According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, last Wednesday, November 20, more than 20 cars got stuck on a snowy road in northeast Oregon when GPS directions led them down a dangerous path.
Around 2:15 p.m., an iPhone sent in the first SOS satellite alert, stating that a car was trapped on Ruckle route, a steep gravel route that was not cleared during snowy conditions. “After search and rescue teams were sent out, other drivers who were trapped in the same area sent out more alerts within 30 minutes,” said Nick Vora, the emergency manager and search and rescue coordinator for Union County.
Just after 5 p.m., Vora said, personnel worked for nearly two hours to release an estimated 50 people using a plow that Union County Public Works brought in and led them back to the main road.
The cars were on the dangerous back road because, according to officials, they were attempting to use GPS to avoid restrictions and delays on Interstate 84.
According to Vora, GPS maps will direct users to potentially problematic routes because they do not distinguish between winter and summer routes. I would advise folks to be cautious and to treat GPS directions as though they were advice from a complete stranger.
The incident was described as a cautionary tale by the sheriff’s office.
According to a statement from Union County rescue personnel, this tragedy is a crucial reminder of the necessity to carefully consider and frequently disregard GPS-provided directions, particularly during the winter. The best routes in our area in the winter are the interstates and highways; if these are closed because of bad weather or accidents caused by bad weather, it is most likely foolish and extremely risky to try other routes.
According to Cherise Kaechele, a spokesman for the Union County Sheriff’s Office, such instances occur annually.
“We have to deal with this every year; it’s not the first time it’s happened,” Kaechele stated. We are typically the ones who come to retrieve them in addition to search and rescue, and many of the same folks use Google Maps to find their way there securely. However, the snow and ice may rapidly make things unpleasant.
With situations like this, not everyone is as fortunate. James Kim, his wife Kati Kim, and their two daughters were left stranded on a rural, snow-covered road in southern Oregon during Thanksgiving week of 2006 after they missed a turn and unintentionally took an unmaintained route.
After a few days, James Kim attempted to walk to aid but passed out from hypothermia; local helicopter pilot John Rachor, who was not involved in the official search, eventually saved Kati Kim and the kids.
In addition to carrying emergency supplies, Kaechele advised drivers to remain on major thoroughfares and exercise patience as they wait for rescuers.
It is advised that drivers stay off of dirt roads and pay attention to weather reports.
Tyler Brown covers breaking news as a multimedia reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be contacted at 503-221-8243 or [email protected].
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