Delivery driver realises they've made a massive mistake after following sat nav
Incredible pictures posted on Reddit showed a Parcelforce van that had somehow been driven onto a narrow canal towpath, leaving it teetering dangerously on the edge of the path
Sat navs have undeniably transformed the way we drive, relegating the days of memorising routes and relying on road signs to a distant memory.
These handy devices not only guide us to our destination but also alert us to any upcoming delays or roadworks - a task previously left to radio updates. However, they're not infallible and can occasionally lead us astray.
A van driver recently learned this the hard way after ending up somewhere they definitely shouldn't have been. A Reddit user shared astonishing photos of a Parcelforce van precariously perched on the edge of a narrow canal towpath.
The incident sparked a flurry of comments on social media, with many criticising the driver for seemingly failing to realise that the path was entirely unsuitable for vans, reports the Daily Star.
One user commented: "Who in their right mind would think 'this is fine. I'll keep going' in this case?!"
Another chimed in: "You can't predict the unpredictability of stupidity."
However, some users empathised with the driver's predicament. One confessed: "I'll admit I've done something similar as a Morrison's driver. Went down a farm track, not thinking anything of it, and eventually it became a dirt track, and came to a dead end.
"Thankfully, I was able to turn around and go back the way I came. Told the manager back at depot to make sure that road is made off limits in the navigation system."
Another shared: "This actually happened to me before working at Sainsburys. Satnav took me down an actual road which suddenly turned into a footpath, but being pitch black at night I carried on and ended up in a posh old couple's back garden and completely stuck.
"Managed to get out with a 39-point turn and a very unhappy email about the tyre tracks I left in front of their little cottage."
Another recounted: "When I was a delivery driver, I not only had my navigation device try to tell me to drive off a bridge in Sheffield (through a brick wall), but it also thought the River Trent was an appropriate road to take."
Meanwhile others praised the driver's commitment to getting the job done. One said: "Say what you want but that's a whole other level of commitment to getting someone's parcels to them!".
And another wrote: "Being a delivery driver must suck; I'm guessing they all have five too many deliveries per day. Presumably they all start early and skip breaks so end up fried.
"Not saying that this driver isn't a plonker, but every time someone picks next day delivery or complains about the time taken for a delivery, it adds to the likelihood of stuff like this happening."