Navigation apps are extremely useful, ask anyone in KL about Waze and everyone will say that the app has literally changed the way how they navigate through the city by avoiding high congestion areas. Even more useful is the app to help drivers detect speed cameras. But not everyone seems to enjoy it.
All the way in the US, in a small town called Leonia, New Jersey, residents have been facing a nightmare of a traffic issue thanks to navigation apps. These apps have been rerouting drivers through the town to avoid major congestions on key routes. This caused bumper to bumper traffic in what you would call a small town.
Starting next year, the town will close 60 streets to all drivers except for residents and people working in the area. This will avoid having the traffic being directed through during morning and afternoon rush periods.
“Without question, the game changer has been the navigation apps,” said Tom Rowe, Leonia’s police chief to the New York Times. “In the morning, if I sign onto my Waze account, I find there are 250,000 ‘Wazers’ in the area. When the primary roads become congested, it directs vehicles into Leonia and pushes them onto secondary and tertiary roads. We have had days when people can’t get out of their driveways.”
Do you live in an area where the same thing occurs as well? Let us know about it in the comments section.
