Google Maps plunge 10 years ago , on February 8 , 2005 , and it ’s become the gilded standard for apps that help oneself get you from point A to point B. But it ’s also the greatest frivolity weapons platform ever designed . Here are some of the best careful ( and non - deliberate ) ways that Maps has been borked over the retiring decennium .
Sure you candoodle all over Google Maps by measuring length , but this enterprising prankster fill it to the next level by make a cat out of actual trails . For a second , we thought maybe Google Maps embrace a raw mascot , but they shortly pass over the pot from existence . Sad Clarence Day .
Google Maps did n’t just annihilate the competition when it came to digital single-valued function , it also made a telephony Bible completely useless — that is until people see that it ’s moderately easy to make a fake listing . Like last year when theInternet Cock Advisory Committeemade an appearance in Washington D.C. Or how about way back in 2008 when the Microsoft Corporationwas rename to Microsoft Escort Service . Spamming is almost omnipresent to all technology , but only on Google Maps is it more hilarious than annoying .
Google Maps , of course , micturate things endlessly easier to find , and for 99.999 % of us , that ’s a good affair . But if you ’re in the utmost minority of people who , say , live decent next to one of the most recognizable turning point in the earth , then it just gets reeeeeaaalll pesky . Exhibit A is the Hollywood sign alight up in the Hill of Los Angeles . Tourists flock to Google Maps to find it , and house physician do n’t want them to … thus , theHollywood sign ’s vanish bit proceed .
Back in 2010 , when Google Maps was half as erstwhile and therefore half as wise to , you did n’t want to put too much faith in the program ’s walking directions . In fact , even Google did n’t and would accompany take the air counseling with this favorable , “ please , do n’t shoot down yourself ” reminder :
Walking direction are in beta . Use caution – This itinerary may be missing sidewalks or footer track .
Only problem was that the message did n’t show up on BlackBerrys , specifically Lauren Rosenberg ’s BlackBerry and she survey the direction to the letter , walked on to a highway and was hit by a machine . in reality , now that I write this , this is everyone ’s fault except Google Maps ’ .
In 2012 , the drama Lost played out completely on Google Maps . A small island known as Sandy Island appeared and then disappear . The cause ? Well , it never really exist in the first blank space . The same is dependable forthe phantom city of “ Argleton ” in 2009 , which thankfully is n’t a real city and reestablish my faith in mankind ’s power to name things .
Back in 2012 for near a calendar month , the cheery town ( I would assume ) ofSunrise , Florida just did n’t exist on Google Maps . Instead , any query searching for the very real town would be airt almost 200 miles away , which brings up an important query : If you do n’t exist on the internet now , do you subsist at all ?
Hey man , I get it . Geography can be tough , but when you ’re all about map you probably should n’t misplace the largest mountain in the lower 48 . I mean , it ’s not just easy to miss . Sure , if you move some podunk town with a population of 12 a duet miles in the ill-timed centering , no big spate . But a heap ? C’m on .
“ NOT Park Entrance … Private Driveway … Google Maps is wrong ! ” That was a signthat a miserable New Jersey char ask to put up in her front yardwhen Google routed all traffic to a local park to her drive . Google Maps has the exponent to create comfort station … and also destroy it .
Google Maps has even gotten itself into some international troubled waters . In 2010 , aNicaraguan commander inhibit part of Costa Ricaand ordain the country to take down their flag all based on an erroneous belief made on Google Maps . You ’d guess there would be a more strict fact - checking insurance before launching your own micro - war , but this is the “ if it ’s on the internet , it must be true ” world we live in .
Happy Birthday , Google Maps !
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