On a forest road in La Rioja, a modern mystery confuses and disorients. This is not a supernatural phenomenon, but rather a technological error with very real consequences: A bug in Google Maps is leading to dozens of trucks getting lost in search of a ghost gas station.
This anomalous situation, known ironically as the “Shorts Triangle“, has become a recurring and frustrating challenge for shippers and a source of concern for local inhabitants. The trucks follow Google Maps until they get stuck in the forest.
The scenario is almost cinematic: large trucks, often coming from Eastern Europe and guided by navigation applications, enter narrow roads, inadequate for their size and weight.
They find themselves trapped at the end of the forest road, unable to move forward or back. The reality is mundane, but problematic: GPS indicates the existence of a gas station that is simply not there.
This peculiar phenomenon has been reported by media such as The vanguard or the Spanish newspaperhighlighting the repetition of the incident and the confusion it generates among drivers.
According to the mayor of the nearest town, Ezcaray, Diego Bengoa, and residents of the area, these encounters with trapped trucks are now common.
Multilingual signs installed to warn drivers appear to be insufficient versus blind trust in your navigation devices. They simply trust Google Maps more.
From the mayor’s office, they propose that the solution to the problem could be in the installation of a clearance, a structure that limits the height of the vehicles that can access the track. This measure would seek prevent further incidents by physically preventing trucks from passing of large size on these unsuitable routes.
Other failures of Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps
The consequences of these errors are not only logistical, but also involve a security risk. Each truck trapped in La Rioja requires considerable effort to be freed, including downloading and reloading your content and coordinating to guide you back to a safe route. Fortunately, so far, no personal injuries have been reported.
It is not the only case in which blind faith in navigation applications such as Google Maps or Waze leads to accidents. Some time ago, for example, Google was sued by the family of a man who died after following directions to a collapsed bridge.
There is also the case of the German tourist who got his motorhome stuck on a road not suitable for the vehicle. And there are many more cases that follow.
The failure of Google Maps in La Rioja is a vivid reminder of how technology, despite its advances, is still subject to failures that can have unexpected and significant impacts on real life, if common sense is not applied.