google for $100,000 because of the company's provision of "unsafe" directions.
After writing this and rereading it, I still have to shake my head and wonder about this woman's thought process. What really struck me was that there had to be more cases like this out there, involving man's complete and undying trust in the technology they are supposed to be master of. Another simple example is a British man who drove his BMW onto a road that was clearly designated as unpaved, damaged it, and demanded the damages paid because it was not his fault - the GPS made him do it. After really thinking about it, most of us have probably done something similar. For example, I can't even do simple arithmetic without relying on a calculator anymore. And how many times tried viewing your favorite show on DVR only to have the last five minutes cut out? The DVR isn't at fault, it just followed the time slots you as a viewer set; yet still it faces our wrath.
The moral of this story should be pretty clear. Technology is a useful tool and all, but it must always be used in conjunction with human reason.
Well shoot so much for not sounding deep and insightful!
Cam
