Italian Town Bans Google Maps Due to Navigation Issues

The town has signs alongside roads that read, “Do not follow the directions of Google Maps.”

An Italian town has posted signs banning the use of Google Maps after “too many” people have gotten lost while following the app’s directions.

“Too many sedans and small cars get stuck on impassable paths, sometimes even off-road vehicles too,” Salvatore Corrias, the mayor of Baunei, told the Ansa news agency. “All this because you follow the suggestions of Google Maps which, on our roads, are often misleading.”

The town of Baunei is located on the island of Sardinia and is known for its rugged seaside mountain landscapes. However, when visitors follow Google Maps’ directions, they could quickly find themselves driving their car up a narrow, pedestrian-only, hiking path with no way of turning around.

The latest incident involved a couple on vacation who had to be rescued by emergency services after their Porsche sedan was stuck on a rough mountain road.

Rescue efforts are not only expensive for the town, but also for the travelers who are responsible for any damage done to their vehicles. Consequently, in the last two years, Corrias noted there have been 144 rescue missions.

To rectify the issue, the town began placing signs alongside roads that read, “Do not follow the directions of Google Maps.” Moreover, the town is also trying to correct the issue at the source, knowing that some out-of-towners may still miss the signs.

“We contacted Google to intervene, correcting the indications that give the green light to enter improbable roads,” Corrias told Ansa. “They replied that they would verify, but we still haven’t seen anything concrete.”

A spokesperson for Google acknowledged that they are looking to resolve the issue. They stated, “We’re