Map Reading Skills

In Belgium a pensioner planning to drive 61km to a train station to pick up a friend made a somewhat longer journey than expected. The woman followed the advice of her satellite navigation system, which directed her through six countries in all and she ended up in Zagreb in Croatia, 1,440km from her original starting point. Despite seeing road signs in dierent languages, having to stop to refuel on a number of occasions and even parking in a roadside rest-stop for a sleep in her car, the woma
April 23, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
In Belgium a pensioner planning to  drive 61km to a train station to pick  up a friend made a somewhat  longer journey than expected. The  woman followed the advice of her  satellite navigation system, which  directed her through six countries  in all and she ended up in Zagreb  in Croatia, 1,440km from her  original starting point. Despite  seeing road signs in dierent  languages, having to stop to refuel  on a number of occasions and even  parking in a roadside rest-stop for a  sleep in her car, the woman was  not aware she had gone astray. Her  son, worried at her absence, had in  the meantime called police that  she was missing and a search had  commenced in Belgium. When she  realised her mistake on arriving in  Zagreb she was able to contact her  son and the search was called off. She did however have to drive  home another 1,440km. It is not  clear if she has bought a new  satellite navigation device, learned  to program the existing unit or  simply gone back to using a map.

Related Content

  • Spanish highway project to get EIB A-rated bond issue?
    April 20, 2012
    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is reported to be in talks with the sponsors of the A-66 Benavente-Zamora highway public private partnership (PPP) in Spain over a possible bond financing deal, which would see the Bank provide subordinated debt for an A-rated bond issue. The possible bond issue would be a further greenfield project to launch the European Union’s Project Bond 2020 initiative, with its initial pilot stage being managed by the EIB.
    Read More
  • Highway 99 revisited
    March 6, 2024
    David Arminas recently returned to Seattle for an inside look at some of the features of the now-complete SR99 tunnel that was a World Highways key project report in November 2017.
    Read More
  • Meet Die Autobahn des Bundes
    November 8, 2021
    Only recently has Germany created a central organisation to maintain and develop the nation’s 13,200km of motorways, called autobahns. Moving from 16 state-run operation centres to one lead centre is a challenge but essential, says Gerd Riegelhuth.
    Read More
  • Democratisation of technology: an interview with Ivan Di Federico
    June 20, 2025
    A very different global future is emerging where a successful business must have a large amount of the right data and access to the best technology. But for long-term success a business must create value for its customers, says Ivan Di Federico, formerly chief strategy officer and now president and chief executive officer of Topcon Positioning Systems. He talks to Anthony Oliver, host of the Infrastructure podcast.
    Read More

Highlighted Content