I Have To Admit,

when out driving I rely on Sat Nav,

which if you followed some of our dives is not always the best thing to do, some lanes we have been taken down were literally cart tracks, but there it is, I trusted modern technology too much, but it is not only myself that falls foul of it, Baunei, is an idyllic mountain village on the Italian island of Sardinia, and has launched an appeal to visitors asking them to stop relying on the directions of Google Maps when driving around the area, Salvatore Corrias, the mayor of Baunei, claims that in the last year alone the local fire service or mountain rescue team have been called 144 times to help stranded tourists who had followed the directions of Google Maps. Apparently, people are often using the GPS-powered app to reach so-called “hidden beaches” around Baunei and end up driving down lanes that are unsuitable for cars or onto off-road tracks. To stop this from happening, local police have put up signs that read “Do not follow the directions suggested by Google Maps”, photograph Google Maps, 

looking at the beaches, this one Cala Goloritzè, I can understand why tourists would want to find it, “What happens is that people aren’t used to the dirt roads in the area and so rely on Google Maps,” Mayor Corrias told The Guardian, “But after a while they realize that they are not on a proper road, and so we have to go and rescue them. We have had so many instances, especially in recent years – unfortunately Google Maps does not take people to the places they want to go.” rescue services are funded by the local community, so stranded tourists don’t have to paid for getting rescued. Only the number of rescue operations has become so great that it’s putting a serious strain on the local budget. The problem has become so serious that Baunei authorities have even contemplated banning the app, which it turns out is impossible, Baunei authorities have alerted Google about the problems their free navigation app is causing, but so far they’ve received no reply. In the meantime, the town is setting up more road signs and kick-starting an information campaign on social media to deter people from using Google Maps in the area, I must remember next time we go out for a drive, do not trust Sat Nav!