dmiller--------I too used to drive quite a lot as part of my job. Much of it was rural and we didn't have cell phones or GPS. Asking for directions was a necessity not a choice. I found that most people were eager to help.It made them feel productive and it got me where I needed to be. How can that be a bad thing? On a sidenote,though, I once stopped in a convenience store and asked the young lady behind the counter for directions. She told me to "go about a couple of miles past where Grandpaw's old swimmin' hole used to be and turn right where they cut down the big pine tree last year." :( I wanted to laugh but I realized no one would benefit from that. I probed a little deeper and got some route numbers and major intersections that proved to be the information I needed.
Of course, it just occurred to me that perhaps your post was metaphoric. :)
I would think that with the price of gas that people would want to get back on the road to wherever they needed to be going ASAP... but that's just me.
I'm married to a "sshhhH! I know where I am - don't worry!" and then an hour later... "Maybe I should ask someone... " type of guy. It's no fun!
The best is when they get out of the car, lay the map open on the hood of the car and complain that the street they are looking for should be RIGHT HERE! Argue with the road map, why don't you?
Thankfully, I don't do road trips with my Daddy and his Daddy anymore.
Signed,
Belle, who doesn't even realize she's lost till she's WAY off the planned route.
When in a rural area, I usually ask for directions, when in the city, I depend on a map. There are too many people here in Lincoln who grew up on farms and couldn't give you a street address to save their lives! Lincoln has a pretty logical and consistant numbering system for the most part, so addresses are not that hard to find. Some of my ex-rural buddies still want to tell me to turn at the water tower until I pass grandma's house...just give me the d*mn address!
Even in the rural areas these days, they've gone to "911" addressses and labelled the gravel roads to help emergency vehicles find their way. I found that to me invaluable when I was delivering newspapers to the small towns and farms 5 years ago.
One thing that I have learned, is that MapQuest isn't infallible! I had zero problens since starting to use them in 2002 until this summer. We were in Florida, heading from our hotel to the rental car place where we would catch a shuttle to the airport. The directions had us getting off the freeway and getting right back on; this confused us and we got seriously lost. Almost missed our flight.
It's all about the adventure. I don't think Columbus asked directions. Do you think Lewis and Clark asked where Oregon was? Come on, give us men a break and allow us some adventure in our lives. lol
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waysider
dmiller--------I too used to drive quite a lot as part of my job. Much of it was rural and we didn't have cell phones or GPS. Asking for directions was a necessity not a choice. I found that most people were eager to help.It made them feel productive and it got me where I needed to be. How can that be a bad thing? On a sidenote,though, I once stopped in a convenience store and asked the young lady behind the counter for directions. She told me to "go about a couple of miles past where Grandpaw's old swimmin' hole used to be and turn right where they cut down the big pine tree last year." :( I wanted to laugh but I realized no one would benefit from that. I probed a little deeper and got some route numbers and major intersections that proved to be the information I needed.
Of course, it just occurred to me that perhaps your post was metaphoric. :)
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ChasUFarley
I would think that with the price of gas that people would want to get back on the road to wherever they needed to be going ASAP... but that's just me.
I'm married to a "sshhhH! I know where I am - don't worry!" and then an hour later... "Maybe I should ask someone... " type of guy. It's no fun!
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Belle
The best is when they get out of the car, lay the map open on the hood of the car and complain that the street they are looking for should be RIGHT HERE! Argue with the road map, why don't you?
Thankfully, I don't do road trips with my Daddy and his Daddy anymore.
Signed,
Belle, who doesn't even realize she's lost till she's WAY off the planned route.
(ask me about my 8 hour detour sometime)
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Oakspear
When in a rural area, I usually ask for directions, when in the city, I depend on a map. There are too many people here in Lincoln who grew up on farms and couldn't give you a street address to save their lives! Lincoln has a pretty logical and consistant numbering system for the most part, so addresses are not that hard to find. Some of my ex-rural buddies still want to tell me to turn at the water tower until I pass grandma's house...just give me the d*mn address!
Even in the rural areas these days, they've gone to "911" addressses and labelled the gravel roads to help emergency vehicles find their way. I found that to me invaluable when I was delivering newspapers to the small towns and farms 5 years ago.
One thing that I have learned, is that MapQuest isn't infallible! I had zero problens since starting to use them in 2002 until this summer. We were in Florida, heading from our hotel to the rental car place where we would catch a shuttle to the airport. The directions had us getting off the freeway and getting right back on; this confused us and we got seriously lost. Almost missed our flight.
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OnionEater
It's all about the adventure. I don't think Columbus asked directions. Do you think Lewis and Clark asked where Oregon was? Come on, give us men a break and allow us some adventure in our lives. lol
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