A laugh for all of you who HATE the new electronics technology (coverage, accidents)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It’s hard to memorize a map if it’s a long trip with a lot of turns. I can barely even read a map. What I used to do before GPS is, I would write every step of the directions down, and then I would tape it to my steering wheel and try to read it while I was driving. Not very safe, and at night I was screwed lol. Once I was driving to my mothers house in another state, on a route that was the only route I knew to get there and I had driven 1 million times. However when I was halfway there, there’s a big sign on the highway saying that the bridge that I needed to take was closed and find another route. Since this was before GPS, I just pulled over on the side of the road in a panic not having any idea what other route there even was. I had to call my niece, and have her look up a different way that I could go and then write it all down.
First sentence is true. What I do in such a case is to have both a map (or maps) plus written directions for the more turn-y areas. That’s useful because then I can add cues such as “The second left turn happens very, very soon after the first one.” Crucial act is to study ALL and understand everything before starting to drive. Wherever I’m not sure which way to go, I pull over as soon as safely doable and recheck maps and directions.
It really, really would help to learn to read maps well. When I was a teenager starting to do long trips by bicycle, I relied almost solely on my hand-written directions, similar to those provided by Google et al. The big problem with this strictly verbal list is when you go in the opposite direction. In contrast, if you read the map and visually understand the routes, your mind “converts” the different directions for you. Get used to orienting the map the way you are heading—don’t keep the map pointing upright with North on top if that is not the way your car faces. You don’t have to keep fiddling with it, but when you stop to check, LOOK at the map oriented how you face.
AND, as you found out, written directions look at a very selective bit of information. They don’t give you any information on the big picture, what other roads or navigation aids are around.
If people really are primarily visual creatures as is often stated, reading maps should be the top choice for navigation, not reading lists of left and right turns. If you had to run a maze, which would you prefer, (1) ONLY a list of left and right turns, or (2) ONLY a birds-eye-view diagram of the maze?
You might view the GPS or the cell call to your sister as the saviors, but reading a map would have done the same thing.
Reading comprehension, do you have it? My point was that multitasking brings the distraction factor. Electronics only make it easier to add distractions. That doesn’t mean looking at a piece of paper isn’t one.
Being rude won't help you prove a point.
I submit someone using a cell phone voice navigation is less distracted than the old days of looking at a map, and it demonstrates that technology can reduce distractions. It's also safer and more efficient than pulling over. Electronics only distract you if you let them, I never answered or checked a phone when driving, but I use navigation to get directions while not needing to take my eyes or hands away from driving.
First sentence is true. What I do in such a case is to have both a map (or maps) plus written directions for the more turn-y areas. That’s useful because then I can add cues such as “The second left turn happens very, very soon after the first one.” Crucial act is to study ALL and understand everything before starting to drive. Wherever I’m not sure which way to go, I pull over as soon as safely doable and recheck maps and directions.
A great example of how technology has made us more efficient.
Reading comprehension, do you have it? My point was that multitasking brings the distraction factor. Electronics only make it easier to add distractions. That doesn’t mean looking at a piece of paper isn’t one.
The brain is distracted either way, but far more people are likely to use the electronic distractions than they are to look at a paper map while driving. Some of us remember that pulling over and stopping to really pay attention to the thing we check works much better than trying to juggle competing inputs.
Just as it does to park the car to talk on the cell phone.
AGREED!
This morning, I got up early, got done with my Saturday morning distractions on the computer, and then turned away, got some good habit things done. Sure, I had things on my mind to post here, like I am doing now, but I didn't come back to the computer until I had the more critical one, changing the kitty litters, done.
The computer these days, with the Net or without, is distracting. We say to ourselves that it will only be a minute but in the blink of an eye, a minute turns to 20 minutes or more. It is like the family dog and coyotes for there are always things to take us further and further away. Look at CD with those other topics in the margins. Who knows? How the computer works may be something like alcohol in that it deactivates the will power.
Hence, I think being linked into our electronics as much as we are is a bad thing. For instance, it is an excellent way to be mugged, head in the phone, walking around, and the guy can get right next to someone with his knife.
As far as navigating goes, a few things. Myself, I am trained as a navigator so having a computer tell me how to do it is not welcomed. Compass, radio beacon, ADF, contours, celestial, land marks, and whatever. In the air, on the ground, under the water.
As far as what to do when the bridge is out? Perhaps when we study for a trip, we ought to remember a few ways there. Admittedly, I don't do that much myself, maybe an alternate plan on how to get there though, but I certainly have the training to be able to do it, from SWAT responding to a hostage situation to trying to get out of the damn building before it explodes (ie, egress from a sinking ship).
After all, how much do we really want to trust our lives to a programmer who is not sitting there with us?
I submit someone using a cell phone voice navigation is less distracted than the old days of looking at a map, and it demonstrates that technology can reduce distractions. It's also safer and more efficient than pulling over.
I use voice navigation when the route is unfamiliar. But -- I got lost in Bakersfield once, where I have been dozens of times, and because of one wrong turn, ended up at the Grapevine rather than going up Tehachapi Pass. So embarrassing.
This morning I got my iphone Xs I won on ebay set up. Unfortuantly I didn't transfer my things from my old phone to the new one. So it looks like I have to erase all my hard work and do it again this time doing the transfer. I'm not good with technology and am quite proud of myself for being able to do this. Us retirement age people have to keep our minds active so we don't get dementia or just dumb.
Good on them. I went to your link -- it only calls- doesn't have any other functions. So only useful for a small subset of seniors.
I really liked the phone because it would be very easy for someone with limited vision and/or reduced cognition to call their loved ones. Because of your helpful response, it occurred to me that the iPhone has a strong history of providing accessibility options that I have not yet explored. Among the many, "Guided Access" and "Voice Control" seem promising.
I really liked the phone because it would be very easy for someone with limited vision and/or reduced cognition to call their loved ones. Because of your helpful response, it occurred to me that the iPhone has a strong history of providing accessibility options that I have not yet explored. Among the many, "Guided Access" and "Voice Control" seem promising.
I just want an old-fashioned cell phone that only allows someone to make or receive call -- although a voice mail feature might be nice, too Not likely, I know!
But if a company did make such a phone, I would be among the first in line to purchase it!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
