Can people really be this illogical? (funny but sad story)

[regentrude]

23 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

In Texas, I-10 is an east and west interstate. Except when it goes through my city. Then it's more or less a north and south interstate. It took me a long time to figure out if I should take east I-10 or west I-10 when I left downtown. 

Just wanted to comment: I-10 is always an East-West interstate, not just in TX. All even numbered interstates run East-West and all odd numbered ones North-South. (Of course, that does not mean that they  are in those directions locally)

Edited September 28, 2018 by regentrude

[Kebo]

I found out many years ago that all even numbered addresses are on the North or West side of the street, and all odd numbers are on the South or East.   I didn't learn that growing up, but I know it holds true in my current metro area.  I wonder how universal this is? I think there are exceptions (angled streets, and certain towns), which confuses the issue, but it can be helpful if it applies to the town you are in.  

[MaeFlowers]

10 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

 

Right?! I have no idea how anyone can possibly get lost in Tulsa.  I'm so confused how that's possible.

My own son called me last week to say he was lost and my first question was, "Damn, how far out of town are you?!" He was really annoyed by that.  Lol But seriously.  Grid system.  If you either go straight or make several turns in the same direction, you are bound by physics to eventually figure out where you are? Go straight and eventually you'll see a sign saying where you are headed (W/E HWY or S/N HWY) or make some left turns and you'll end up close to where you started.   In son's case, I said what intersection are you at? And he said street number and street name.  Okay, well the streets are A, b, c, then d by 10, 20, 30, 40 so you are at C30 and need to go to D40. So go up a mile, turn south (that. Mean right from where you will be) and go another mile.

His mind was blown that I could do that despite the fact that I have repeatedly drawn our city grid system on paper with major landmarks and made my kids put it in their wallets since they were about 12 years old exactly so they would never get lost and could freely bike or walk wherever.

But apparently since he got a cellphone at 17 he has developed digital dementia and has not memorized any of it because he can just look it up.  Except when his phone dies (he couldn't make the app work and drive at the same time.  ?)  Then it's all thank god for Bluetooth phone connection in his fancy car so he can call mom.

 

I had friend in high school who got lost going from her house off of Harvard, around 75th to another friends house that was between Harvard and Yale off of 71st. So, less than a mile. She didn't realize she was lost until she got to a toll booth. And she didnt have any money. She was always getting lost and ending up in crazy places!

Im another who thinks GPS does more harm than good. Living near Atlanta it helps me figure out where things are and the best route. But, I just check it before I leave and dont use it when Im actually driving. I find distracting.

[Tree Frog]

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

Just wanted to comment: I-10 is always an East-West interstate, not just in TX. All even numbered interstates run East-West and all odd numbered ones North-South. (Of course, that does not mean that they  are in those directions locally)

Right. I understand that. The point I was trying to make, apparently poorly, is that even if they are east/west interstates, that doesn't mean they only run east/west. Sometimes they run north/south for a portion, which for those of us directionally challenged, can cause problems. I don't know if I-10 runs north/south in parts of other states, too. 

[Scarlett]

2 hours ago, Kebo said:

I found out many years ago that all even numbered addresses are on the North or West side of the street, and all odd numbers are on the South or East.   I didn't learn that growing up, but I know it holds true in my current metro area.  I wonder how universal this is? I think there are exceptions (angled streets, and certain towns), which confuses the issue, but it can be helpful if it applies to the town you are in.  

I figure there is a universal standard which may or may not apply in any given city.  I tend to just learn the local way. I sure wish I had known the standard when I asked that guy if he was on the north or south side of the street.  

[Murphy101]

Texas is scary driving. In the rural areas you’re like OMG we’ve been driving for 10 hours - when the hell does this state ever end and will we ever see a gas station again?  In the major cities it’s like all the roads were built around whatever cows used to graze in those areas, creating crazy confusing duck penis roadways that you either drive like the hounds of Hell are after you or sit there going an inch an hour and once again, wondering if you’ll ever make it out or if you’ll run out of gas. 

Don’t hate me Texas. I love ya and can’t wait to visit next month, but driving in Dallas and Houston is a white knuckle event. 

