sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,573
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Apr 8, 2015 18:50:46 GMT
Scenario: I'm asked, "Do you know how to get there?" and I reply, "I'm going to look at Google or Mapquest" does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route?
Or, if I say, "Yes, I'm taking I-35 to Metcalf Drive, then south on College Blvd," does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route?
Because for me, I have a route picked out, and I can't hold 2 of them in my brain. Especially if I'm unfamiliar with the area.
I can see if they said, "Oh, don't take that route-- there's road construction (or it's currently underwater or it's overrun with wild goats...)" But just to blather on ... well-- this person is a blatherer.
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Post by MorningPerson on Apr 8, 2015 19:01:10 GMT
Because for me, I have a route picked out, and I can't hold 2 of them in my brain. LOL, yes, I know exactly what you mean. If my way will get me there, please don't feel the need to change my route just to save me 2 minutes on a 3 hour drive! On a related note, my husband drives me crazy when he tries to give me directions. He'll tell me to turn left after you come up the second hill, when these "hills" are so small I honestly never notice I'm going up or down ANY hill. Or "the place is right after the curve." Curve? You call that a curve? This is why I'll just stick to my GPS navigator, thankyouverymuch.
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Post by utmr on Apr 8, 2015 19:03:27 GMT
My experience has been that if I listen to them, I find myself on some one lane dirt road in the middle of nowhere. It's one mile shorter and 30 minutes longer than taking the gps down the wide paved well marked interstate.
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Post by utmr on Apr 8, 2015 19:06:19 GMT
Famous last words: "you can't miss it".
Wanna bet?
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by georgiapea on Apr 8, 2015 19:13:20 GMT
Oh, yes. Someone will give me details of a route that seem to go on forever, with multiple road name changes and turns. I wait patiently for them to conclude their spiel then say cheerfully "Thanks, I'll just GPS it". Why do people bother these days when everyone has a GPS? They are on everyone's phones, and either plug in or built into the cars.
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Post by elaine on Apr 8, 2015 19:31:29 GMT
I think that since GPS units in every car or on smartphones is a relatively new development - like the past decade - it is a habitual reaction. So, for 25 years, from the day I started driving, I relied on verbal driving directions and paper maps. And was good at giving them. So, that is an impulse for me.
Kids who started driving in the past decade probably have never given detailed driving directions to anyone, and as they age they probably won't drone on like ancient dinosaurs like me.
I think it is a trend that will be almost extinct within another 10 years.
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
Jun 26, 2014 12:25:29 GMT
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Post by oldcrow on Apr 8, 2015 19:35:45 GMT
Oh, yes. Someone will give me details of a route that seem to go on forever, with multiple road name changes and turns. I wait patiently for them to conclude their spiel then say cheerfully "Thanks, I'll just GPS it". Why do people bother these days when everyone has a GPS? They are on everyone's phones, and either plug in or built into the cars. Umm, not everyone has GPS and not everyone has 'a phone'. But there are still some people who know how to read a map.
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Post by polz on Apr 8, 2015 19:40:40 GMT
My Mum has a different driving brain to me. I will say Turn left at the Mc Donalds. She will need to know the name of that road. To me, a road sign is smaller to read and a landmark is easier to spot. Once she asked me for directions and I said just gps it and she replied she doesn't like to use the gps.
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Post by eebud on Apr 8, 2015 19:43:28 GMT
I usually check the directions a person will get when they put in their house to my house using Google Maps and Mapquest. I then tell them which one I would suggest using. For instance, I have a friend driving in this weekend. When I put in her address to my address, it did not give good directions at the end. It had you coming down a street and then it says you are at your destination. Actually, no you aren't. There is a turn into the neighborhood on a particular street and then the turn onto my street. It was weird that it left off that part and she has never been here so it would have been a problem. If one of those gives directions that get them to my house, I leave it alone unless I know of a road issue if taking that route.
***ETA This friend doesn't have a smart phone or gps. She will need to print directions before she leaves home. I have other relatives that are the same. No smart phone.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Mar 28, 2024 13:05:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 19:47:55 GMT
Scenario: I'm asked, "Do you know how to get there?" and I reply, "I'm going to look at Google or Mapquest" does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route?Or, if I say, "Yes, I'm taking I-35 to Metcalf Drive, then south on College Blvd," does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? Because for me, I have a route picked out, and I can't hold 2 of them in my brain. Especially if I'm unfamiliar with the area. I can see if they said, "Oh, don't take that route-- there's road construction (or it's currently underwater or it's overrun with wild goats...)" But just to blather on ... well-- this person is a blatherer. In the first scenario [bolded] I don't mind them giving me their turn by turn favorite route because it saves me from having to google it.
