A driver in the United Kingdom has been fined after he followed the directions given by its satellite navigation system, leading him to the edge of a huge cliff drop in Yorkshire, Northern England.
In March 2009 Robert Jones was driving his BMW as he was trying to get home to Doncaster, in South Yorkshire. Since he did not know the route he followed his GPS system. Despite being directed onto a narrow dirt track which can hardly be called a road he continued following the information by his TomTom. Jones became so distracted by his GPS he struck a fence on the edge of a 30 meter cliff. The battery of his phone had died, so he got out and walked to a village nearby for help.
Yesterday, 43-year old Robert Jones represented himself in Calderdale Magistrates Court. He was prosecuted for driving without due care and attention because ‘he followed his TomTom so much it led him up path which was clearly not designed for the use of cars, although he continued to follow the directions of his GPS.’ Mr Jones was fined £370 and got six points on his licence.
