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Friday, January 21, 2011

Google Maps Fail...

I saw this on Facebook last night and can't resist sharing it with my readers.  I use Google Maps all the time to find my way around town and California, and use it when I travel to a distant city.

Here's the map and directions for Chula Vista, California  to Tokyo, Japan:


Using this route is 7,999 miles and will take 35 days and 5 hours.  The directions say to drive up Interstate 5 to Seattle, and then:

14.  Kayak across the Pacific Ocean (to Honolulu) - 2,756 miles

and:

29.  Kayak across the Pacific Ocean (to Tokyo).  Entering Japan - 3,879 miles

I wonder why it didn't say catch a plane in Los Angeles and fly direct?  I doubt a kayak would be large enough to sustain me for 32 days at sea.  The average speed for 35 days, 5 hours is about 9.57 miles per hour - can anyone row a kayak that fast?  Would there be wireless Internet?

7 comments:

  1. I do love a search engine with a sense of the absurd...

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  2. Probably remnants of a 2007 April Fools Joke

    http://www.boingboing.net/2007/03/29/googles_driving_dire.html

    The Atlantic Ocean crossing directions mentioned in the article above no longer exist, but I guess they left the Pacific Ocean instructions intact.

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  3. I did this a while back, to illustrate how I might travel to visit my grandson at his naval base in Japan. It suggested a Kayak to me, too. Better than the trip to Europe, where it wanted me to swim.

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  4. My sister lives on Martha's Vineyard, which is an island. The driving directions don't have you stopping at the ferry, they have you arriving at Wood's Hole on Cape Cod and driving across the sound to the island! Saves the $120 round trip ferry fee...

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  5. Hmmm - I'm supposed to kayak to Hawaii but from there I'm supposed to jet ski. Public transportation doesn't get results but walking directions will take me through Canada and I should pack for 124+ days.

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  6. Google maps misdirects people to my house all the time. It gets them close, but misses and takes them to a house a few blocks away. Google Earth does the same thing. But I think the kayak thing is a deliberate attempt at humor.

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  7. More like sense of humor fail

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