Directionally challenged

[Wallike]

When I saw the thread topic header I immediately thought of my wife. But after years of living with her and listening to how women communicate I'm convinced that they have their own way of communicating when it comes to directional cues.

For example, a few years ago my wife's niece called at 1 AM in the morning and was on there way to Minneapolis. They wanted to stop by the house, say hi and take showers and then keep going. Well, it's 1 frickin' o'clock in the morning and damn I was sleeping good until the phone rang. We lived about 7 miles out in the country back then and so my wife proceeded to give her directions through the city and to our house. As I listened to her give directions I thought to myself there is no way in hell this girl is going to find our house with those kind of directions. So I rolled over and went back to sleep. It wasn't 20 minutes later and they were knocking on the door. As I reflected back to the conversation I started to realize that women see things totally different than men do. Like, "When you see a cute little blue house with the white picket fence turn left then go until you see the flower store on the right and turn there."

So north, south, east & west really don't exist to them in my opinion.

 

[deleted member]

Another one... I have buddy who could only find his way to certain places by taking the same route. When we lived in grand forks, he was constantly driving until he found Washington, demers, 32nd, gateway, etc... So that he could take the only route he knew to his destination. He was the same way in Fargo for about 5 years. Finally something clicked and he gets it now.

 

[JayKay]

I have a good friend who lives out NE of Bismarck. I still can't find his house, and he's lived there for probably close to 10 years. The only way I can find it, is I come in from a bass-ackwards direction. It's the darnedest thing...

 

[Captain Ahab]

When I saw the thread topic header I immediately thought of my wife. But after years of living with her and listening to how women communicate I'm convinced that they have their own way of communicating when it comes to directional cues.

For example, a few years ago my wife's niece called at 1 AM in the morning and was on there way to Minneapolis. They wanted to stop by the house, say hi and take showers and then keep going. Well, it's 1 frickin' o'clock in the morning and damn I was sleeping good until the phone rang. We lived about 7 miles out in the country back then and so my wife proceeded to give her directions through the city and to our house. As I listened to her give directions I thought to myself there is no way in hell this girl is going to find our house with those kind of directions. So I rolled over and went back to sleep. It wasn't 20 minutes later and they were knocking on the door. As I reflected back to the conversation I started to realize that women see things totally different than men do. Like, "When you see a cute little blue house with the white picket fence turn left then go until you see the flower store on the right and turn there."

So north, south, east & west really don't exist to them in my opinion.

It's scientifically proven that women use "landmarks" to navigate rather than street names. Your example is textbook.

 

[NDwalleyes]

My wife's college roommate was from Minneapolis. One Friday afternoon she left GF for home. She didn't realize she had taken a wrong turn in Fargo until she got to Bismarck.

 

[SupressYourself]

My wife doesn't seem to understand that roads can run in directions other than NSEW.
Example: Travelling SE on I94, we then take a left, heading straight E. She says "I'd say we're going North because we turned left". I used to get into animated conversations about roads and maps. Now I just shake my head...

 

[( deleted account )]

When I flew a small plane to Alaska and back though I used instruments quite a lot, my wife had the sectional chart (aircraft map) on her lap and always had her finger on the exact spot we were at, checking out the window, and though I hate to admit it, she probably navigated us through the mountain passes and detours around forest fires better than I could have. Well, at least as good as me.......
HOWEVER, though she has driven out to our deer camp hundreds of t8mes, sometimes she takes a wrong turn and gets a bit lost. But sooner or later she shows up .

 

[Ponyroper]

I've gotten turned around a few times when doing land inspections in the badlands especially when it's overcast and I can't see the sun like yesterday. I was in some rough stuff yesterday north of Dunn Center and got totally twisted around when the trail I was on petered out. I had a handheld GPS unit but couldn't figure out which was north or south so couldn't find my site. Seemed like every direction I went was wrong. It started to rain before I figured out where to go and you best not be in that country when those gumbo hills get wet so I packed up and started back. Trouble was I couldn't find my trail coming in again and the hair on the back of my neck was starting to stand up before I finally recognized a cow trail I crossed coming in. I just made it back up to an oil well road before it started pouring. Would have been a loooooong hike out to the well pads if I would have stayed back in those ravines another 15 minutes and it might have been days before it was dry enough to go back in to get the pickup. I'm a flatland born guy and those spots get me very nervous.

 

[db-2]

Have problems when we are in the forest (1000 of acres of continues trees) in northern Canada mainly when no sun.
Big dipper helps me out at night if clear skies.
Would never consider going in those forest without the GPS and normally have two on me plus the old time compass plus constant contact with the radios and those radios tell others where I am at to help if needed.
Son gets by with just a compass. db

 

[Colt45]