In the second scenario [underlined] it annoys me because I already have decided how to go unless they know there is a recent roadblock.
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ginacivey
Pearl Clutcher
refupea #2 in southeast missouri
Posts: 4,685
Jun 25, 2014 19:18:36 GMT
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Post by ginacivey on Apr 8, 2015 19:54:56 GMT
i love rurally
when people come in from out of town they do sometimes have an idea of how they'll travel
or they want to rely on a gps
that's fine
but sometimes i can suggest a better route for someone that might be traveling unfamiliar back roads ...especially at night
so they can take their pick...rely on google or someone who actually knows the roads
gina
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4cboysmommy
Full Member
Posts: 213
Sept 13, 2014 1:19:39 GMT
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Post by 4cboysmommy on Apr 8, 2015 20:02:26 GMT
eebud We had the same problem with a friend a few weeks ago. It left off the last three steps to get to our house. She called me all confused because she knew something wasn't right when they got to the end.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Mar 28, 2024 13:05:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 20:06:47 GMT
It all depends on where they are coming from and where they are going, as well as the time of year.
This is Oregon, where death by GPS is a real thing. Sometimes apps and online directions will give technically correct but ill-advised routes. So, I'll give some real world context for the great route they have planned. Or, I'll tell them not to use a certain navigation option in some cases (Google Maps still can't find our house and will take you several miles away).
Unfortunately, a lot of people don't really listen and just think, "lala my phone will get me there" and then end up not where they wanted to be.
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tincin
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,363
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
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Post by tincin on Apr 8, 2015 20:10:38 GMT
I am 55 so I grew up having to learn to navigate by either maps or someone telling me how to get somewhere. My favorite go to guy was my Dad who was completely illiterate. He dropped out of school in the second grade because his parents needed him home on the farm. He could read and write his own name and that was it. Anyway, he always gave directions by "go to the corner with three big pine trees and turn left" or "go past the white house with the green barn and turn on the next road." Gotta love it. I kept telling him if people ever painted their homes or barns I would not know how to get back home. Of course he had to have an extraordinary memory to compensate for not being able to write anything down.
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sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,573
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Apr 8, 2015 20:15:19 GMT
" lala my phone will get me there" and then end up not where they wanted to be. Hee! I've had that happen, but this particular grievance isn't one of those circumstances. I've actually been there before.
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by georgiapea on Apr 8, 2015 20:19:49 GMT
Sure, everyone knows how to read a map and that's fine for crossing the country, but withing a city, looking for a street address can be really dicy. It's so much easier to let the GPS lead you to the exact place.
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Post by bianca42 on Apr 8, 2015 20:24:16 GMT
My cousin is a dispatcher for a local ambulance company. They are not allowed to use GPS or phones...they need to know the area and use the actual maps. He said that the new people are having a hard time with this because with GPS they don't need to learn how the roads...and many of them can't read a map.
I used to be irritated when people would give directions by landmarks that aren't there anymore. (Turn left by where the Dairy Queen used to be, etc.) As I get older, I find that I am starting to use these used to be landmarks while I'm giving directions.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Mar 28, 2024 13:05:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 20:42:54 GMT
I have to say I own neither a GPS or a smartphone. I rely on Google Maps printed out. Honestly. Luckily though I usually have a child in the car who does have a smartphone if needed. In the past with our original GPS, three times it got us totally lost and going in circles. To me, I want a visual picture/map of where I am going and what the whole route is rather than just the next step.
Therefore, I tend to use both and don't mind people giving verbal directions, especially if they know the area better than me!
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Post by Lexica on Apr 8, 2015 20:47:38 GMT
My cousin is a dispatcher for a local ambulance company. They are not allowed to use GPS or phones...they need to know the area and use the actual maps. He said that the new people are having a hard time with this because with GPS they don't need to learn how the roads...and many of them can't read a map. I used to be irritated when people would give directions by landmarks that aren't there anymore. (Turn left by where the Dairy Queen used to be, etc.) As I get older, I find that I am starting to use these used to be landmarks while I'm giving directions. I'm failing to understand how someone doesn't know how to read a map. It is an exact replica of the roads they are on. How do you mess that up?
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quiltz
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,656
Location: CANADA
Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on Apr 8, 2015 20:49:35 GMT
I print out the written directions from MapQuest and I also have a real paper map with me.
