Of all the glorious mistakes, sayings, and absurd moments Michael Scott gave us over the years on The Office, for me the last lasting legacy of Dunder Mifflin’s boss will always be his obstinate obedience to a computer’s vague direction. Every single time I use a GPS I worry about him ignoring Dwight’s pleas and driving into that lake. And at the end of each successful road trip I think, “There but for the grace of god…” etc. Unfortunately, drivers in Aurora, Colorado recently experienced what it’s like when Google Maps leads you astray. They all followed a shortcut right into a mud pit.
The Denver Channel reported (in news we came across at Gizmodo) dozens of drivers hoping to avoid a crash on Pena Boulevard took the same Google Maps detour onto E. 64th Avenue. It promised to cut their drive time in half, but unbeknownst to both the trusting commuters and the fancy sky computers that guide us, that street turns into a single lane dirt path (which is also a private road) that had been turned into a muddy mess by weekend rains.
The cars continued on during that sunny day, no hint of what awaited them. Suddenly they began to realize their mistake. The cars in front of them had driven into the mud and gotten stuck. They had no ability to turn around. Some people who tried to drive around the traffic ended up damaging their cars driving through a large, hard-to-see ditch, just in case you want to know what the first level of Hell might look like.
Now in fairness, none of these people pulled a Michael Scott. No one blatantly drove into a lake despite being able to see it. This was bad luck, not a bad decision. Everyone who relies on GPS to get around would have fallen prey to this exact same scenario.
And that’s why it’s this is one of The Office‘s lasting legacies, for one day the Google Maps bell might toll…or ding…for thee.
Featured Image: NBC