[Kareni]

On 9/27/2018 at 4:20 PM, school17777 said:

When You Have No Sense of Direction

I quite enjoyed the comic you posted, Carolyn.  I sent it on to my husband and adult daughter and both of them liked it, too. 

It speaks to me since I have absolutely no sense of NSEW directions; I do know left and right fortunately!

Thank you.

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

My husband and I were once driving somewhere in New England on a very busy stretch of highway.  We encountered something akin to this mess where there were signs marked North, South, and West (I think).  It truly boggled the mind.  The wikipedia link attached to the image I posted was informative and mentions other such cases worldwide.

Regards,
Kareni

[Just Kate]

On 9/28/2018 at 4:16 PM, Supertechmom said:

I'm from the south, directions mean nothing.  My compass in the car is typically completely out of sync with road signs.  Telling me to go north means..... south for 2 miles, go east for 1, go west, go to light post in Narnia, go to the ice wall and I've yet to actually make a turn or change direction lol!  Maybe the place is north on the map  but there is no way to go north and get there.  Reason why directions are go to the store, turn left, turn to the right, after the church go left, if you see the gas station, turn around....lol!  

 

I live in WV and this is exactly how it is here too!!! 

[Frances]

On 9/28/2018 at 4:41 PM, Kebo said:

I found out many years ago that all even numbered addresses are on the North or West side of the street, and all odd numbers are on the South or East.   I didn't learn that growing up, but I know it holds true in my current metro area.  I wonder how universal this is? I think there are exceptions (angled streets, and certain towns), which confuses the issue, but it can be helpful if it applies to the town you are in.  

I never heard this before and it’s not true here, at least on my street. And not true in my hometown in another part of the country.

[Barb_]

On 9/28/2018 at 4:05 PM, regentrude said:

Just wanted to comment: I-10 is always an East-West interstate, not just in TX. All even numbered interstates run East-West and all odd numbered ones North-South. (Of course, that does not mean that they  are in those directions locally)

Between Phoenix and Tucson. I-10 (or as it’s known west of Texas, the 10) veers sharply south at Sky Harbor and even though the map tells me it’s running south east my brain is telling me due south. I’ve gotten the hang of taking 10w to head north but my poor daughter... when she visited me in Phoenix from Tucson she constantly assumed she could take the ten to go north-south. 

My problem is some sort of directional dyslexia. Right-left, east-west and north-south flip on me. So I have to stop and match the directionals that I know are correct with what feels correct in my head. For example, 303n or 303s? Uh, we live west of the city where the sun sets and I’m headed in the opposite direction the mall is to the north and target is under the ten so I need south. Every. Bloody. Time. My brain is yelling at me to go North, but South is the direction I want. Some of my kids have inherited the same problem. Teaching them to drive is a barrel of monkeys. “Take a right” ::turns left:: NO!!  I’ve learned to say “right toward the passenger’s seat,” or “left driver’s seat”

[Familia]

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

I do know left and right fortunately!

Thank you.

Regards,
Kareni

 

My first job as a young teen was at a movie house; I worked behind the candy counter with the two screen rooms behind me.  After the purchase of tickets, I would smile broadly and hand the ticket stubs to the patron.  So, if the patron was attending the movie on their Right, I would point animatedly with my Left arm to the screen room behind me saying, "The movie is on your Right!"  I am forever befuddled!

[Lucy the Valiant]

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

My husband and I were once driving somewhere in New England on a very busy stretch of highway.  We encountered something akin to this mess where there were signs marked North, South, and West (I think).  It truly boggled the mind.  The wikipedia link attached to the image I posted was informative and mentions other such cases worldwide.

Regards,
Kareni

 

Haha, I know of a few like that in New England!   And when I do use my Google GPS, it really struggles with concurrency. 

[Tree Frog]

I don't know how to make this picture a bit smaller, but this sign on the way to Abilene, TX, is a bit mind boggling to the directionally challenged. (Just in case you don't know, a driver will follow the opposite direction of a road until she can turn around to go the direction she wants. TX has a lot of turn arounds!)

Edited September 30, 2018 by wilrunner