I don't use GPS because they have been more wrong than right. I like a paper map.
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tanya2
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1604
Posts: 4,414
Jun 27, 2014 2:27:09 GMT
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Post by tanya2 on Apr 8, 2015 20:51:47 GMT
I hate gps with a passion, I need to see a map! I need to see the area surrounding it to get a relative idea, especially since I tend to vary my route each time i go.
but honestly I don't think my kids could read a map - I've tried to teach them & its not a skill that everyone is good at! I know many adults who aren't good at reading them either
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Post by Miss Ang on Apr 11, 2015 12:46:59 GMT
My dad does this. He pulls out the atlas and I blankly stare and nod when appropriate. I'm 43 years old. I despise reading a map. It's the equivalent of doing advanced calculus to me. I just hate maps. I use a GPS app on my phone. It hasn't let me down yet. I'll admit though, if I'm going on a route that I'm compltely unfamiliar with, I screenshot the route JUST IN CASE the app would stop working. That way I always have the route with me without having to pull out an atlas.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Mar 28, 2024 13:05:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2015 13:02:10 GMT
I can read a map as an intellectual exercise but applying that map read to real time live roads is a completely different skill. The ability to read is there, the comprehension skills are weak (if we were talking in terms of regular text reading)
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Post by littlemama on Apr 11, 2015 13:29:46 GMT
We can always tell when someone is using gps to get to our house because they stop a hundred yards short and are looking on the wrong side of the street. Especially fun when it's the pizza guy-when i order online, I give pretty specific directions that they then ignore as if gps knows where I live better than i do.
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sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,573
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Apr 11, 2015 13:38:43 GMT
I can read a map but get carsick Looking down while going down the road. So I'm a piss poor copilot. Looking at a map is my preference though. I need a visual to best understand a route.
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Post by MorningPerson on Apr 11, 2015 13:46:29 GMT
If I'm going on a long road trip I use a combination of printed out Mapquest directions and my GPS. I've definitely had my GPS send me to the wrong place a time or two. Ideally I like to look over my route ahead of time, generally follow my Mapquest directions, but use the GPS to show me exactly where I am. As a side note, I LOVE maps. I could happily spend a half hour or more reading maps like others read books. When planning a trip to NYC half of the fun is finding the places I'm going on a map. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to them.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Apr 11, 2015 14:12:25 GMT
Or, if I say, "Yes, I'm taking I-35 to Metcalf Drive, then south on College Blvd," does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? B If you are going to be in that area could you stop by Haywards BBQ. I am having a serious hankering for some good KC BBQ!!
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,158
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
Jul 6, 2014 21:50:44 GMT
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Post by lesley on Apr 11, 2015 14:50:02 GMT
My dad was the world's worst at giving directions. He would say things like "Do you know where the police station is? It's nowhere near there." Or, "If you pass the railway crossing, you've gone a mile too far."
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Post by eversograceful1 on Apr 11, 2015 15:46:22 GMT
Scenario: I'm asked, "Do you know how to get there?" and I reply, "I'm going to look at Google or Mapquest" does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? Or, if I say, "Yes, I'm taking I-35 to Metcalf Drive, then south on College Blvd," does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? Because for me, I have a route picked out, and I can't hold 2 of them in my brain. Especially if I'm unfamiliar with the area. I can see if they said, "Oh, don't take that route-- there's road construction (or it's currently underwater or it's overrun with wild goats...)" But just to blather on ... well-- this person is a blatherer. This is my DH. I just nod and smile...then use my GPS or original plan once I get in my car. I know he's trying to be helpful but it makes me nutty.
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Post by BuckeyeSandy on Apr 11, 2015 16:25:15 GMT
I cannot follow verbal or textual "turn by turn" directions. I am NOT WIRED that way. Please give me a map, and a few landmarks. Tell me if a road is closed or if a certain time of day is horrible for commuting or school traffic. BTW a GPS unit is no good, unless I have a map to reference it. Scenario: I'm asked, "Do you know how to get there?" and I reply, "I'm going to look at Google or Mapquest" does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? Or, if I say, "Yes, I'm taking I-35 to Metcalf Drive, then south on College Blvd," does the person commence to explain, turn-by-turn, their favorite route? Because for me, I have a route picked out, and I can't hold 2 of them in my brain. Especially if I'm unfamiliar with the area. I can see if they said, "Oh, don't take that route-- there's road construction (or it's currently underwater or it's overrun with wild goats...)" But just to blather on ... well-- this person is a blatherer. ITA!
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