Walkers relying on smartphone apps blamed for 50% hike in mountain rescure call outs

[Rebel]

Walkers relying on smartphone apps for directions blamed for 50% hike in mountain rescue call-outs

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-50-hike-mountain-rescues.html#ixzz1IsCr0KTB

Interesting article.

I use GPS and a smartphone and find them not only useful but fun too. However I do realize the limitations of these devices and would never rely totally on them. Getting lost is easier than most people realize.

I know that everybody here knows that a good map and knowledge of how to read it and going prepared are important; along with understanding the environment you are going into. But I thought I'd mention it anyway.

 

[Chambers]

I have used mine before to track routes just for distance etc but agreed that I can understand how people can get lost or in trouble if following blindly

 

[peskypiker]

this was in the westmorland gazette today only a clown would go out on the fell with out a map wot happens if the gps and smart phone got wet or broken or just failed when needed most they are all good and well but take a map as a back up and you may enjoy reading the map and find that is fun too

 

[3bears]

I only use mine to update facebook with lol, map and compass all the way here!

 

[Tengu]

The friends GPS was trying to send me down a byway...

(OOk, I do take my humble fiesta offroading, but only when `I` want to)

 

[andynic]

it boggles me how people can get so lost in the lakes

 

[shortymcsteve]

I remember when me and 2 friends went to what looked like the biggest Forrest for miles and miles (on a map) and we walked all the way there with our packs expecting to stay for 3 days, mostly filled with far too much water so they were pretty heavy.. then we found out it was Europe's larges on shore wind farm!!!!
We decided to still try reach a hill we originally planned to set camp at but we got pretty tired after hours of walking in the middle of no where while getting ate alive by midges so i guess my friends got frustrated. They decided to check with my friends iphone where we were and how to get to the hill but i told them it was wrong as the OS map i had said different but they told me i was an idiot who could not read a map... the next day just as the sun came up one of my friends decided to bail and called someone to give him a ride home but since he never knew where he was he decided to walk all the way back the way he came (miles and miles) when really we were about 1 mile walk from where we originally got dropped off so really we made a huge circle.
After getting home i found out my friend tweeted his location from the previous night when they called me an idiot and it showed his position about 5 miles away in a small village in someones back garden

He still to this day tells me i was wrong with reading the map and also said he was going the correct direction home even tho on a map it showed the name of a farm where we put up camp only 1000meters from. He never checked the name of the farm but i did as its the way i walked home so i knew i was in the correct location according to the map.

After that lesson i now know to always trust the map even if it has not been updated (it still works) and never fully trust technology (i knew that anyway)

 

[DaveBromley]

they don't sound like very good friends mate, i think if you've got a map use it!

Dave

 

[Manacles]

Ironically had this exact conversation last night on a Scout hike. One of our guys brought along a GPS unit to find a particular geocache and the merits of using electronic navigation was debated. All the leaders were on the side of practising traditional map and compass skills lest a GPS or App fails - some of the younger Scouts could not see beyond the gadgetry. Concensus was it has a place but only as an extra source of confirmation.

 

[sapper1]

Hen they work properly they are excellent and better than a map and compass.Problem is they don't often work properly,I have never had a map and compass fail through bad weather,loss of signal or loss of power.

 

[Husky]

only a clown would go out on the fell with out a map wot happens if the gps and smart phone got wet or broken or just failed when needed most

Well, you just call mountain rescue don't you...

Also I hear that the next decade of increasing solar activity will make GPS even more unreliable.

 

[Stringmaker]

In the broader sense, this is more confirmation that technology is making us dumber. That debate has been going on for years.

Blind reliance on an electronic gizmo, even to the point of drivers getting stuck in ditches/lanes because "I was following my satnav!"

Techology is also subverting Darwin; once upon a time if you were stupid enough to put yourself in mortal danger, nature removed you from the gene pool; nowadays the eejits are rescued and then breed, thus continually dumbing down the population.

We're doomed I tell you, doomed!

