Monday
Mar292010
Directionally challenged, as they say
Monday, March 29, 2010 at 12:33PM
For Christmas, the Giraffe got me a GPS. With my new job, I drive around the state quite a bit, and since I usually have no idea where I'm going and I have no intuition for this stuff, the GPS was in order. I'm pretty good at relying on Google Maps to get me through, but the GPS is so much safer than trying to read directions while keeping an eye on the road.
The one thing I don't like about my new gadget, though, is that the screen doesn't display a compass rose or north arrow or anything to tell me which direction I'm traveling. It always gets me where I'm going, but sometimes I would like or need to know which direction I need to go, and there the GPS fails me.
See, I have this problem. I can never figure out east and west. I know which is which - I can look at a map, see which way is north, and I know that east is to the right and west is to the left. But the only way I can do it is if I look at a map or if I picture a map in my head.
So for instance, I'm traveling on a north-south highway, and I know that the store I want to go to is on a certain side of the highway. But I don't automatically know which way I need to go - east or west. If there are two exits (36A - Blank St. East & 36B - Blank St. West), I go SO confused. I have to picture a map in my head, determine if I'm going north or south, then determine if I need to go to the right of where I am or the left, then determine if that is east or west. It sounds pretty simple, and maybe you run through something similar in your head. But it always takes me so long, that I usually miss the exit or pick the wrong one on a whim.
I often use geographical landmarks to help me figure it out, too. "Detroit is east of Grand Rapids, so I need to go right." Or "I need to head away from the Rockies" and "I need to go toward the Atlantic" (even though neither the Rockies nor the Atlantic is anywhere near where I am).
East and west just don't make sense to my brain. I'm 29 and it has never gotten better, so I think this is a mental shortcoming I have to live with.
The one thing I don't like about my new gadget, though, is that the screen doesn't display a compass rose or north arrow or anything to tell me which direction I'm traveling. It always gets me where I'm going, but sometimes I would like or need to know which direction I need to go, and there the GPS fails me.
See, I have this problem. I can never figure out east and west. I know which is which - I can look at a map, see which way is north, and I know that east is to the right and west is to the left. But the only way I can do it is if I look at a map or if I picture a map in my head.
So for instance, I'm traveling on a north-south highway, and I know that the store I want to go to is on a certain side of the highway. But I don't automatically know which way I need to go - east or west. If there are two exits (36A - Blank St. East & 36B - Blank St. West), I go SO confused. I have to picture a map in my head, determine if I'm going north or south, then determine if I need to go to the right of where I am or the left, then determine if that is east or west. It sounds pretty simple, and maybe you run through something similar in your head. But it always takes me so long, that I usually miss the exit or pick the wrong one on a whim.
I often use geographical landmarks to help me figure it out, too. "Detroit is east of Grand Rapids, so I need to go right." Or "I need to head away from the Rockies" and "I need to go toward the Atlantic" (even though neither the Rockies nor the Atlantic is anywhere near where I am).
East and west just don't make sense to my brain. I'm 29 and it has never gotten better, so I think this is a mental shortcoming I have to live with.
Which is why having a compass on my GPS would help so much. A visual aid without having to pull one up inside my mind. I used to have one of those floating compasses you can buy at the gas station to stick on your windshield, but I took it down when I got the GPS. Guess I should get a new one.
in Giraffe, Just stuff, My anatomy, Travels
Giraffe, Just stuff, My anatomy, Travels
Reader Comments (5)
Don't question the nice lady on your dashboard. Don't think. Just do what she says, she will get you there.
I am SO with you. I pretty much hate my GPS. The other major limitation of GPS (at least the one that I have) is that I can't see written directions as I could with mapquest. I like to see the whole route (IN WRITING!) before committing to it. That way I can see "oh, I hate that scary left turn" and reroute accordingly. But I'm also a driving wimp and SERIOUSLY directionally challenged.
The Mister's car has a built in compass. I'm totally jealous of it.
You're probably sick of my repetitive comments, but too bad: ME TOO!!!!
Maryland has a highway that essentially just makes a giant loop through the Baltimore Metropolitan area. People will say certain cities are "inside the loop" or "take the outer loop" and I never have ANY idea what they mean!
So I feel your pain about being directionally challenged.