Google Maps goes off-track
A Google Maps blunder has led flummoxed travellers across a Waikato farmer’s private land and past his dairy shed in their attempts to find a nearby lake.
Many of the travellers have gone through closed gates to access the property.
Dairy farmer Michael Lumsden said he and his family had met several wanderers lost on his property, some even opening gates at the bequest of Google’s mapping service.
Lumsden said he was not angry at the lost travellers, but concerned over who would be responsible should an incident happen on his property.
The farm roads were built for a single vehicle, and featured rises potentially impeding visibility and treacherous terrain, especially in winter.
“At some point, it’s going to get difficult. If stock damage a car on our property, where do the insurance companies stand? Where do we stand?” he said.
Those Lumsden and his family had spoken to were usually apologetic, though he had encountered some language barriers.
“My son has talked with a number of people too, and we just quietly deal with it. You can’t be aggressive, it’s anyone who’s made a genuine mistake, or been encouraged to make a mistake by Google.”
Lumsden said he and members of his family had contacted the Ministry of Transport but were told it was an issue for Google.
After contacting the tech giant itself, Lumsden said he had received no response.
On Waitangi Day, police were called to an altercation after a farmer confronted several drivers travelling across his property when Google Maps showed the farm tracks as a through road, though it had never been public.
A Google spokesperson told the Herald that the company used a variety of sources to get the most accurate and up-todate information on the map.
“But the world changes at a rapid pace — and sometimes errors happen,” they said.
They confirmed a team had looked into the issue to make changes.