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Main boards => The Chat Room => Topic started by: alfred on January 28, 2022, 08:57:28 AM

Title: Map reading.
Post by: alfred on January 28, 2022, 08:57:28 AM
some years back before sat navs were used i said to my wife get the map out as i want to go to a country farm shop way out in the sticks and although she did her very best she had a problem reading it.

and at that time i think most likely that because women in general weren't used to maps reading them became a problem , i came across other men who's wife's or girl friends had a similar problem ,

although today sat navs have got that problem covered ,
in the past when i had one it would tell me where cameras were hidden as the sat nav would ring  when i passed a hidden one,

Q; do you like sat navs , did you find them useful
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Michael Rolls on January 28, 2022, 09:14:20 AM
When going to somewhere new - can be very useful. Can also be misleading! When it is really useful is if you manage to get yourself lost in a strange town
Mike
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 09:33:00 AM
My wife did the map reading while I did the driving. I think sat navs may have saved our marriage.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Michael Rolls on January 28, 2022, 09:39:49 AM
Driving in London, four lanes and I knew I had to be in the right lane - but which one? Heavy traffic, bus one side, lorry t'other. 'Where do I go asked of Susan, my first wife. 'That way' 'Which x&$z way?'
Luckily, I was already in the right lane.......
Mike
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 09:49:24 AM
Use the taxi driver technique. The correct lane is the one with least traffic in. If it wasn't cut everybody up.

I had a boss who drove like that. I had a lift with him to an office down in Essex. All in that journey which was the last I accepted from him...

A few hundred yards from the roundabout at the end of the M10 he was demonstrating and complaining about the steering shake his new 3 litre company Capri developed over 100.

Approaching a T junction the left lane was full and the right empty. He took the right and went left.

There are lots of "lanes" in Essex that get used as rat runs. I recall sitting while the wheels were spinning on leaves as an artic bore down on us when he pulled out in front of it.

My expenses that day should have incuded a pair of underpants.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: 1955vintage on January 28, 2022, 09:56:09 AM
Always remember the answer I was given by my ex when we approached a roundabout.

Which way to I need to go?

Up.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 10:05:26 AM
If you watch the ladies with a map you will see that most will turn it to face direction of travel which does make a lot of sense. Given that she was saying straight on.

Of course whether that was correct or not depends on whether she was following the same road on the map as you were on the road itself. IME the two were frequently different. Usually due to earlier misdirection.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Jacqueline on January 28, 2022, 10:14:20 AM
I am still the map reader. We do have a satnav but as with most new technology I don't like it, and most of the time find it plain annoying. If we go somewhere we don't know and are trying to find a specific place very useful, and it did get us out of Glasgow once when we were lost.   I still like to plan our journey and follow my map.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Scrumpy on January 28, 2022, 10:21:31 AM

I have never had a satnav..
I did the map reading for Sam.. When he took a wrong turning he would pull over and take the map away from me telling me that I was reading it wrongly..
Men!!.. Don't you just love 'em..!!!
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Alex on January 28, 2022, 10:57:36 AM
Quote from: klondike on January 28, 2022, 10:05:26 AM
If you watch the ladies with a map you will see that most will turn it to face direction of travel which does make a lot of sense.

What other way would you have it , you have to have it pointed the way you're going surely ?  :cool:
I took my Sat Nav to Spain and it was a godsend.   I picked up a hire car at Granada Airport, set up Navvy and I really expected it to "speak"  Spanish, of course it didn't  :grin: :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 11:04:54 AM
Quote from: Alex on January 28, 2022, 10:57:36 AM
What other way would you have it
I think you'll find that most men leave them north up.

Comments?
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: crabbyob on January 28, 2022, 12:08:15 PM
but ladies can read upside down....cant they?
another blessing of smart phones 'Google Maps' are perfect..
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Alex on January 28, 2022, 12:31:36 PM
Yes I can read upside down :grin:
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 01:29:06 PM
They can read what you haven't written down yet...

Google maps can be set course up or North up as I found when I told my son I could never find anything on it when on my bike. He pointed out it was set for ladies (course up) which confused the bejeysus out of me as I knew where I wanted was west of where I live......
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Alex on January 28, 2022, 01:45:01 PM
So you knew where you wanted to go (west) was on your right then ?  :grin:
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: Scrumpy on January 28, 2022, 02:23:23 PM

I say.. West is left.. UP to London.. Down South...
and the red lines are train tracks..  :smiley:
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: klondike on January 28, 2022, 04:34:12 PM
Very good. You both understand the principal at least  :smiley:

The problem is that they don't put names on mud paths or numbers on trees.

I thought I would easily be able to bike to a bit of river I wanted to sus out for fishing by cycling along the canal tow path, nipping out through a bit of housing estate then turning down an A road and it would be over on my right. It didn't work out. I've tried twice and still not found it.

I maybe need to mount the phone on the handlebars rather that stop every so often and take it out of my pocket. Or just go there using the road. Or by car. Using a satnav.
Title: Re: Map reading.
Post by: GrannyMac on January 28, 2022, 06:01:48 PM
I struggle with map reading going South! Fortunately I didn't have to do it often. My OH drove to gigs all over the UK long before satnavs were invented, and has an inbuilt sense of direction I believe.

Now before we go anywhere, he has a look on Google Earth.  :upvote: