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£96,000 Merc written off as satnav leads woman astray
Last updated at 20:37pm on 16.03.07This is what happened to a driver who put her faith in her satellite navigation system – she ended up in deep water. The £96,000 Mercedes sports car was swept away in a swollen river and the motorist had to be rescued as it sank.
Splash-nav: Sometimes it is good to question modern technology
The driver, the latest of many to be led astray by satnavs, was on her way to a christening party in Leicestershire when she was sent down a winding track usually used only by farmers in their 4x4s.
Although the track is signposted as unsuitable for motor vehicles', the driver carried on and found herself at a ford in the village of Sheepy Magna.
Still accepting what the satnav told her, she set out to cross the ford, but it was swollen after days of heavy rain.
The Mercedes SL500 was swept 600 yards downstream, bouncing fromone bank of the River Sense to the other as the woman, in her late 20s and from London, frantically tried to escape.
She was finally rescued by villager Alice Clark when the car ran aground.
Miss Clark, a 24-year-old stables owner, said: She was screaming “help me, help me” as she struggled to get the door open.
I waded in to the chest-deep water using a log as a buoyancy aid.
Just as I reached her the electrics went, causing the windows to open and even more water started gushing in.
Had I not held on to some barbed wire attached to the bank and the log I would have been swept away.
Luckily she was not a big girl so I desperately hauled her through the window into the river.
Seconds later, the car became completely submerged as it filled with water.'
Miss Clark's boyfriend then took the woman, who gave her name only as Hayley, to a motorway service station where a chauffeur-driven Bentley collected her.
Miss Clark said: Afterwards she sent me a big bouquet of flowers to say “thank you”.'
The car remained stuck in the river for a week after the incident on March 3 until it was recovered by a tow-truck. It is believed to be a write-off.
Reader views (13)
Technology was created by people, which means it's not always perfect. Normally, you'd use YOUR COMMON SENSE, but obviously that doesn't always happen.
- Nikhil Shinday, United States
My satnav has tried to lead me down bridle path, the wrong way down a one way street, or down a none existent road in the past, however thanks to a little something I call COMMON SENSE I have realized that technology cannot always be trusted. I hope the drivers insurance company tell her that under her policy acts of 'blatant stupidity' are not covered and that they will not pay out, especially as there were signs warning her. Take her licence away so as to save the rest of us from her, as she clearly should not be behind the wheel of a car!
- Mark, Sutton
It is not possible?
Yes, British everything is possible! 
)))
lol
- Jedge, Shannon, Ireland
Her rich daddy should buy her some common sense.
- S Hashim, UK
What a complete idiot. I m sorry but its another case of driving licence must of come out of cereal box (make her take another test).
- Jason111s, Redditch, UK
No wonder car insurance premiums are shooting up - a £96k refund for ignoring road signs and showing a stunning lack of common sense...
How about the satnav manufacturers/ programmers accepting liability and paying up, then people who can read maps/ signs won't end up subsidising those who can't...
- Francis, York, UK
You say 'Sometimes it is good to question modern technology'.
Well somertimes it is good to question the driver and assess whether they should have a driving license.
- D.J.Harle, UK
Going from the details in the article, it definately appears to be a case of having more money than sense...
- Justice, Harlow, Essex
Driving without due, sorry correction, any care and attention. Irrespective of the gender of the driver what on earth was their driving like normally? Safer on foot (for the rest of us).
- Richard, Wandsworth, UK
Oi Raminder less of that. Not all of us are quite so moronic at the wheel you know!
- Isabel, Woking, England
Blaming the SatNav for driving your Merc into a river is a very plausible story and I'm sure her insurance company will have no trouble beliving it.
- David, New York
They should charge the driver for polluting the river.
- Jay Long, Berkshire
It could only ever happen to a woman driver!
- Raminder Bhalla, Norhtolt
