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1 year ago
20
Wrong turn!
A convoy of drivers heading to Los Angeles from Las Vegas ended up stranded in the desert after Google Maps sent them on an off-route road to avoid a dust storm.
Shelby Easler, her brother and their significant others were returning from the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix when Google Maps redirected them away from Interstate 15 — the major highway connecting Southern California to Sin City.
The web mapping platform directed the group towards a quicker off-road route instead of the highway, which was experiencing delays from a dust storm.
Easler told the SFGate: 'We ironically thought it would be a safer option, and it did say it would be 50 minutes faster.
'It was our first time driving to/from Vegas, so we didn't know that you can really only take the I-15 back and forth.'
Shelby Easler, her brother and their significant others were returning from the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix when Google Maps redirected them away from Interstate 15
Footage then shows the cars stuck on a gravel road and moving at two miles per hour to avoid damage
Easler went on to post a TikTok about the incident. The now-viral video has nearly 2million views and shows a group of cars driving down the sand together.
Footage then shows the cars stuck on a gravel road and moving at two miles per hour to avoid damage.
The family tries to turn around and return to the highway but cannot due to the quality of the roads. They also end up seeing wild donkeys on the route.
Easler added a picture of her Google Maps page in the video showing the route is over four hours long and has no noticeable signs.
Easler posted on social media a picture of her Google Maps page in the video showing the route is over four hours long and has no noticeable signs
'The first driver that turned around talked to us to tell us that the road gets washed out the higher into the mountain you get, and we have to turn around since the path leads nowhere', she said
'The first driver that turned around talked to us to tell us that the road gets washed out the higher into the mountain you get, and we have to turn around since the path leads nowhere,' she said.
'He was in a huge truck and was just driving straight through the bushes and shrubs to let people know to turn around,' Early said.
Ultimately, the family was forced to call 911 for help but was told that California Highway Patrol was preoccupied with the dust storm on I-15.
They eventually contacted a towing company, who sent trucks to assist them and the other stranded vehicles.
'The tow truck came around 5 p.m., so we were pretty much stuck there the entire afternoon,' Easler said.
'We had to leave the car in Vegas, and it got towed to the service center of a dealership.
'They said the rear, right tire was coming off, and the alignment was messed up too. Low-key a pretty expensive fix.
Ultimately, the family was forced to call 911 for help but was told that California Highway Patrol was preoccupied with the dust storm on I-15
They eventually contacted a towing company, who sent trucks to assist them and the other stranded vehicles
In a subsequent TikTok video, she clarified that the group saw other cars going down the same 'mysterious' route and not turning around, which instilled confidence in the family.
She also explained while going down the 'well-dug' ground, Maps kept showing them a left the could take after a few miles.
Easler said when they tried to turn the car around, their car was surrounded by other vehicles.
The search engine giant has since said it is investigating the incident.
A spokesperson told the New York Post: 'During unpredictable conditions, we work as quickly as possible to update routing based on information from local authorities and sudden changes to driving patterns.
'We're investigating the issue that happened over the weekend and can confirm that we’re routing drivers through Interstate 15 since it’s been reopened.'
English (US)