tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post4030760030175569434..comments2024-03-28T09:43:11.171-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Wayfinding atrophy? Blame GPSJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-3630976676924523852018-07-11T07:36:44.948-04:002018-07-11T07:36:44.948-04:00No phone with GPS, no car with GPS....maps and goo...No phone with GPS, no car with GPS....maps and google to print and go by that...easier in my mind.Gramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027824918114690029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-78688131989051269222018-07-11T00:14:44.217-04:002018-07-11T00:14:44.217-04:00No sense of direction here! I won’t even shop in t...No sense of direction here! I won’t even shop in the mall because I can’t find my way out!Jenn McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13589365995413467367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30086595034972306972018-07-10T22:30:32.014-04:002018-07-10T22:30:32.014-04:00And one final driving/direction funny. Hub and I h...And one final driving/direction funny. Hub and I have friends who have lived in the same house in Newtown (CT) for more than 30 years. We have lived in New Haven for almost 30 (well, he more than 30, me coming up on it). So, can we reliably get to said friends' house? Why no! No matter what route we choose, state roads, parkway, interstate, always a confusion at some point! Left at the flag poll? Right? Who knows! The best was one visit when we arrived almost an hour late. We got so caught up in the reading of a fairly lengthy short story on NPR that we just kept on the Parkway until I noticed the sign for Welcome to New York State! Yeesh.Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17946905881136839301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71229134018471868112018-07-10T21:56:28.124-04:002018-07-10T21:56:28.124-04:00hmmm, is it a leftie thing? Left handed here too a...hmmm, is it a leftie thing? Left handed here too and before giving the hub a direction to turn left or right while he's driving, I often have to hold my hands up in front of me (looking at the back of them) and stretch out the first finger and thumb--the one that make an "L" is the Left hand! so I know which way to point. Of course, by then, we've missed the turn. . . complications ensue. Eh, no one has starved. Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17946905881136839301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44284278735767190242018-07-10T18:53:43.795-04:002018-07-10T18:53:43.795-04:00Rick, I agree with you about the voice. I was dri...Rick, I agree with you about the voice. I was driving and my adult son was with me. We knew where we were going and had no need to use the GPS. Unfortunately there was an accident of the frwy and so my son pulled up the GPS on his phone. After several of mis-directions from the "voice", my frustration level was growing. My son turned off the GPS and said, "I could tell it was getting to you. You were arguing with the phone." My son navigated us around the problem by reading street signs. Much better. Lyda McPhersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05211808700153787911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-4366625489336887302018-07-10T17:26:36.744-04:002018-07-10T17:26:36.744-04:00Yes, Los Angeles is so big! I remember the long d...Yes, Los Angeles is so big! I remember the long drives from the airport to visit my grandfather at Crescent Heights and Sunset. That was way before GPS existed.Bibliophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764234701385787238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31732553381640101152018-07-10T16:32:22.213-04:002018-07-10T16:32:22.213-04:00Edith, I also balance my checkbook without a calcu...Edith, I also balance my checkbook without a calculator. One of the managers at my bank marvels that I do it that way and says I should teach his other customers to do that. Jay Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11409350742317719903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-354515977805522762018-07-10T15:28:53.283-04:002018-07-10T15:28:53.283-04:00Hahaha! That's so me, too, Hallie.Hahaha! That's so me, too, Hallie.Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35512695861163805442018-07-10T14:48:47.119-04:002018-07-10T14:48:47.119-04:00I have been resistant to GPS technology, and now, ...I have been resistant to GPS technology, and now, Hallie, you've given me a new excuse!<br /><br />I resist because I feel like I have so many young co-workers who blindly follow their GPS and have no idea what to do if an address doesn't show up there, or a road is closed, or any other unexpected outcome. Plus, I feel so utterly out of control when I know nothing beyond the next turn.