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Autopilot causes wrong turns and missed exits

Tuesday March 03, 2009 | 04:40 PM

Posted by Rebecca Bria rbria@timesleader.com

http://projectdisaster.com/?cat=52

Do you ever go on autopilot? You know, when you drive somewhere and have no remembrance of how you got there? Or when you turn left because you always turn left when you go that way, even though you wanted to turn right this time?

On Sunday, I missed the Wilkes-Barre exit on the Pennsylvania Turnpike despite the fact I was counting down the miles to it. I believe the first sign for the exit is 30 miles prior. I saw the sign, looked at the odometer, and waited.

11659 – 30 more miles. Ugh. When will this trip ever end?
11672 – Hey, half way (almost)
11685 – Almost there
11687 – Wilkes-Barre/Bear Creek, 2 miles
11688 – Wilkes-Barre/Bear Creek, 1 mile
11689 – Wilkes-Barre/Bear Creek, exit
11690 – (Expletive!) I missed my exit!

That’s correct. I drove right past it. I was forced to instead get off the Turnpike in Pittston. And I didn’t have enough money, or so I thought.

Before I got on the toll road, I stopped at WaWa (How exciting! Remember when there was one in Wilkes-Barre?) to buy a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi to keep me awake on the way home. That’s when I realized after purchasing a soda that I only had three one-dollar bills in my wallet. I debated whether to use the ATM, but found four quarters and a dime to make the $4.10 toll I had to pay.

So when I missed my exit, I was horrified that wouldn’t be able to pay. I wondered what the person in the toll booth would say to me. I stopped to pay the toll and frantically spent what seemed like 10 minutes trying to scrounge up dimes and nickels from my car and the bottom of my purse. Whew! I drove the rest of the way home feeling embarrassed and also mad at myself.

Perhaps one day a car manufacturer or psychologist can figure out how to make a switch to turn off autopilot, or a button to really turn it on so the car can drive itself. Until then, I’ll likely continue to drive without even thinking about it.

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About the Author

Rebecca Bria has been reporting for The Dallas Post since June of 2007. She is a 2007 graduate of Wilkes University and previously interned with the company at The Weekender and The Times Leader.