Giving and receiving driving directions

[kenny]

People and directions are funny.
I've noticed people sometimes get anxious when giving or receiving directions.

Some want directions North South East or West... Go north on Elm for 5 miles then turn west onto Main...
(I am this type as I always form a bird's-eye visual picture in my mind.)

Other are deeply annoyed by such directions and just want to hear Left or Right.
My experience with these folks is they are more likely to get lost if following directions precisely does not work.
I think they do not form a bird's-eye image in their head.
If they do form an image, it is of themselves in the car looking forward for the next thing.

Some people like to hear about visible landmarks, like turn at McDonald's . . .
Others prefer distances, go 3 miles on Main St.
Some want very detailed directions, and others like just the minimum.

I also notice if people do not hear directions given to them in the manner they prefer they will repeat them, translating them into their preferred format.

How do YOU like to give/receive directions?

 

[Dee*Jay]

It depends on where I am. In Chicago I want directions by N/S/E/W and street (e.g., take Halsted north to Diversey, go west, then go north on Ashland to Irving Park). But if I'm somewhere I don't know by N/S/E/W I want landmarks (e.g., take a right at the McDonald's and then the entrance is on the left just past the big red barn).

 

[monarch64]

I am actually really good with directions i.e. north/south/east/west, and I prefer to hear those as well as landmarks as identifiers. I grew up in a rural area and was taught directions according to the position of the sun and stars, as well as many other clues of nature.

 

[yssie]

I'm a landmarks person. Most people around me prefer L/R at street names so I've gotten used to giving them that way, but if I need to go somewhere tell me about all the sunocos, 7-11s, houses with red doors, open spaces and overly large rocks around, please!

 

[zoebartlett]

Telling me to go north, south, east, or west is useless. I have no understanding of this (unless I'm looking at a map). Tell me to right, left, or straight though, and I'm good.

I'm sort of directionally-challenged. When we moved to the south, I kept having mental images of going downhill the whole way. We're about to move back to the northeast, and I picture myself having to really stick my foot to the pedal -- you know, because I'll be going up hill.

ETA: I love it when people give me landmarks. That usually works best because then I'll keep my eye out for specific things along the way.

 

[kenny]

Date: 6/4/2010 4:08:11 PM
Author: monarch64
I am actually really good with directions i.e. north/south/east/west, and I prefer to hear those as well as landmarks as identifiers. I grew up in a rural area and was taught directions according to the position of the sun and stars, as well as many other clues of nature.

Funny you mention the sun.

My SO has NO sense of direction.
Around once a month he will call me from his cell saying he is lost.
He can't even tell me which way he is traveling.

If it is evening I'll ask him if the sun is in front of him or behind him.
He'll say, "What does that have to do with anything".

Clueless, just clueless.
Oh well, at least he's cute.

 

[Hera]

I once knew someone that gave directions by restaurants. I couldn''t follow those kind of directions. I prefer directions by left, right, etc.

 

[dragonfly411]

I''m very southern, and very country. I tend to give and like to receive based on land marks. "turn left out of town, on the first main road.. .there''s a storage unit there... follow that road till you see a church and turn right". That''s me. I am bad with proper name roads. We have lots of nick names for roads here, and I use those a lot.

 

[elrohwen]

I prefer left or right on a specific street name.

I'm from Pittsburgh, and it's very common there for people to tell you to turn at the McDonald's, or the grocery store, or the flower shop (or even the flower shop that used-to-be-there-but-closed-down-5-years-ago

). Drives me batty - just give me the street names!

Now that I have a GPS, I don't even both with directions, I just ask for the address. Some people still try to give me detailed directions when all I really need is my Garmin or internet access to look at Google maps and figure it out myself.

Kenny, to address your north south thing - I don't like to receive directions like that, but I do much prefer to have a picture of the area in my head, which is why I'd rather go on Google maps and look at it than get directions. I get lost so much less if I have a decent idea where I am on a map and what direction I need to be going, but I can't get that just from someone's description.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/4/2010 4:13:16 PM
Author: kenny

Date: 6/4/2010 4:08:11 PM
Author: monarch64
I am actually really good with directions i.e. north/south/east/west, and I prefer to hear those as well as landmarks as identifiers. I grew up in a rural area and was taught directions according to the position of the sun and stars, as well as many other clues of nature.

Funny you mention the sun.

My SO has NO sense of direction.
Around once a month he will call me from his cell saying he is lost.
He can''t even tell me which way he is traveling.

If it is evening I''ll ask him if the sun is in front of him or behind him.
He''ll say, ''What does that have to do with anything''.

Clueless, just clueless.
Oh well, at least he''s cute.

It will be a sad day for some if they lose their cellphones or gps devices! Good thing he''s cute.

I can tell time by the position of the sun as well. I would imagine those who have spent a lot of time outdoors could do the same.

