How Is Your Sense Of Direction? Mine Is Really Bad!
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
January 16, 2010 2:53pm CST
I shall give you an example of how bad my sense of direction is. Last year Mum came to stay with us for a couple of days. We take it in turns; I sometimes stay at hers during school holidays (she works at a school) and then she will stay with us. Makes things more interesting that way.
Anyway, during this particular stay we decided to hop on the train and travel to Dumfries. This is in Scotland but it is only about 30 miles away...maybe not even that from Carlisle, England. The train journey itself was fine. This is something I am good at; boarding the right train lol. The problem came when we decided to come back home again. Now, Mum's sense of direction is as bad as mine (must run in the family) and...get this, I even HAD A MAP to show the way back to the Railway Station. Could we find it? Nope! Did we (eventually) find it? Yes, but only because we set off to find it earlier than people with a good sense of direction would! John (hubby) couldn't believe it when we got home and told him we were "lost" for a bit. I gather from what he told me that we went "all round the houses" instead of following this road round...and we would've got there in half the time lol.
Have you ever got lost in a small town where you really SHOULDN'T become lost? It could be in your car, or on foot like we were, I am happy to read all responses on the subject. I'm also interested to know if women are worse at getting lost than men. I suspect so but we shall see!
6 people like this
40 responses
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
21 Jan 10
I think from my experiences anyway that men have a better sense of direction than women. I can find my way around most times after just a quick glance at the map, but my wife can get in all sorts of trouble if she has to drive somewhere that she has never been before. 
Once, she had to go to a picnic in a city an hours drive away. She had organised the picnic and had been to the place where it was being held a few times before. She had a street directory in the car, but still ended up getting lost! One missed exit on a road and she was in all sorts of trouble! 
She rang me up and tried to get me to help her, but she could not tell me where she was at first, she then rang back and told me and I gave her instructions on how to get to her destination. She was only ten or 15 minutes away by car but was so confused that she ended up somewhere else and had to ring me up again. By this time, she had been driving around the city for well over an hour and was extremely stressed. I tried to explain to her what she needed to do from where she was, but she found the road home instead so she gave up, came home and went to bed in a very bad mood! 
Once, she had to go to a picnic in a city an hours drive away. She had organised the picnic and had been to the place where it was being held a few times before. She had a street directory in the car, but still ended up getting lost! One missed exit on a road and she was in all sorts of trouble!
She rang me up and tried to get me to help her, but she could not tell me where she was at first, she then rang back and told me and I gave her instructions on how to get to her destination. She was only ten or 15 minutes away by car but was so confused that she ended up somewhere else and had to ring me up again. By this time, she had been driving around the city for well over an hour and was extremely stressed. I tried to explain to her what she needed to do from where she was, but she found the road home instead so she gave up, came home and went to bed in a very bad mood! 1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Jan 10
Do you know when I read your response I thought, "Thank God me and my Mum DON'T DRIVE!" Haha!! Brilliant story and thanks for posting it.
1 person likes this
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
16 Jan 10
My sense of direction is okay. I can tell North, south, east, and west. The problem is when the sun isn't out, I sometimes forget which direction I live. I am so fortunate though. I have a son that has autism. He is four. Since the time he was two and a half years old, he has been extremely aware of which way "home" is. It doesn't matter if we move. It takes him a couple of trips and as soon as he is familiar with the area, when we head in the direction of "home" he will cry. This can become annoying, but it is a godsend. We moved to a different town and there was one ramp that every other time I went down it I would go the wrong way. After driving down the road a bit, I would think it didn't look right. If my son wasn't crying I knew for sure I was going the wrong way. I would turn around and as soon as we would pass the exit we came off of he knew I was trying to get home. The screaming commenced and my panic subsided. LOL
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
17 Jan 10
My horse is good for that, too. I can go for a ride in the bush, where I would really get turned around, because it all looks the same, and all I have to do, is drop the reins (stop steering) and she will automatically go home. She always knows her way. Sometimes I wish I could ride everywhere just for that purpose. lol
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Wow, that is amazing, it really is! I know a fair bit about autism and I just love the wonderful attributes the people that have it can display at times. They may use differing methods but, boy, how clever are they? But you don't need me to tell you that my friend...and thanks for posting.
