The Low-Tech Times published an article a few months ago entitled Three Problems with GPS Navigation Systems. One of the problems explored in the article was that a loss of knowledge can result from a user becoming dependent on an electronic devices for their sense of direction.
Now, Cloe Shasha from ABC news, writes a piece with a similar theme entitled Will GPS Make Us Dumb? Here are a couple excerpts from Cloe’s article:
…some experts believe that the guiding device gives less than what it takes away. The price we pay for the convenience, they say, could be our sense of direction.
“One effect of an increased dependence on GPS will be that peoples’ ability to read maps will further decay,” Knowles said. “Americans are generally poor map readers. Some cannot read maps at all…
In other news, an Associated Press (AP) article on AOL tells the story of a couple that got stranded as a result of GPS system directions. Apparently there is a new AP policy to charge bloggers for quoting from their stories, so I will refrain from posting any excerpts of the story here. Here is a link to the story, Couple Stranded in Desert by GPS Device.