Asking For Directions

      Asking a complete stranger for help, or being asked by a complete stranger for help with directions used to be a normal occurrence. Sometime you knew and you gave good instructions. Sometimes you met someone who knew and they gave you good instructions.

     Nowadays we have the use of Global Positioning Satellites on our phone, watches, and laptops. Unless the satellites are malfunctioning you can be fairly certain about the information you receive. In fact, the information is so good and the use of GPS is so pervasive, it is quite extraordinary to be asked for directions by a stranger.

 

 

 

     Maps. At one time they were given away by gas stations and people gladly kept them in their cars for the security hidden inside them. People still needed to know how to read a map for them to be useful and then be able to fold them correctly if they were ever going to use them again. At any rate, every car seemingly had one or ten of them stashed into a glove compartment or strewn under a seat. Some people actually used to read them before they got in the car to drive, but from my viewpoint they were mostly used by a car in motion, and sometimes by the driver. It's probable a very good thing that cars are now equipped with GPS systems, even if they sound a little bit pushy when they are offering their directions. You really need to know when to turn them off or they will bombard you with useful and sometimes inaccurate instructions to places you have visited often and for which you require no assistance.

     

     Lastly, I have to admit that women have always been better about seeing the need to ask for directions. Now it can be said they are quicker to bring out a GPS of some sort when a general feeling of being lost pervades a group. I might go as far as to say that some things never change.