Road Maps ?

I believe there is confusion between GPS and navigation applications like Google Maps and WAZE. First, GPS has been around since about 1973 for government use (military) and it was developed to give a user an accurate position within inches for the military and within feet for civilian applications. This difference in accuracy is nothing new. Prior to GPS, the U.S. government used LORAN (Long Range Aids to Navigation) which was developed starting in 1940.

LORAN operated on low frequency radio bands - under 2 Mhz. The U.K. also had an electronic navigation system but it used a higher frequency signal than LORAN and while the UK system was more accurate, it didn't have the range the US system did. During WWII, Loran accuracy was within a 100 feet or so. As the technology improved, so did the accuracy. Loran guidance systems were used by the long range bombers in the European theatre and more extensively by all U.S. forces in the Pacific during the war.

I was stationed at a Loran A station in the mid-1970s. I wasn't an electronic technician but was trained as a watch stander and had a good understanding of how Loran worked. I don't remember the exact numbers but I was told that the Loran signals used by the military were more accurate than those signals used civilian/commercial applications. By the 1980s, Loran A was replaced by Loran C which was even more accurate.

The point of all this is simple. While the GPS on our smart phones can tell where you are within 10 feet or less, it doesn't help you navigate. Google Maps and other navigation systems, compares the data of where you are at to the data point of where you want to go and using other data available like maps to give you direction.

If you've ever seen a vehicle driving around with something that looked like a ball on a tripod, that was probably a Google Mapping vehicle. I was told that the data points it collects is what the applications use to give you directions. As for people who have been misdirected on mountain trails, that's because the system isn't accurate if it doesn't have enough data points.

Google maps relies on cell service. Several time, as in the mountains of North Carolina, I lost all cell service, and thus my map, at the most inopportune time. I keep a road atlas in the back seat pock of my truck.

Since when did they change a road in Ireland?? 😈😉🤠

I cannot comment about roads changing over there.

However, in 1972, in the Republic side of the border, the morning radio broadcasts included "The Black Hole" report. Newly formed pot holes on roads and highways were reported to the listeners so they avoid damaging their vehicles. It took a while for the lads to harness the cart and get out there to fill them.

I am not kidding entirely. In 1972, even in the western towns and cities there were plenty of horse and donkey carts working- hauling deliveries, street repair, etc. The lads still wore a suit to work with shovels and picks. Matching jacket and trousers, matching cap, white long sleeve shirt some with collar and some without. It was like an old movie.