<br /><br />That said, I have begun to relent a little. I like to look at the map prior to leaving and familiarize myself with the trip. And most of the time, just knowing the main turns will successfully get me 90% of the way to my destination. But I have finally admitted that the last 5 miles is often the most challenging, so I have taken to using GPS just for the portion where I leave the main highway and start looking for streets. <br /><br />I would not say I have an innate sense of North, South, East, or West, but I do have some innate sense of "my destination is in that general direction, so if I'm going the opposite that's probably bad." Does that make sense? Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51486734080830150722018-07-10T14:38:24.107-04:002018-07-10T14:38:24.107-04:00Hallie and Hank.....another directionally challeng...Hallie and Hank.....another directionally challenged left handed person here. Currently, due to health issues, I'm not driving so my ever patient husband is both the designated driver and the navigator (along with his trusty phone). When he drops me off somewhere, if there happens to be multiple entrances/exits, he will look at me very seriously while saying "ok babe, here we are at the flowers/produce door side for you to go in. When you are done, make sure to go back to the flowers/produce door and go out that way, if you want to find me". It's a wonder he is willing to take me anywhere!Helen Nordsethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02722564768816791372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51770021192438706832018-07-10T14:23:03.835-04:002018-07-10T14:23:03.835-04:0033? I think those are Rick-Robinson strides, not m...33? I think those are Rick-Robinson strides, not my steps.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90430371820446859572018-07-10T14:21:37.880-04:002018-07-10T14:21:37.880-04:00And whenever I enter an address into GPS in Los An...And whenever I enter an address into GPS in Los Angeles, have learned the hard way to put in the zip code... because LA is so big there can be several of the same addresses.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51934582014776733652018-07-10T14:20:23.535-04:002018-07-10T14:20:23.535-04:00This made me laugh, because I'm one of those p...This made me laugh, because I'm one of those people who WANT to help when someone else needs directions, but I need to stifle myself because too often I speak with authority uninformed by any knowledge or even solid intuition.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50482117867864017042018-07-10T14:19:27.415-04:002018-07-10T14:19:27.415-04:00I'm hanging out with you, Ingrid.I'm hanging out with you, Ingrid.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14487711649226576232018-07-10T13:55:29.427-04:002018-07-10T13:55:29.427-04:00DebRo and Gigi, my entire family is enchanted with...DebRo and Gigi, my entire family is enchanted with and adept with maps, from my father on down - and it extends to my paternal cousins, too!Edith Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388006370860482509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41047820306593988912018-07-10T13:01:15.841-04:002018-07-10T13:01:15.841-04:00I am loathe to admit that I'm directionally ch...I am loathe to admit that I'm directionally challenged. I am so in denial over it that I will gladly take charge of getting whoever I'm with from point A to point B. It's those darn North, South, East, and West points that are the buggers. I do have decent luck with my phone and Google Maps though. So, when we need to get somewhere at Bouchercon, I'll happily step up to give directions. Just make sure I have my phone with me. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35090507869794381742018-07-10T12:33:45.116-04:002018-07-10T12:33:45.116-04:00I'm not trying to brag, but I am very good whe...I'm not trying to brag, but I am very good when it comes to directions and finding my way. Give me a couple of days in a city, and I have a handle on things. In fact, people often ask me for directions when I'm visiting other cities. Maybe I project an air of navigational authority? There are a couple of places that confound me, for example, there's a community east of Seattle that I find endlessly confusing. It's all tall pine trees and no landmarks, and the layout makes no sense to me. In that area, I need to rely on GPS.Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-91632482005076687992018-07-10T12:30:59.543-04:002018-07-10T12:30:59.543-04:00Hallie, great post! I'm so glad I stopped by ...Hallie, great post! I'm so glad I stopped by today. My internal compass used to be great! I remembered landmarks and I remembered the directions very well. That was BEFORE I got my driver's license. After I got my driver's license, I was awful with directions because I kept on getting lost! Now my internal compass is better. Once I have a routine and I remember landmarks, I am fine.<br /><br />If it is a new place, it depends on the map. I love the maps in London. The book with different maps are so clear! The maps in the Rick Steves travel books are not clear, unfortunately. I never liked GPS. One time, we were trying to find directions to a place in Danville, CALIFORNIA and GPS gave us directions to Danville in VIRGINIA! LOL.