Technology is fascinating, and I love writing about it. But I have a theory. The biggest obstacle to developing machines that run themselves by themselves isn’t another computer software program. No, it’s good, old-fashioned common sense.

Here’s an example to back up the theory: Shortly before Christmas, my wife and I set out to attend the 100th anniversary Indiana Farm Bureau state convention in French Lick and West Baden. My wife programmed the GPS in our truck with the address.

I still carry an atlas in my car, and some people chastise me for it. We didn’t have one in the truck. When we were on the new leg of Interstate 69, leaving Bloomington, I noticed on the computer display that one of our turns several miles ahead would be onto Connected Road.

“What is that?” I asked my wife, Carla.

“I don’t know. My GPS on my phone gave the same route,” she says.

OK, right then, I should have known better. I’ve been to French Lick, though admittedly, not for a while. But not long enough to forget that getting off state roads in that part of the world can be an adventure.

So, when the mysterious voice coming out of the dash finally said, “Turn left now,’’ I told Carla to go straight. The turn looked like a glorified path. But the third time the voice insisted, I gave in. Carla turned, and we left the state road for a winding path.

The path soon took us through a small settlement, and I wouldn’t tell you the name of it if I knew. Old vehicles and dilapidated mobile homes dominated. We looked at each other and both said, “Deliverance.” And neither of us ever saw that movie!

The scenery didn’t get much better, but the road got narrower, the hills got steeper, and the woods got thicker. “No way I’m bringing this route home tonight,” Carla says. “There could be deer everywhere. You can’t see them at night.”

Within minutes, Carla slowed suddenly. “I see movement on your side,” she said. Sure enough, a doe had one foot on the pavement, with a second doe behind her. They froze and we passed by.

Rest of the story

We made it to the convention. A friend who lives near us heard our tale. He shook his head. His GPS took him 30 miles out of his way and brought him in from the opposite direction!

It was raining and pitch dark when we climbed in the truck to leave.

“I need a soda — let’s stop at the gas station,” Carla said.

“Good, I’m getting a map,” I said. Carla didn’t object.

The map cost $6. It’s a very detailed map, worth every penny, printed on good, old-fashioned paper. We headed up a state road, with GPS programmed in just to see what it would do. It planned a different route, but sure enough, when we came to a junction of two state roads, it wanted to go west, when the map and common sense told me to go east.

“Go east,” I insisted.

Carla did, and I was right.

Don’t get me wrong. Technology is great for many things. But if you believe it can replace sound judgment, maybe you’ve watched too many science fiction movies.

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