Why (real) men don't ask for directions... (weight, maps, driving)

[Ghengis]

I have been demonstrating this behavior as long as I can remember and while it may have become a learned experience from observing my father, I feel it is more likely hard-wired into my being. Spent a good deal of my brief stay at M.I.T. researching this as Socio-Cultural Anthrpology has always been a hobby of mine. I feel there is compelling evidence that supports the following...

During the Cave-Man Period, when the men would be out doing hunter-gatherer-warrior stuff, they were often traveling in uncharted areas and could not lug around what few maps they did have because of the weight. Therefore, they would frequently have to stop at other tribes' caves and holler up asking for directions.

The other tribe, not knowing who this new group of men were down below hollering (they probably couldn't even understand them) at them would naturally become alarmed and respond accordingly. My observations of piles of big rocks below cliffs leads me to the conclusion that the cave dwellers would throw rocks at the "invaders" to crush their skulls.

Therefore by either attrition or natural selection, the directions-askers would eventually be entirely weeded out and the remaining generations of cave-men would really be none the wiser, and never really even consider stopping at unknown caves or gas stations to find out where they needed to go.

Even to this day, who else doesn't keep a large rock just inside the door at home and really never knew why you were doing that? Now you know.

[Jaggy001]

Alternatively, it is because they were smart enough to buy a GPS and actually know how to use it

[MAK802]

I'm female and I refuse to ask for directions, ever. I'd rather drive around aimlessly than to admit defeat! My husband? No hesitation. He asks all the time if we're lost.

And while the GPS is great and we take it on every single trip, there have been many instances where we were out in an unfamiliar city and a street name either did not come up or the GPS destination was in the middle of nowhere and clearly not what we were looking for!

[Redisca]

I am a woman, and I never ask for directions. The reason is simple: most people you will ask simply won't know, and those who answer will give you directions that are either wrong or hopelessly confusing. You have a better chance of getting to your destination by just randomly driving in its general vicinity.

[WannaliveinGreenville]

I read this somewhere : If a man stops and asks for directions he is really saying " Hey,I am clueless , can you help me ? " Which most men would never dream of asking for directions.

I will ask for directions because I don't want to waste gas driving 35 miles past the turn ..lol !

[jtur88]

Men are never lost. Sometimes they don't know where they are, or how to get where they are going, but they're never lost.

By the way, there is a rule of thumb in the third world. For directions in town, ask a woman. For directions out of town, ask a man.

[Crew Chief]

I always ask for directions if I'm in doubt. There's nothing more humbling than sitting in a 13' 6" tall truck while facing an overpass that's 11' 8"...

[stepka]

I'm a woman and I never ask for directions. I don't have to, b/c I'm usually more found than the locals even--I have this great sense of direction. My goofy stbxh however had no problem asking for directions, but this made me mad b/c I knew exactly where we were going and he would never believe I knew what I was doing, even after I proved reliable over hundreds of times. But then he wasn't a real man.

[Pushing60]

LOL...another woman here who refuses to ask for directions! To be honest I sort enjoy not knowing where I am. Oh, and I refuse to state that I am lost! I am never lost - I may not know where I am but I am not lost! The man I dated for about 10 years was the one that would insist we stop for directions. I finally broke him of that habit!

If I do have to be somehwere for an appointment - well that might be a different story. But that is when I print out a map (including the close up version) and set my gps (which I have never had problems with).