Tonight:
2°c
Satnav is to blame, says driver rescued from swollen river
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor25 Feb 2010
A company director whose satellite navigation system instructed her to drive across a raging river has told how she thought she was going to die.
Anne Kennedy's Vauxhall Astra was swept away by the Loddon after she tried to drive across a ford in Charvil, Berkshire, which had become swollen with five feet of flood water.
The 62-year-old, from Henley, was on her way to Hook in Hampshire, but rather than take a route she knew she turned on her satnav to see if it could find a quicker one.
It all happened so quickly, she said. I got to the edge of the river and my front wheels went in the water. I thought golly this is not very good'.
"I couldn't reverse so put the car into first gear and tried to move it a little bit but then the car moved off on its own accord. I put my foot on the brakes but nothing happened I then tried the handbrake but it didn't work.
The Astra was pulled into the middle of the river and began to fill with water.
None of the electrics would work so I couldn't open any doors or windows, she said. I began to think that there was a high probability that I was not going to get out.
Firefighters arrived and lassoed her car with a hose. One of them, Mark Crawford, jumped in, smashed the driver's window and dragged her free.
Ms Kennedy, who was treated for severe cold, said: I will definitely be using a map in future and carrying a hammer. I will not be crossing any fords again either.
Reader views (20)
Seriously?! Company Director? How did she ever get there because she blames a satnav for ending up in a river. This must be the most ridiculous thing I have heard.
- Nicky, Bishops Cleeve, UK, 26/02/2010 01:18
Report abuse
I have never heard such a preposterous excuse for bad driving! The silly woman is unfit to be a qualified driver, and she should be required to take remedial driving lessons immediately.
I take all my learner drivers to a ford, and after detailed discussion about the '''do's and don't's''' they drive through it, but only if they determine the depth of the water. If that is not possible, they DO NOT enter the water. I find they all show great common sense in the task.
As for the miscreant of the report, well, what can one say? Sheer stupidity of the first order!
- Professional Driving Instructor, UK, 26/02/2010 00:36
Report abuse
On the original story I thought what a stupid ***. Now she admits it's because the mind controlling sat nav told her too. Dumb and dumber. It you work for this company director I fear for your lively hoods.
n.b. love the way she carefully saves her handbag. Hope she got her purse out a compensated the fire service for completely wasting their time.
On a serious note I hope someone in genuine need did not suffer because the fire service was preoccupied with this useless person.
- Daytonax, Greenford, Middlesex, 25/02/2010 22:17
Report abuse
So a "SatNav" tells you to ignore your common sense and drive through a clearly swollen ford with a warning sign and a high water marker? A satellite navigation system is a guide to a route and destination, that's what the manufacturers' manuals clearly state. And she is a business woman? No wonder British companies are in a mess. Before you know it, we will all believe what the prime minister says.
- David Griffiths, Llanfyllin, Wales, 25/02/2010 22:05
Report abuse
Was this written by your Science & Technology Editor because your Mental Health Editor is on holiday?
- Louise, London, 25/02/2010 20:09
Report abuse
Lucky she didn't get a Darwin Award. If you have shares in the company she is MD of, sell them quick.
- Chris, London, 25/02/2010 20:01
Report abuse
Next time luv, use your brain.....not your sat-nav(the idiots guide to orienteering)
- Nora Kane, london, 25/02/2010 19:38
Report abuse
Oh well, nobody got hurt.
Everyone of the comment authors on this story has done something stupid in their lives.
- Trunk, US, 25/02/2010 17:13
Report abuse
Silly person.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 25/02/2010 16:54
Report abuse
I wonder if she stops at red lights?
- Jacqui Smith'S Dvd Collection!, Hackney, London, 25/02/2010 16:30
Report abuse
This driver is also a Company Director,this could account for a lot of our troubles at the moment.
- Davey_Bouy, Chertsey, 25/02/2010 15:47
Report abuse
This woman should have her licence taken away aspa and have to resit the tests. If a traffic light was green but she saw a person lying in the street would she have run over them because the lights were green? Sat nav is meant to be an aid to help a driver not something to take responsibility away from a driver!
- Dave W, London, 25/02/2010 15:14
Report abuse
OMG,If she is that thick to drive across the Ford "because the Sat Nav" told her too then she deserves all she gets!, If it told her to drive off the end of a cliff would she! She should not be allowed on the road!
- Michelle Brookes, Tamworth, Staffs, 25/02/2010 14:31
Report abuse
The Satnav can't see how high the water is, I assume because this woman has a driver's license, that she is not blind.
Dear me, what an idiot.
- S, Gloucestershire, 25/02/2010 13:21
Report abuse
This is the level of intelligence of your average motorist. Probably 80% of them would do the same. It is about time cars were banned.
- Dc, London, 25/02/2010 13:12
Report abuse
So at least we now have an answer to the age old questions parents ask.
If your friend asked you to jump off a cliff would you?
Yes, but only if your cliff was a satnav.
The satnav had nothing to do with this, just the sheer lack of common sense of the driver who clearly saw the raging river but ignored it.
- Nick, London, 25/02/2010 12:52
Report abuse
STOP HER DRIVING NOW!
No common sense. Her actions put the fire service in unnecessary danger.
It is not the fault of the navigation device, it's the fault of the idiot behind the wheel. The Sat Nav didn't tell her when to stop at traffic lights, juctions or about the cars around her. It didn't come out with "that water looks fine to me, love".
Please, someone stop these people.
- Nige, Northants ,UK, 25/02/2010 12:47
Report abuse
And presumably if it had directed her into a wall she would have hit it.........oh perleeze. No wonder us women drivers have a bad name, when you admit to doing something as stupid as this!
- Carol, hammersmith, 25/02/2010 12:35
Report abuse
So, if the satnav told you to jump off a cliff would you do it?
Eh?
Would you?
Too many numpty drivers on the roads, how on earth can you fail to notice a five foot deep river?
- Susan Burton, E3, 25/02/2010 12:32
Report abuse
It looks like both the car and driver's brain were in neutral
- Mike, Cyprus, 25/02/2010 12:30
Report abuse