 

[Manacles]

In the broader sense, this is more confirmation that technology is making us dumber. That debate has been going on for years.

Blind reliance on an electronic gizmo, even to the point of drivers getting stuck in ditches/lanes because "I was following my satnav!"

Techology is also subverting Darwin; once upon a time if you were stupid enough to put yourself in mortal danger, nature removed you from the gene pool; nowadays the eejits are rescued and then breed, thus continually dumbing down the population.

We're doomed I tell you, doomed!

I agree absolutely, I am a bit of a luddite in that I shun electronics as much as possible (yes I am typing this on a laptop the irony hasn't escaped me). For me part of the appeal of the outdoors life is to get away from stuff I have to plug in, so the last thing I want is for it to invade that space.

There certainly is increased reliance on gadgetry, and people apparently are using less and less common sense, you've only got to look at some of the youtube videos of huge lorries stuck in tiny lanes to see that..........

 

[Manacles]

Well, you just call mountain rescue don't you...

Also I hear that the next decade of increasing solar activity will make GPS even more unreliable.

Tis only a prediction of a possible future scenario - proble is we don;lt yet know whether solar flares will knock out satellites. A handful of years back a massice solar storm was set to knock out all satellites over Canada - nothing, no recorded impact at all, yet the predictions were very gloomy. It's a case of wait and see and keep your compass handy.

 

[Husky]

I understand that the problem is that solarflares interfere with the GPS-signals which makes it less accurate. Not necessarily knocking things out.

 

[Stringmaker]

I agree absolutely, I am a bit of a luddite in that I shun electronics as much as possible (yes I am typing this on a laptop the irony hasn't escaped me). For me part of the appeal of the outdoors life is to get away from stuff I have to plug in, so the last thing I want is for it to invade that space.

There certainly is increased reliance on gadgetry, and people apparently are using less and less common sense, you've only got to look at some of the youtube videos of huge lorries stuck in tiny lanes to see that..........

There is also a knock-on effect in terms of people's ability to actually interact with each other; take away the umbilical cord of a phone to play with and you end up with silence as nobody has anything to say to one another!

The forest school type project I volunteer with sometimes has overnight stays with visiting youth groups; one of the rules is that none of the kids is allowed to use their phones. There is one with the project leader for emergencies but that's it; you can't learn bow drilling if you're on Facebook!

 

[Manacles]

I understand that the problem is that solarflares interfere with the GPS-signals which makes it less accurate. Not necessarily knocking things out.

I didn't know that - thanks, I'd always assumed it just went out.

 

[Manacles]

There is also a knock-on effect in terms of people's ability to actually interact with each other; take away the umbilical cord of a phone to play with and you end up with silence as nobody has anything to say to one another!

The forest school type project I volunteer with sometimes has overnight stays with visiting youth groups; one of the rules is that none of the kids is allowed to use their phones. There is one with the project leader for emergencies but that's it; you can't learn bow drilling if you're on Facebook!

We do the same in our Scout troop. partly that is because if one of them has a problem we need them telling us not ringing their moms, but also because the interract so much better without them as a distraction.

 

[rik_uk3]

The article did also say how badly equipped walkers were so often these days. Won't be long before you can't go on the hills unless you have done an NVQ or some such thing

GPS is fantastic, but always have your map and compass as back up. Also, how many were actually in trouble or as a product of the nanny state how thought they were in trouble and put out a shout when not really needed?

 

[Stringmaker]

The article did also say how badly equipped walkers were so often these days. Won't be long before you can't go on the hills unless you have done an NVQ or some such thing

GPS is fantastic, but always have your map and compass as back up. Also, how many were actually in trouble or as a product of the nanny state how thought they were in trouble and put out a shout when not really needed?

I think you nailed it there with both points:

People go out badly equipped because a) they are numpties and b) at the first perceived sign of danger they can phone for help.

I remember years ago coming down Helvellyn in the lashing rain and meeting a couple walking up wearing jeans and carrying an umbrella!