I'm basically helpless without GPS apps - eviltoast
  • TommySoda@lemmy.worldEnglish
    22·
    2 months ago

    I used to be just as bad but something that helped me out a lot was making the map always oriented with north as “up” on the gps. It takes some getting used to and I don’t recommend it for complicated drives off the bat but it’s been a game changer. Now I actually know which streets go east/west vs north/south and have a general “map” of the city in my head since it always looks the same on gps now.

      • gnu@lemmy.zipEnglish
        5·
        2 months ago

        North orientation is the standard for when just browsing a map, but when in navigation mode applications usually rotate the map to match your direction of travel. If your car has a Android Auto/Carplay head unit or one otherwise capable of displaying maps it will also likely default to autorotating the map when driving even without a destination input.

        This behaviour does make it easier to distinguish relative directions to your position (roads on your left as you drive will be on the left on the map and so forth) but also takes away an easy way to orient yourself on a scale broader than the limited section on the screen.

  • rabber@lemmy.caEnglish
    5·
    2 months ago

    I have no sense of direction in cities but when I’m in the forest I have no problem with navigation

  • Etterra@discuss.onlineEnglish
    4·
    2 months ago

    You sound like my cousin’s kid. Some years back we had to explain to her why knowing how to read a map is important.

  • dunz@feddit.nuEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Weirdest thing is, I can navigate to places I’ve never even been to when I’m on foot, just by the infrastructure/street naming conventions/geography, but put me behind the steering wheel of a car, and I’ll get lost in a parking lot