Who's the Better Navigator: You or Your GPS?
If someone were to ask you for directions to the closest grocery store, mall, or even your own house, would you be able to guide them? Or would you tell them to follow their GPS because that's what you do? While these little trusty digital navigators can certainly come in handy when we're driving on unfamiliar roads, becoming over-reliant on them may cost you. If you're wondering whether this might be you, and how to become less dependent, we've got you covered. Here are 10 signs you're far too reliant on your GPS, and 10 ways to sharpen your navigation skills.
1. You Struggle with Unfamiliar Routes
Without your GPS, you're technically a blank slate behind the wheel. Every road you haven't driven on might as well be a street in a completely different country. It doesn't matter that you can read road signs and follow directions that way; if you're unfamiliar with a route, you're panicking all the way until you actually reach your destination.
2. You Struggle with Familiar Routes
But it's not just the unfamiliar routes that scare you—it's the familiar routes, too. You could be driving in a city you've lived in since you were young, but the moment you stray off from your usual path home, you're like a fish out of water. And yes, you do punch in your home address into your GPS every time so it can lead you home.
3. You Follow Your GPS Instructions Blindly
Your GPS could spit out the most nonsensical instructions ever, and you'd still blindly follow it until the end. After all, you don't believe in your own directional sense; if your GPS is telling you to do a fun detour inside a residential neighborhood instead of just heading straight from point A to B, you're not questioning it.
4. You Can't Give Directions to Other People
If your friends and family ask you for directions to somewhere you've driven to before, you don't answer with confidence. Instead, you tell them to follow their GPS, because that's what you do. If you were to give them vague directions, they'd probably be wrong, and your loved ones will likely end up in a forest somewhere.
5. You Take Longer Routes Because Your GPS Said So
Remember how we said you never question what your GPS tells you to do? That means you usually take the long, convoluted way to your destination, simply because that's the route your GPS gave you. Sure, there could be a much faster shortcut, but you'd rather rely on your trusty digital navigator.
6. You Refuse to Drive Somewhere New Without It
Sometimes (or maybe all the time), you flat-out refuse to drive somewhere new without your GPS. If you need to go without one, you're sticking close to home and you'll only circle familiar routes. Heading out into the wild without a GPS to guide you sounds like the absolute worst thing you could do to yourself. What if you end up lost in the woods?
7. You Can Never Recognize Key Buildings & Landmarks
Since you're always relying on your GPS to guide you everywhere, you can never really recognize key buildings or landmarks that make it obvious that you've reached a particular destination or city. You might be able to identify them on the tiny screen of your trusty navigator, but having to point them out in real life? Nearly impossible.
8. You Get Anxious When You Lose Signal
If you lose signal for even a second, or your phone battery drains close to zero, you're panicking. How else are you going to make it to your destination and back home without your GPS to guide you? Having a lost signal basically means you'll need to spend a night camping in your car.
9. Your Trip Went from 10 Minutes to 50
Because your GPS sometimes insists you take a few detours before you get to your destination, and you're not one to question anything it says, your trips take far longer than they need to be. Or, sometimes, your poor directional sense (or inability to follow instructions) can lead you astray, making you arrive way later than you expected.
10. You Don't Technically Know How to Get Home
If someone were to drop you somewhere in the city and told you to drive home without a GPS, you... would technically be stranded. Sure, you kind of know how to get back to your neighborhood, but it'll take far longer (and far more detours) than it would've if you had your trusty navigator with you.
Does the above sound like you? Are you too reliant on your GPS? Well, it doesn't have to stay that way. If you're wondering how to become a better navigator without needing to always rely on your GPS, here are 10 simple tips to follow.
1. Practice Driving on Familiar Roads
To gain confidence, try practicing on familiar roads first, even if you're not yet comfortable with that, either. The biggest reassurance about driving in neighborhoods you recognize, is that you still know you're not too far from home and you won't end up in the middle of nowhere.
2. Learn & Memorize Key Landmarks
You might not think it important, but learning and memorizing key landmarks could make all the difference. They don't have to be famous places, either—pick out quirky buildings or unique shop names that you know your brain will be able to instantly identify the next time you come across them. Over time, you'll be able to better familiarize yourself with your surroundings, no matter where you are.
3. Challenge Yourself
Once you start building confidence by practicing on familiar roads, the next step is to try challenging yourself. You'll never get over your fears or become a better navigator if you don't go out of your comfort zone, so head to less familiar neighborhoods next!
4. Turn Your GPS Off
Even if you insist on keeping your GPS in your car, try turning it off. That way, it's there as a backup if you really need it, but try going without it first. The more you drive without blindly relying on it, the more you'll start to trust your abilities and instincts.
5. Use Physical Maps
Instead of using a digital navigator (which can sometimes give you erroneous instructions), opt for physical maps. That way, you won't need to freak out whenever you lose signal, and you'll always have a backup handy.
6. Bring a Friend or Family Member Along
If you still don't yet trust your abilities, bring a friend or family member along who has good directional sense. They'll be able to provide good navigational guidance and help you build confidence in yourself when traveling through unfamiliar roads.
El Messaoudi Farid on Unsplash
7. Use Road Cues, Not Street Names
If it's street names that you can't quite wrap your head around and memorizing them makes you nervous, scrap that method. Instead, look for road cues. For example, if there's a fire hydrant on the street right before you need to turn, use that as your cue.
8. Be Confident in Your Abilities
It's easier said than done, but it's important to have confidence in your abilities. Don't sell yourself short before you've even challenged yourself. Again, you won't become a better navigator on the road if you don't step outside your comfort zone, so go out there and do it!
9. Drive Once with GPS, Second Time Without
If a new, unfamiliar route seems too daunting to drive through without a GPS, try doing it the first time following your GPS, and the second time without. During that first trip, memorize as much as you can and map out landmarks and road cues. That way, you won't feel so lost the second time around.
10. Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Directions
Even if you don't have your GPS with you and your directional sense is subpar, don't be afraid to ask strangers for directions. The more you do it, the easier it'll get, and you'll eventually find that it's not so scary after all to drive to new places without a digital navigator telling you exactly when to turn!