<br /><br />DianaBibliophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764234701385787238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87599342916274969912018-07-10T11:31:23.750-04:002018-07-10T11:31:23.750-04:00I've never been super good with directions. A...I've never been super good with directions. Always had to have them written down to follow exactly. GPS means I am printing out fewer directions, which I love. And it is great for going someplace spontaneously when out of town. I don't know how adventuresome I would have been when traveling for work if I couldn't just plug something into my phone's GPS and gone.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-38347891968794250022018-07-10T11:19:33.684-04:002018-07-10T11:19:33.684-04:0033 steps? Great advice, Rick, thanks!33 steps? Great advice, Rick, thanks!Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44864160709024660852018-07-10T11:18:20.342-04:002018-07-10T11:18:20.342-04:00I have always been a map girl. For years, in Londo...I have always been a map girl. For years, in London, I never went anywhere without a copy of my trusty A to Z (that's pronounced A to Zed in Brit speak.) London, unlike New York, was NOT built on a grid, but is rather a collection of small villages that have been squished together into a big city. The streets are squiggly and run every which way and are impossible to navigate without a map unless you are a native. The bad thing about the A to Z was carrying it around. If you opted for the pocket-size version, the print was too small to read without a magnifying glass. There were lots of visits where I tore the relevant pages out of the bigger spiral bound versions.<br /><br />Then, enter smart phones and Google Maps! That has been truly revolutionary for me (although there have been a couple of times at night when I've lost phone signal and got completely turned around.) I've also had a couple of really bad experiences both in the US and the UK using sat nav, so now I just study a map beforehand, then stop and look at Google if I get stuck.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87752189191761574382018-07-10T11:16:36.859-04:002018-07-10T11:16:36.859-04:00I have a good sense of direction, both North-South...I have a good sense of direction, both North-South-East-West, but that left or right thing too. All I need to do is look at a Google Map of the route (satellite view) before I leave and I'm good to go. I think the GPS on the phone - my wife's phone, that is - is unreliable. Plus that voice drives me nuts. I ask her to mute it as soon as I hear it.<br /><br />Oh, and how far is 100 feet? Take 33 steps.Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17899515380593438552018-07-10T11:10:23.800-04:002018-07-10T11:10:23.800-04:00In my job, I HAD to have a Thomas Guide in the car...In my job, I HAD to have a Thomas Guide in the car at all times, one for Orange County, One for L. A. County, one for Imperial County. I bought a new one every year. But then we didn't have cell phones then (just as well!).Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-32486409625375693292018-07-10T10:51:23.728-04:002018-07-10T10:51:23.728-04:00So glad to hear I'm not the only one who is he...So glad to hear I'm not the only one who is helpless when it comes to directions! At a nearby shopping mall set up in a circle, I inevitably turn the wrong way when exiting a store, and on the road--well, I don't know how I survived without GPS. My husband, on the other hand, is one of those annoying people who always knows where he is and how to get where he needs to go, but is terrible at giving directions (go to the old oak tree and turn south--WHAT??). And after 43 years of marriage, he still thinks I'm just lazy and could improve if I just paid attention to where I am driving. My mother used to read maps upside down, and my aunt sometimes had to follow buses to find her way home (or she might end up in another state--really!), so I come by my affliction naturally.Margie Buntinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120666616254809025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75775702656090296172018-07-10T10:25:54.265-04:002018-07-10T10:25:54.265-04:00Gigi, we must be related. Since childhood I have l...Gigi, we must be related. Since childhood I have loved maps and atlases, and I studied them, too, losing track of the time! <br /><br />I don't use GPS, and still rely on maps. For a number of years I worked in a job that took me all over the western part of CT, I can find my way around most of Fairfield County and New Haven County, and I'm fairly good at getting around parts of Litchfield County, too. And the job I just retired from required serious map reading skills. I think it's a gift that not everyone has. Don't ask me to change the toner on an office copier or printer! I will undoubtedly remove a non-removable part!<br /><br />DebRo Deb Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650858888197217258noreply@blogger.com