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
27 Jan 10
LOL That's some experience.^^;;
My sense of direction is not that bad. Well, I guess that's because I just ask people on the streets how to go in a place if I can't remember how. It's probably my memory that's bad. Even if I have gone to a new place for say, once or twice, I wouldn't still be able to remember how to go there by myself. I would still need directions.^^;; I just can't seem to remember all the landmarks and the lefts and rights. LOL Sometimes I even get confused which is right and which is left. LOL
That's why whenever I go to an unfamiliar place, a new place or somewhere I don't usually go, I still ask for directions before going there. And if I forgot to ask, I just ask people I see on the streets for directions.^^
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
28 Jan 10
LOL Me and my friends experienced that! We were going in a resort and all of us haven't been there so we were asking people we see on the streets how to get there and we just got so lost because of the different directions the people gave us.^^;;
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
28 Jan 10
This is why I very rarely ask for directions now...unless I'm in a supermarket and the cat's tuna has been moved...which happened recently. I need to be in there, buy the tuna and come straight out again. Can't be doing with going up and down the aisles searching for stuff!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
27 Jan 10
The thing is..whenever I ask for directions, by the time I've walked a few yards I can't remember what they've told me lol. So then I have to ask someone else and they usually give me different instructions. They're both probably right but have gone different ways of telling me how to get there. Nightmare!
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
16 Jan 10
Hello, Janey. I've always had a terrible sense of direction, but luckily my husband and my daughter make up for it. Here in Spain, even the tiniest villages have 3 or 4 roads in and out, so it's quite difficult to get your bearings anyway. The village I lived in in Cornwall was on a crossroads, so it was easy to find your way around.
About 10 minutes drive from here is the train station, in a very small town. If we want to go to Alicante or Murcia, we go on the train, rather than have the hassle of trying to park in the city. Every time we went to the station, we went a different way. The first time my daughter went with us, she worked out the route by using the traffic lights. She drives an ambulance, and she says it's the easiest way of finding your way around new places. She told me to go left at the first set of traffic lights, and right at the second, and that would bring me to the station. Lo and behold, she was right, so we get there first time every time now.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jan 10
Thanks for your response, it's much appreciated. That is so interesting, the comment you make about the traffic lights! Is that on foot? Amazing, what a clever lady your daughter is my friend
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
16 Jan 10
No, this was in the car, but it would work just as well on foot. Yes, my daughter is very clever with things like directions - she's also more technically minded than me. However, she doesn't like reading and writing. Still, we complement each other, as we both have different skills.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
That's nice to know, how lovely that you compliment each other like that. My husband is extremely good at remembering places that we've only visited once. I can guarantee, if we ever went back to Madrid he will have the confidence to say things like "let's go there!" We do have those ace Time Out guide books (not all of them, just places we have visited) and it's amazing how religiously he follows them. He was brilliant at following London Tube plans as well. Heaven knows how me and Mum would get around if we were let loose on London hehe lol!
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Jan 10
Hi Jane,
Since i am exposed in travellingall my life... i can say that i have a good sense of direction. i can be a navigator and lead the driver the best way to take or any shortcuts for a trip. i know how to read maps to find exact locations.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
18 Jan 10
thank you. i am happy to share it when needed...i can be of service---a tourist guide hehehehe. once you visit our i will be your tourist guide.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
You are a lady of many talents, my friend. Good for you!
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
16 Jan 10
I get turned around using a GPS! I kid you not!
It's frustrating when the Garmin keeps saying, "Recalculating... recalculating..."
*sighs audibly*
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
I've never encountered Sat Nav. My father-in-law has put his in the lorry for work as opposed to in his own car. I bet it drives the Mrs mad so he's had to rethink it lol.
