I mentioned on Tuesday that I am challenged when it comes to knowing how to get places. If it's somewhere I go all the time, I'm fine, but new locations? Not so much.
There are stories I could tell about studying a map--the paper kind--and promptly turning the wrong direction. Like the exact opposite direction. I've been lost in more cities than you can imagine and I've learned to stop and ask for help.
But then GPS came along. My car has it built in, but I use Waze on my phone because then I get traffic information.
The app, though, has a few quirks.
Like I start it for the drive to work as I'm walking from the house to the garage. According to Waze, my walking speed has been as high as 83 MPH. Yes, I said walking! Seriously, I'm always in a hurry, but even on my best day, I can't out-race a cheetah.
And of course, the quirkiest things of all can be the strange directions. One time, the app directed me off the freeway, took me on a roundabout, side road jaunt and then guided me back on the freeway because traffic had slowed. If there's no accident, I would just as soon wait in the slow down than execute evasive maneuvers worthy of one of my heroes.
A couple of weeks ago, I put in directions from one location to another that I knew was close by. I was like 99% certain I knew where to go, but I wanted to be 100%. Waze wanted to direct me back to the main road, to another main road, and then to the same road I was already on! So instead of turning left like Waze said, I turned right and my destination was like a few blocks.
But things like this are a small price to pay because when I take a wrong turn--which I sometimes do even with GPS--it gets me back on track. I need that. Because I'm no joking when I say I'm directionally challlenged.
