I subscribe to a daily blog called "Art of Manliness" and a recent post caught my attention as to why we should always keep a paper map in our glovebox.
The article discusses the benefits of turning off the GPS and either doing the route from memory or actually opening a map to navigate to the destination with you passenger directing the way.
This always proves fun in our car as I suffer from Left/Right dyslexia and sometimes have confusion on which direction to go… We have a method that uses "My way" or "Your way" that works will for us and we have successfully navigated across 4 continents using this method.
Their reasons for turning off the GPS are;
1. Paper maps never lose power or wireless signal.
2. Paper maps are safer and less distracting than GPS.
3. Paper maps can get you to your destination faster than GPS.
4. Paper maps create indelible mental maps.
5. Paper maps provide a more detailed, expansive, big-picture lay of the land.
6. Paper maps make you an active, autonomous participant in the skill and art of navigation.
7. Emerging Reason: Paper maps may help stave off dementia, improve your memory, and enhance your ability to imagine the future.
So, are you up for the challenge?
Call to action - Next time you reach for the Satnav/GPS ask yourself if you really need it? If not, put it away and experience the joy of finding your way there by your route and not an electronic algorithm.