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
17 Jan 10
I feel your pain about the bathroom thing.
I walked into a department store in an indoor mall once, bopped around to get whatever it was I was looking for, and when I got ready to leave, I couldn't figure out what entrance I had come through. I didn't want to embarrass myself by appearing lost and confused, so I tried to appear nonchalant and act like I was browsing while I walked around in circles trying to find my way out.
We won't even talk about trying to find my way out of parking lots at shopping malls. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat just thinking about it! LOL
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
25 Jan 10
My sense of direction does not exist. LOL I am legally blind. I know where I am going when I am in familliar territory, but if someone asks me how to get there, all I can do is tell them which bus to follow. I've done that before. Someone once gave me $hit because they were driving, not riding a bus, until I told them that they would get to their destination by FOLLOWING the bus. LOL
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
25 Jan 10
Haha! I really like it. I'd do the same but we don't have many buses in this tin-pot Town lol.
@ElicBxn (63233)
• United States
16 Jan 10
I've only been LOST like 3 times, both times in places I'd never been before, and in the dark, in the COUNTRY so it was REALLY dark!
On the other hand, the roomie takes PRIDE that she has no idea how to get places and honestly, she could learn, but she uses her vision as an excuse - I'd bet she could get lost in a large house...
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jan 10
Haha, very good my friend. I could get lost in a large house too, I'm sure of it!
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10874)
•
4 May 12
I didn't used to have a bad sense of direction at all, and when I first passed my driving test, I would only have to drive somewhere once and the next time I would find my way back very easily, even if it involved many twists and turns.. I surprised myself with this indeed, because I didn't have a great memory at all on other things. Nowadays, I find this finding my way to places, even if I have been there several times, is not quite the same. I can barely remember anything of the previous journey at all, so I guess it must be the ageing process.. Not to be recommended I don't thing! _Derek
_Derek@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 May 12
John is very good at finding places, then going back a second time, even if some months pass before he does so.
Having said that, he once took a wrong turning on the motorway and went the long way round in order to get to Tranmere's ground. It was quite funny seeing HIM frustrated for a change!
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
4 May 12
Hi there Janey1966!
I would like to believe that I do have a good sense of direction. LOL! Seriously, I am not really the type of person who would have troubles when it comes to directions. But for one, to make it easier on my part, there should be landmarks around the area.
Seriously, I am not really the type of person who would have troubles when it comes to directions. But for one, to make it easier on my part, there should be landmarks around the area. @Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 May 12
Even landmarks don't always help in my case but I agree it's better if one is there as a bit of a guide!
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I have a very good sense of direction most of the time. I grew up spending time in the woods, and I never really had any trouble finding my way home again. I can usually find my way around pretty well, and I have had some compass/orienteering training as well, so I am sure that helps out as well. My truck has a compass in the rear-view mirror, and I keep a hand-held compass in there as well so that I can take it with me if I need to. I am really good with maps and with navigation as well.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Jan 10
I'm very impressed, I must say! I've had a go at orienteering many years ago and I suppose it's one of those things that you're (either) brilliant or absolutely rubbish at! I think you can guess which category I fell into!
@grunge_avenged (552)
• Canada
17 Jan 10
Haha well thats interesting. As for the question.. Im not really sure if I have a good sense of direction or a bad one. I would say I probably have a normal/average sense of direction. I have gotten lost a few times certainly.. And I think the main reason for that is because I should be driving with glasses :P But when Ive been on longer drives I have used a GPS and it works pretty good in my opinion! So if you have trouble getting lost while driving as well then maybe you could get a GPS? Anyways thats all I have to say and interesting discussion! :)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Personally, I don't drive. It is bad for pedestrians as there are many signposts with arrows on...but where are they pointing to? I've no idea! It was the same in the Planet Hollywood Hotel, Las Vegas. It was well sign-posted but the arrows did my head in and they were all the same colour lol.
