Sat Navs strike again in Northmoor Green (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Sat navs strike again in Northmoor Green

1:30pm Wednesday 5th September 2012 in Bridgwater Area News By Kirsty James

FRUSTRATED villagers are warning motorists not to rely too much on their Sat Navs after confused summer drivers were finding themselves stuck on a river bank.

Signs have been put up throughout Northmoor Green warning people not to follow their navigation devices, which try to guide drivers down a narrow road next to the River Parrett, toward a dead end.

Kate Symonds, from Northmoor Green, said: “Every now and then we get large vehicles, including cars and lorries, stuck on the river bank.

“They’ve followed their sat navs thinking it’s a proper road along the river, when it’s actually very narrow and leads to a dead end. We’ve even had a gas tanker stuck there in the past.

“There are about three official signs in place to warn people, but they still get stuck down there.

“It’s caused quite a bit of chaos for residents, especially if the motorway is blocked and people are trying to find alternate routes. It’s usually more of a problem in the summer, with tourists, as the motorway gets blocked more then.”

Maria Maye, from Fordgate, has also noticed the problem. She told the Mercury: “It starts just opposite the church as if you’re going from Huntworth to Burrowbridge.

“There’s a signpost which point different directions, with one branch which says Northmoor Green. Only if you follow it, it just leads to a dead end.

“People keep follow their sat navs down there so some of the villagers put up a sign to warn people.”

Wayward sat navs are not a new problem for Sedgemoor, as the Mercury reported here when a lorry got wedged in a narrow lane in Combwich after the driver followed his sat nav.