Google Maps is a Web-based service that provides detailed information about geographical regions and sites around the world. In addition to conventional road maps, GoogleMaps offers aerial and satellite views of many places. The information is collected over time and is not in real time, so it is not possible to see live changes in images. In some cities, Google Maps offers street views comprising of photographs taken from vehicles. It aids in route planning for traveling by foot, car, bicycle, or via public transportation. However, it can also be used to explore the world. In doing so, it is possible to find some very disturbing stuff. Here is a list of 10 of the creepiest things ever to be seen on Google Maps.
10. The Masked Avengers
The worst thing about this is that there is no way to get the whole story. In fact, there is no way to get any of the story at all. Why are these people standing by the road wearing masks? Are they playing a joke, or is something seriously wrong about to happen? We will never know because all we get is this one still image, which looks like it came straight out of a horror movie. All I can say is I am happy I was not driving down that road at that time.
9. The Inverted Pentagram
Nothing weird here. Must be a coincidence...right? Nature at work….right? Not a chance. But, once again, we do not get the whole story. We will never know who did this or why. All we get to see is this creepy aerial view of a huge inverted pentagram. This makes you wonder if these things are happening around you, but you just cannot see them. Creepy, I know.
8. Scene of the Crime?
What do we have here? It seems to me that we have a trail of blood leading to someone about to dispose of a body into the water. Did Google Maps just photograph a murder in action? That is what a lot of people thought when a Reddit user discovered this photo while browsing Google Maps. It seems pretty clear. However, upon further investigation, it was discovered that the photograph is not of a gruesome crime at all. In fact, it is not a crime at all. Instead, it is a photo of a wet dog taking a walk with its owner, leaving a trail of water behind after a swim.
7. The Lonely Skull
Who? What? When? Why? How? All at once I find myself asking all of the questions English teachers tried to drill into our…never mind. But still, each one of these questions remain unanswered. Instead, all we get to see is this lonely skull in a vast empty area. There is no sign of life anywhere near where the photo is taken, and it leaves the viewer wondering how the skull even got there in the first place. The missing information is enough to drive me crazy. This is the kind of photo that you cannot stop thinking about.
6. The Birds
There has to be a logical explanation for this. Maybe they were all on their way to Bird Lover’s convention. That’s a thing…right? Or maybe they are in a school play about birds and they are walking to the theater to perform in front of their family, friends and faculty. That seems unlikely, but what could they be possibly be doing? And why are they all wearing the same exact horrifying mask? Where did they even get those creepy masks? Last time I checked, Party City didn’t carry bird masks that could induce nightmares. They are all walking so perfectly in line with their arms down. Creepy doesn’t do this photo justice.
5. Happy Easter?
Okay. Let’s just do a quick inventory of the image. What do we see? We see a house, seems pretty normal. Then a little dirt road leading to…a gigantic pink bunny. Once again…what? It turns out that this photo is from a mountainside in Northern Italy. “Hase” or “hare” is a 55-meter long, 5-meter thick knitted bunny constructed on top of a hill called Colletto Fava, with the purpose of making its audience feel as tiny as Gulliver did in his Travels. Made completely of fabric and straw, the giant stuffed bunny has been left there until it completely decays. With the help of weather and the occasional gnawing cattle, it’s expected to be completely degraded by 2025. Hikers are encouraged to climb over Hase and relax after a long trek, as long as the giant stuffed toy is still intact. So, this is a nice bunny. Shocking, I know.
4. Invitation to Play
This is a horror movie in the making. Who in the world was this written for? Who was it written by? This is creepy in so many ways. Is it a threat? Is someone being targeted? My mind races with the endless possibilities, and none of them are good. They all remind me of a thriller where someone dies in the end, and it’s probably not the person that wrote on the roof because they are clearly hardcore. However, upon investigation, it turns out that this is the rooftop of Peabody Place in Memphis, Tennessee. Peabody Palace is a mixed use residential, retail, and office redevelopment project that covers eight city blocks. It is not an invitation for trouble, but rather, an invitation to come and explore the city. Anticlimactic, I know.
3. Gunpoint
Alright, this one is pretty straightforward. A man is pointing a gun at the Google Street View van. Literally pointing a gun at it. Why? That we do not know. But that doesn’t make it any less scary. Also, could this lead to legal trouble for the boy in the photo? In order for that to be answered, a lot of questions would need to be answered. You do have a right to bear arms in your home. So, if the boy does live in the house in the photo, this would not be a legal issue. Is this person an adult or a juvenile? Another question that needs to be answered. Upon further investigation, the story takes an unsettling turn. The residence is the same address where a baby was found dead under a pile of clothes in a closet when her family members were supposed to be babysitting her.
2. Escaped Inmate?
This appears to be a photo of an inmate on the run after escaping from prison. There is a heated debate on Reddit about whether or not that is the case. Most people think the answer is yes, but some believe that the man is simply a utility worker. The jumpsuit may be his uniform, as some point out. Another photo is the man running was discovered, and the letters “CWF” can be seen on the back of his jumpsuit. No one has been able to identify what the letters stand for. Some think it is his company, while some think it is prison related. This remains a mystery to us.
1. The End
Okay, now this just makes me uncomfortable. End of what? Never in my life have I seen a street sign that simply says, “END.” Oh, and I forgot to mention the fact that “HELL” is written on the concrete with an arrow pointing past the sign. I have a feeling no one should go down that road…like ever. Well, there you go. That is the “END” of the list. See what I did there? I know, it wasn’t funny. But what the “HELL,” I just couldn’t resist.
Enough with the predictable sequels, scary movie creators. If you need inspiration, just head over to Google Maps and look around. Clearly, there is a lot to discover. The world is a big place. Before Google Maps, these things remained a mystery. Now, they become slightly less mysterious which is even worse. All we get to see is one still image. We get no backstory and no information to follow up with. Who are these people? How did these things get there? Despite some cases, like the humongous pink bunny or the wet dog, we will never find out. Google Maps will undoubtedly be updated again, so I wonder what terrors we will soon discover. Until then, I think that these are more than enough.
