Yesterday we drove from Seattle to Anacortes. We knew the way, but I'd mapped us to our location using my iPhone and Google Maps just to see how long it would take us to get there.
We were whizzing along just fine on I-5 at 70mph when my iPhone told me we should be taking an exit several miles ahead. Huh? We still had about 45 miles to go on I-5.
"She" wanted us to get off the freeway, take some side streets, and then get back on the SAME freeway. Whatever, little computer brain. Hush. We'd decided to ignore "her" and keep on our merry way when up ahead we saw breaklights and significant traffic backup. Okay, let's do what "she" says, we decided.
We got off I-5 and took "her" recommended route, part of it parallelling the freeway where we could see mostly stopped traffic on the northbound side. Whoa! How'd "she" know? I mean, I know Google Maps can show traffic and whether it's slow or medium or fast, but rerouting us based on it? Really?
As we re-approached I-5 following "her" instructions, after taking about 4 miles of side streets, the purpose of this reroute became clear. Immediately south of the onramp there were a handful of vehicles with flashing lights tending to an accident — IMMEDIATELY SOUTH of where we were being told it was okay to get back on I-5.
Are you kidding me???
Here's the onramp, joining up with a traffic-free freeway:
We will never doubt again.