@alexysabelle (905)
• Philippines
17 Jan 10
i would like to believe that i have a good sense of direction. i can easily follow marking and landmarks the lead to the direction i ma heading. added to that is i cannot forget easily to go that place even when i only visited it once. i congratulate myself for that, because i know not all people has that even my friends.
:-)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Well done for having that ability to find your way around...we could learn a lot from you my friend!
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
16 Jan 10
Mine's not too bad, although I once stood in Prater in Vienna and insisted I knew the way back to the Ferris wheel. My friend just looked at me and said "That directios Hungary" :-)
I'm not very good with the east, south etc unless I have a map, but usually don't have a problem with new places. Can't remember the last time I was really lost, except the one in Prater and that's 12 years ago.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jan 10
Haha! Like it! I'm no good with North, South, etc. I kinda get it but putting it into practice, well, that's a different matter. Hubby used to be in the Boy's Brigade years ago and they learned all that stuff, so he is miles better at directions than I am.
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
18 Jan 10
I have a good sense of direction, I have found
I can find my way around good. I have also
found men get lost as much as we do, because
they do not like to ask for directions. I will
ask for directions as soon as I find I do not
know where I am at.
Have a great day.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Jan 10
That is a VERY good point about men not wanting to ask for directions. They'd prefer to get it wrong than to ask someone else. However, I'm very lucky in that hubby is very good when it comes to finding his way around places, which is just as well, otherwise we'd be going round in circles if we were as bad as each other haha!
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
18 Jan 10
I have a good sense of direction in the daytime when the sun is out. However, at night or on a cloudy day, I can get lost easily. Frequently, on a cloudy day, I will have a sense of being lost in familiar surroundings and I know I am going the right directions. It is the strangest sensation. If the sun comes out or sometimes something else triggers the switch and I'm all straight again. I probably have not explained that very well. It is such a strange feeling where I know I'm going the right direction, but it just feels wrong. Then, all of a sudden, it feels right again.
I may not be able to know north from south on a cloudy day, but I do understand left and right and can read a map better than my husband.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Jan 10
That's a very interesting comment and something I'd not considered before my friend. Maybe the sun helps us to concentrate more, I don't know. Thinking about it; I've probably got lost more when it's been cloudy than sunny, how strange is that lol. At least you can read a map though which is one better than me!
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
17 Jan 10
Hi Janey! I am lmao right now! My mother and I both have really
bad senses of direction so you are right and it must be something
heriditary for sure! I don't drive, thank goodness, but get
lost all the time! She does drive and lives in Florida and when
she gets lost, which is alot she panicks and has to start all
over again, if she can! I can get lost going to the same area
that I go to over and over again and so does she! When I went
to see her this summer we got lost and we weren't even that far
from where she lived! So believe me I know exactly what you
mean!lol
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Haha! You sound just like Mum and me. Welcome to the "Getting Lost Really Easily Club" lol.
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
17 Jan 10
It's quite strange for me as I've alway had a good sense of direction and even when I have rolled up in a small unknown town I have always happily found my way around with out ever getting lost. I seem to take in roads and landmarks or tall buildings subconciously and so pretty much always find my way back with out any real hassle.
But there was a memorable getting lost moment for me which happened to me many years back. I had never driven in London before but I found myself having to drive in to central London one night a few days before Christmas. Strangely I was fine going in and getting too my destination despite all the christmas shopping traffic. But I had absolute no sense of direction when it came to leaving London later that night and ended up coming out on the South side instead of North side, only realising where I was when I finally reached the M25. Thankfully I have never had to drive in central London since.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Haha! You poor thing. London can't be the greatest of cities to drive around...but then again, the Tube is a nightmare for me...couldn't use it on my own, absolutely no way!
@agito121 (176)
• United Arab Emirates
17 Jan 10
Mine is bad at first but if i learn the route and the direction thaen i might just be able to regonise the place.
If you told me to remeber the route to my house if would take me a long time before i can memorise it properly.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Many thanks for your comment my friend and welcome to MyLot
