Daily deal – TomTom ONE 125 GPS unit for $89.99

By now I’m sure many of you are fed up seeing another GPS unit as my daily deal. I told myself I would not be posting any more, but then TomTom decided to drop the price on their popular ONE 125 unit by another $10.

$89.99 for a new
(as in not refurbished) A-brand GPS unit is almost unheard of, so if you really need one more last minute gift for a loved one who hates maps, then this is your chance.

The TomTom ONE 125 features the ingenious EasyPort folding windscreen mount, making this unit perfect for carrying in your luggage as you won’t have to bother with a bulky suction cup mount.

The ONE 125 has built in maps of the entire USA, and millions of points-of-interest.

Included in the package is a car charger, USB cable and a user guide. Amazon ships most TomTom GPS units with the newest available map version, but you can always download the latest map update directly through the TomTom home PC program.

Make sure you read the shipping schedule if you need this to arrive on time for Christmas, today is the last day you can order on Amazon if you plan to use their free saver shipping option.

When not to listen to your GPS unit

If I had to make up a fake statistic, I’d say that one in three cars currently has a GPS navigation system. In the past decade, these systems have gone from the ultimate in luxury to just another $100 gadget.

One thing that has not changed however, is the inability of some people to make up their own mind and drive around without using the GPS commands as something other than a mere suggestion.

Here are 5 incidents when a driver let the soothing voice of their GPS unit tell them exactly where to go; without thinking about their next move.

Turn right at the railroad crossing with the approaching train…

A grade crossing in Bedford Hills, NY was the scene of an accident where a driver took a GPS suggested turn, right onto the tracks of the Metro-North railroad.

When the car got stuck, the driver and passengers got out and called 911. Unfortunately, the dispatcher was not able to reach the oncoming train on time, and it struck the car. Nobody was injured but passengers in the train were delayed several hours. An exact same incident occurred earlier this year, also involving a GPS unit.

Via: LoHud.com news and Engadget.com

Road safety truck stuck…

This stuck truck would be just as hilarious as any other situation where a driver failed to check the height of his truck before driving under a bridge. But the truck in question was on its way to a seminar to teach school children some important lessons on road safety. It took a salvage company several hours to pull the truck from under the viaduct.

100ft cliffs on the road to Crackpot

I’m not sure what is funnier; that GPS units have been directing people on a route along the edge of a cliff, or that these people are on their way to a village called Crackpot. When drivers get stuck on the perilous route, they attempt to reverse their car along the edge of the cliff. Thankfully nobody has gone over the edge yet. Villagers are trying to get the route removed from GPS maps.

Source: BBC News

Turn left (if you are a bus)

The Dutch have a fantastic public transport system. Their roads are so bus friendly, that they actually make entire routes and shortcuts just for the bus drivers. So, let that be a lesson to anyone who is NOT driving a bus. This bus route has a hydraulic gate which opens and closes for the local bus, and is clearly strong enough to lift your poor Volvo in into the air.

Corner VS. truck – corner wins!

Residents of the Welsh village of Tycroes have tried everything to warn drivers about the dangers of Cwmferrws Road, but it took this stuck Polish truck driver to finally force the council to design a road sign telling truck drivers not to rely on their GPS units for navigating the village. The truck in question was stuck for hours, and kept hitting a garden wall in his attempts at getting his truck unstuck.

New Street Signs Designed for Mentally Challenged Navi System Users

It was only a matter of time.

Too much technology and too many stupid people on this planet have tragically created a breaking point in which regulation must now come into play.

Case in point; we’ve posted at least twice here on Gadling (here and here) about drivers who have been far too literal in following directions offered by the navigation systems in their cars. The results have been disastrous.

If we’re not careful, things will only get worse; an automated “turn left here” dutifully performed by the next driver passing on your right, may just be the death of all of us yet.

And so, authorities have stepped in to save us once again from the stupid people. Signs, such as the one above, are now being installed in South Wales to remind drivers to pay more attention to the road itself than the killbot navi system telling them where to go.