 

[princesss]

I like the "Turn right, go a ways, once you cross 1st, it''ll be the next turn - you''ll see a bank and a Mexican restaurant on your left, it''s just after that..." N,S,E,W doesn''t work for me. I wish it did because I''d love to have a mental map of a city going. Right now I''m working my way through neighbourhoods, and figuring out how they connect. BF has a good picture in his head and always learns new places way faster than I do.

 

[that_someone_special]

I like the Left, right thing. I have a HORRIBLE sense of direction, so N S E W would screw me up.

I just use the maps on my phone now and that helps a bunch.

 

[kenny]

Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.
I MUST form that mental bird's-eye image.
My car key will not go into the ignition without it.
I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.

It borders on a neurosis.
I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.

For me left/right directions are not enough.
I will politely accept them without protest, but I'll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird's-eye image.

Isn't it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

 

[that_someone_special]

I always need a map/ directions before going anywhere too...

My friends always make fun of me for my sense of direction. Sometimes if my friend is driving and we''re going somewhere further away she''ll look at me and say "You have no idea where we are, do you?"

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/4/2010 5:06:36 PM
Author: kenny
Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.

I MUST form my mental bird's-eye image.

I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.


It borderlines on neurosis.

I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.


For me left/right directions are not enough.

I will politely accept them without protest, but I'll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird's-eye image.


Isn't it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

I think part of it is a male/female thing. Men tend to have better spacial skills in general, in this might be why you like reading maps, while many of the women here claim to have a poor sense of direction. Obviously it doesn't always work out that way (I have better spacial skills than some of my male friends) but I think it's a strong trend.

 

[kenny]

Date: 6/4/2010 5:12:40 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 6/4/2010 5:06:36 PM
Author: kenny
Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.
I MUST form my mental bird''s-eye image.
I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.
It borderlines on neurosis.
I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.
For me left/right directions are not enough.
I will politely accept them without protest, but I''ll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird''s-eye image.
Isn''t it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

I think part of it is a male/female thing. Men tend to have better spacial skills in general, in this might be why you like reading maps, while many of the women here claim to have a poor sense of direction. Obviously it doesn''t always work out that way (I have better spacial skills than most of my male friends) but I think it''s a strong trend.

We all hate gender stereotypes but statistically you may be right.
My SO is an outie but he fits many female stereotypes, like moodiness and expecting me to read his mind. (but that''s another thread).

 

[Dee*Jay]

One other thing: If I do get N/S/E/W directions I must vizualize them facing north, even if the first thing I need to do is head south from that standpoint. INSANE, I know...

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/4/2010 5:15:33 PM
Author: kenny

Date: 6/4/2010 5:12:40 PM

Author: elrohwen

Date: 6/4/2010 5:06:36 PM

Author: kenny

Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.

I MUST form my mental bird''s-eye image.

I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.

It borderlines on neurosis.

I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.

For me left/right directions are not enough.

I will politely accept them without protest, but I''ll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird''s-eye image.

Isn''t it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

I think part of it is a male/female thing. Men tend to have better spacial skills in general, in this might be why you like reading maps, while many of the women here claim to have a poor sense of direction. Obviously it doesn''t always work out that way (I have better spacial skills than most of my male friends) but I think it''s a strong trend.

We all hate gender stereotypes but statistically you may be right.

My SO is an outie but he fits many female stereotypes, like moodiness and expecting me to read his mind. (but that''s another thread).

It''s a stereotype, but I think it''s fairly well backed up by research. It''s just harder for most women to hold an image like a map in their head and manipulate it. I think a lot of women with stronger than average spacial skills go into engineering (for obvious reasons) and the engineering girls I know seem to have a strong spacial sense and don''t get lost easily.

 

[yssie]

Date: 6/4/2010 5:35:32 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 6/4/2010 5:15:33 PM
Author: kenny

Date: 6/4/2010 5:12:40 PM

Author: elrohwen

Date: 6/4/2010 5:06:36 PM

Author: kenny

Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.

I MUST form my mental bird's-eye image.

I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.

It borderlines on neurosis.

I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.

For me left/right directions are not enough.

I will politely accept them without protest, but I'll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird's-eye image.

Isn't it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

I think part of it is a male/female thing. Men tend to have better spacial skills in general, in this might be why you like reading maps, while many of the women here claim to have a poor sense of direction. Obviously it doesn't always work out that way (I have better spacial skills than most of my male friends) but I think it's a strong trend.

We all hate gender stereotypes but statistically you may be right.

My SO is an outie but he fits many female stereotypes, like moodiness and expecting me to read his mind. (but that's another thread).

It's a stereotype, but I think it's fairly well backed up by research. It's just harder for most women to hold an image like a map in their head and manipulate it. I think a lot of women with stronger than average spacial skills go into engineering (for obvious reasons) and the engineering girls I know seem to have a strong spacial sense and don't get lost easily.

Not all engineers, unfortunately! I'm an engineer (chemical) by degree. I'm guaranteed to lose my way going somewhere new. It's gotten to the point where FI will pull up directions on his own PC whenever I'm driving, so he has them ready for when I call to say "I'm lost, point me!"

