3 ms·
Have you tried asking people for directions? I find talking to other people and asking for directions is better because you (sometimes get shortcuts and) meet
by movedx 9y ago
Have you tried asking people for directions?
I find talking to other people and asking for directions is better because you (sometimes get shortcuts and) meet new people, find out interesting facts, get updates like, "Yeah it's over there but it's closed due to flooding" or, "over there mate but if you go around the back you'll skip the queue." Aint no online system telling you those gems.
I've also found reading a static map and or remembering the directions given to me, or discovering them through exploration, solidifies the knowledge and I remember them long term.
We rely too much on GPS.
- dominotw 9y agoThere are no people on the streets in USA. This technique works in India though.
- sn 9y agoUnfortunately asking for directions is not an option for everyone, to put it lightly. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/15/602598119/black-teenager-shot-at-after-asking-for-directions https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/15/602598119...
- dannyw 9y agoWe do rely too much about GPS, but asking people for directions isn’t exactly a mapping solution.
- movedx 9y agoThanks for the downvotes (for having an opinion and offering another solution to a local problem.) I know not everyone can ask for directions. Not everyone can even use a mobile phone but that doesn't mean I can't offer it as a solution to a problem.
- TheDong 9y agoThis anti-technological-advancement stance comes up often enough and always seems ridiculous to me. > We rely too much on GPS. A slightly more extreme variant of this argument would be "Have you ever set out a rain-catcher and drunk your own water? It has more bacteria so your guts are more hardy, and not having enough water builds character. We rely on the water system too much". There are various other arguments along that line that could be made, but they're all basically "Why not ignore technical advances and do things in a more time consuming and error prone way to build character (or have a more genuine experience or something)" There is nothing wrong if a person wishes to do this. I know map enthusiasts who like to learn roads and maps and cities' grid systems because it's a hobby. However, encouraging people to ignore technological advancements is silly; for someone who wants directions from A to B, digital maps are obviously superior, and it's time-saving measures like these that add up to advance society and improve our lives. > Aint no online system telling you those gems. Google maps and reviews do tell you if a place is closed, if you should go in a different way, or if there are secret menus often as not, but this tiny factual bit isn't my actual gripe, but rather the tone of the comment as I responded to above.
- movedx 9y agoI never said don't use GPS. GPS is excellent in a lot of ways. Google's consumer options in this space are world class and incredibly useful. I used them my self this past weekend in Melbourne. They worked. I'm saying don't rely on it too much. Don't expect it to always be there. Have fun with other options. Learn to read a map because it's a fun and useful tool, and so on. Use technology. > This anti-technological-advancement stance Please don't put words into my mouth or tell me what I am or am not. I'm literally a programmer working in tech who uses Google Maps at least once per week.