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How do you navigate?

IronWing

IronWing

No Lifer
When you are going on a road trip, how do you find your way? I'm curious about how other people think about geography and getting from here to there. A former coworker who commuted over forty miles each way couldn't explain where she lived other than to say turn here, turn there, third house on left. Other folks punch addresses into navigators and just follow the prompts.

I really started thinking about this on a recent roadtrip when I realized I hadn't bothered to consult any type of map or navigation aid for the first 1200 miles of the trip, even though I had not taken the route previously. I just got in the truck and headed out, never even considering the correct route, just knowing which way to go. Maybe having maps on the wall at home paid off.
 
I'm the uber-paranoid about getting lost type of person. I generally look up the origin and destination addresses (and corresponding route) using at least two or three online route-planning websites. I print each copy separately, so I have each of them to refer to (as they're inevitably different).

I also have a Garmin GPS unit in my car, which I'll pre-program the address into, and I'll probably follow the route that the GPS unit provides. In cases when I have to change the route (unplanned stop or detour), I'll definitely follow the GPS instructions to get back on course, as long as they're sane.

Oh, and I also have a backup GPS receiver and AC-inverter in my car, which I can connect to my laptop, in case my main GPS unit stops working (or delivers an insane route), and the printed directions don't help, and I can't (or won't) figure it out on my own. The laptop has current copies of two different navigation packages installed, in case one is more useful than the other.

I almost always do that when I'm going somewhere that I've never been, particularly if it's more than 30-50 miles from home, and definitely if it's in a city somewhere. If I've been there before though, even if it's a long trip, I probably wouldn't bother to look up directions or have any GPS navigation assistance running unless necessary. For example, I live in south-central Ohio, and I wouldn't have any problem driving to a friend's house in a north Chicago suburb, or to an aunt's house in a far-south Chicago suburb, or a friend's house in Franklin, TN. Yet I'd definitely have navigation assistance running if I'm going to some place in downtown Columbus. Weird? iDunno, probably.

<edit>

And I want to purchase a cell phone with built-in GPS in the very near future... mainly so that I can both use it for navigation, and so that I can ask any friend/relative at a computer to help me find my way if I get hopelessly lost somewhere (subscribe to a GPS tracking program, create a generic view-only user acct). Well, that and location logging, for if I suddenly turn up missing somehow.
 
Originally posted by: GeekDrew
I'm the uber-paranoid about getting lost type of person.
Click to expand...

Me too, I HATE going places I haven't been before, I get really flustered when I am in a place I haven't been before. I hate not knowing what lane to be in, etc. Luckily I have a GPS to help me, but unluckily it doesn't tell you some little things, such as the lane to get in 😛

 
Mapquest usually works for me. One of our cars has built in nav, but it's dvd based and terribly outdated. It's usually not that hard to find your way home though if you have some idea which direction you are from home and have a compass.
 
Most of the time, I look up the map on Google Maps before I leave and commit to memory. If the route is insanely complicated, I used Google Maps + GPS on my cellphone.
 
Paper maps & Mapquest/Google etc combined with dead reckoning ... I also have a GPS cell-phone if I need it, but I rarely use it.

Somtimes I'll call ahead or even (gasp!) stop & ask for directions!!! :Q
 
I have a GPS on my phone linked to Google Maps which works pretty well. Also have a windshield mounted GPS, and finally S&T 2007 with GPS.
 
Google maps with streetview when available, then a printout. I look for one way streets just in case. Bring along my notebook attached to a Earthmate LT-120 GPS with Street Atlas 2008 if I ever get lost.
 
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