 

[Karl_K]

I am always getting lost lol
I drive by auto-pilot and my mind is usually a million miles away so I will drive right by where I am going sometimes a long way, once into another state lol.
I stink at giving directions because if I give them the way I drive it is, get in car at point A then out of car at point B 26 min later.
I avoid giving directions if at all possible.
When getting directions I prefer left/right with both street names and landmarks.
I always ask for the name of a street/object that if I go to far I will see that way if I get to thinking about something I will know I went to far.
For example: if you see the red and green grain silo you went to far by 5 miles.
That is just one from the other day, I saw the red and green silo lol.

 

[somethingshiny]

I reference landmarks when I give directions. I never know the names of streets even in my own area. I use NSEW with people who understand and LR with those who don''t.

 

[honey22]

Urghhh! There is nothing worse than when I am lost (map and GPS in car

) and I call my Daddy and he says where is the sun? behind you or to the left? Or, are you travelling north or south?

Well, duh! I don''t freakin know! I am lost!!!! North, south, east, west and the sun have nothing to do with it! I just need directions

I must say though, my DH is amazing when I get lost !!!!!!! He can not only tell me how to get home, he knows exactly how I got there in the first place. He''s such a champion when I ring him in a panic. Geez, I love that man.

 

[Trekkie]

Date: 6/4/2010 4:12:23 PM
Author: Zoe
Telling me to go north, south, east, or west is useless. I have no understanding of this (unless I''m looking at a map). Tell me to right, left, or straight though, and I''m good.


I''m sort of directionally-challenged. When we moved to the south, I kept having mental images of going downhill the whole way. We''re about to move back to the northeast, and I picture myself having to really stick my foot to the pedal -- you know, because I''ll be going up hill.

ETA: I love it when people give me landmarks. That usually works best because then I''ll keep my eye out for specific things along the way.

This is SO me!

Whenever I go anywhere new, I need to look it up first. In fact, unless I have driven there myself (not been driven by someone else) at least a dozen times before, I will get lost. Fact of life.

I find it utterly pointless when people try to give me directions, especially when they start off with, "well, it''s actually very easy to find..." If it''s so darn easy to find, why am I asking for directions?! All you''re doing is making me feel even more stupid when I inevitably get lost.

It''s even more embarrassing when taken into account that I live in a small town. The same small town I lived in for practically my entire pre-university life...

Thankfully my SO understands this and is getting me one of these once the wedding is out of the way. Yes, in pink!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 6/4/2010 5:06:36 PM
Author: kenny
Before I go anywhere new I look at a map.
I MUST form that mental bird''s-eye image.
My car key will not go into the ignition without it.
I make note of major things like rivers, freeways and railroads.

It borders on a neurosis.
I MUST form this visual image it before I leave my house.

For me left/right directions are not enough.
I will politely accept them without protest, but I''ll immediately get a map to satisfy my craving for my bird''s-eye image.

Isn''t it funny not only how different we are, but how strongly polarized many of us are on this one?

Kenny - I usually have a very good mental map in my mind, with all the main features of the area as you said. But my mental map doesn''t have north or south! So I rely on left/right and landmarks to navigate (I can usually tell what direction I am heading in my map, but don''t ask me if it is north or west).

 

[Sabine]

I

my gps. I''m terrible with directions, can''t understand north, south, east, or west (especially in unfamiliar areas....and can i just say here in virginia beach it''s INSANE...some of main roads (like 64) don''t even have directions at points because you start going east in order to end up going west).

I actually had major anxiety about driving places I had never been before (especially if driving by myself, and double especially if it was city driving), but now that I have the gps, I drive anywhere with ease as long as the I can put the address in the gps.

Currently dh and I share the gps, and we''re about to move to florida and have to drive separately. I want to buy another gps for the occasion, and he thinks I''m crazy. We''ll see who wins this one!

 

[annadragon]

I used to be a very detailed direction person including cardinal directions, street names, landmarks, etc. Then I moved to New Orleans where my whole world was turned upside down. Here they give directions in terms of the lake or the river, as in Lake Ponchatrain or the Mississippi River, nothing runs in a N/S or E/W direction for long enough to give directions in this manner. As in "take Canal towards the River and a left before you get to Harrah''s" if you want to get into the French Quarter. However, left turns are pretty much not allowed at intersections in the city and turn lanes are pretty much non-existent.

You want street signs? Sorry if a street sign exists it is probably hidden by a tree or has too many Mardi Gras beads on it to properly identify the street.

You want a numeric address? Ha!

If and only if there is a numeric anyplace on the house or building you are extremely lucky. You want block numbers on street signs?! Don''t be ridiculous!

I generally try to avoid directions giving or receiving at all costs these days.

 

[zoebartlett]

Sabine -- I can relate; my city is impossible to navigate through if you''re unfamiliar with it. I''ve only lived here a year (and we''re leaving so it won''t matter in a few days) but it''s taken me this long to get comfortable driving in certain areas. Roads names change all the time here (with no notice) and not in any way that makes sense. It''s so frustrating!