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Showing posts from April, 2020

U-Turns, GPS and the Path (yours)

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U-turns and the Path Am I the only person who’s noticed that since the advent of GPS – be it a separate navigation unit, one integrated into a car, or something on a cell phone – there’s been an enormous increase in the volume of U-turns?   I don’t mean a slight increase – by my observation, probably about a 500% increase (maybe more).   I’m not a big fan of GPS in general, though I’ve been known to find it handy when navigating the odd super-confusing subdivision, or for having a glance at traffic patterns.   But what I don’t do is follow it slavishly.   I look at it as a suggestion (ok, the time shown IS also my “time to beat”).    But my larger concerns with are twofold: (a)     There’s a whole generation – perhaps a couple by now – who have no clue how to read a map.   Yes, there are a few exceptions, but they certainly seem like a very small number. (b)    GPS seems to view U-turns as a default solution to, well, everything.   Missed your turn?   Make a U