Quirky News
Sat nav takes woman on 1,800 mile detour
A 67-year-old woman went on an astonishing 1,800 mile detour across Europe after her satnav went wrong on a trip to her local railway station.
Sabine Moreau had meant to drive just 38 miles to meet a friend arriving by train in Brussels, Belgium.
But when her satnav told her to keep going she did - and going, and going, and going.
She didn't stop - apart from refueling breaks - until she reached a station in Zagreb, Croatia, two days later - after crossing five international borders and covering 900 miles.
"I saw all kinds of traffic signs. First in French, then in German - Cologne, Aachen, Frankfurt," she told a Belgium news website.
"But I didn't ask myself any questions. I was just distracted, so I kept my foot down," she added.
Police believe she crossed through France, Germany, Austria and Slovenia before finally getting to Croatia.
Then she faced another 900 mile journey back to get to her home in Solre-sur-Sambre.
After her son reported her missing, Belgian police searched her house and were about to launch a full scale manhunt when she phoned home to say she was in Zagreb.
She told police: "I didn't really notice anything was wrong until I suddenly arrived in Zagreb and realised that I was no longer in Belgium."
"Weird? Maybe, but I was just preoccupied," she added.
Update:
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what do you think?
Raymond Castle
I always tell people not to use any kind of satnav to get to my address as it always sends them to the wrong road! It's easier for them to phone me and I give them directions or, as the poster below says, USE A PAPER MAP!
lynchygt3
how can you be that thick ???? really though.
blue side
I am not sure this lady should be driving - forget the sexists jokes but anyone who sets off on a 38 mile journey and keeps going for several hours must realise something is wrong
RayMcGlynn
Shouldn't be driving!
shaun spencer
Must have some sort of dementia and the woman isnt that bright neither.
Philip Baker
Thick as a plank.
Mike Anon
My wife (who, bless her, has no sense of direction) has used a sat nav to travel the length & breadth of Britain because of her work for 7 yrs. She has never become lost or mislead as she realises that common sense comes into the equation. Spell the destination correctly, use the postcode if possible & NEVER, NEVER, select the fastest route or it may take you on routes only the bravest soul with a 4X4 would venture onto! I have no connection with the company but the sat nav she uses is a Tom Tom.
Louisa Gieldon
" I was just distracted, so i kept my foot down"! Dear God I've never been so glad of the existence of the North Sea . Although after reading about this lady i'm not convinced even that would have stopped her! Absolutely hilarious
Kerry Carline
Dont believe this at all.how could you not realise and keep driving for two days.either losing her marbles or a total fabrication
Richard Gould
I think that driving tests should include a section on stupidity.
wickhampatrick
How stupid that she can't find the local railway station on her own. Is it no common sense here? Sat Navs are such a pain in the backside, a young couple stopped me recently in our small town about 15 miles from Milton Keynes. They were looking for the snowdome to go skiing, the sat nav told them that it was in our small town, only 15 miles off track. I told them the way ,made sure they wrote it down and told them to go into WH Smith and buy an AA road map book and learn to use that and throw the Sat Nav away! My eldest son is also a trucker working all over Europe and now out of Canada, he doesn't use one and none of the companies that he has worked for in the last ten years use them. They are very expensive and completely useless. I laugh out load when I'm on my way to work and the berk in front has his on just to to ten miles to work!
Kevin Jennings
GPS is standard gear for most trucking companies in Canada.
Louisa Gieldon
Never had one, don't want one, don't need one. I really like maps anyway!
Jordan Clapham
Stupid woman. You would obviously stop after realising that it's taking you longer than normal...
Ron Cheetham
er wouldnt you notice the change in signs at least , it is possible to turn round
shirley sutton
Stupid woman
Kevin Jennings
If she's that distracted she shouldn't be driving.
movvi
Preoccupied? For TWO DAYS?! And 900 miles - what's that - hundreds of pounds' worth of fuel? Cripes. Doesn't she look like John McCririck, though?!
Louisa Gieldon
She does too!
HARLEY1974
Lol..
chrishearn350
She had opted for the scenic route !
Michael Ball
12:18pm on 15/1/2013
I drive trucks for a living and won't have anything to do with a sat nav, i much prefer to use paper maps. I've seen too many foreign drivers rely on these useless machines and get themselves into all sorts of hopeless situations...
robert
6:21pm on 15/1/2013
I also drive trucks,and use a sat nav but along with the sat nav i also use loads and loads of COMMON SENSE, thats all it takes.As for foreign drivers,take a look at what EDDIE STOBART employs.