Santa Pau residents warn drivers against incorrect Google Maps routes

Residents in Santa Pau, a town of approximately 1,500 inhabitants in Girona, Spain, are struggling with tourists and drivers following incorrect GPS directions. To combat this, the town has installed warning signs stating, “Attention. Google Maps is wrong. Exclusive path for residents,” using colors reminiscent of the tech company's branding to capture attention.

Drivers following Google Maps often find themselves in progressively narrowing streets where they eventually become trapped, sometimes with insufficient space to even open car doors. Santa Pau Mayor Cris Capó noted that locals frequently have to assist drivers, including those in large vehicles, who become stuck and must reverse out with damaged vehicles.

This issue is not isolated to Santa Pau. In Etulain, Navarra, a village of 40 people, Mayor Miguel Ángel Larrayoz reported that trucks are frequently diverted from main roads into narrow access routes by GPS systems. Similar incidents have occurred in other small municipalities where navigation errors lead to traffic congestion and blocked roads.