How open are you about your road geeking in your social life?

[kurumi]

You, sir, ... wait, when did you move to California?

20 years ago... long before I started the CT website.

[DandyDan]

My old buddy from my old delivery job, we could talk about roadgeek stuff all day if we wanted to.  He would enjoy this forum and who knows, after I showed him this forum, he might be lurking.

Other than that, there's my dad.  He at least understands my roadgeekery, being he's a railfan, or at least a seeker of abandoned rail lines (he was thrilled to learn an old Rock Island rail line is less than a mile from his home, being that was his first railroad employer).  But mom thinks that's all weird.  And the rest of my family could truly care less.  A lot of them think I'm a lazy weirdo.

As for my best friend, I think he would get into it, but he has enough hobbies already.

[Doctor Whom]

I keep it to myself.  As a geek of many geekeries, I have learned not to bore people.

I make an exception when people expound on their understanding, usually mistaken, of numbering conventions.  Also, I'm not sure whether this counts, but I apparently have a neon sign over my head that says in both English and Spanish, "Ask this person for directions."  Even when I am in a metropolitan area other than my own, I usually know the answer.

[PHLBOS]

I usually don't say anything about it unless the subject of conversation involves either driving directions or roadways.  That's when I usually see as an open opportunity to chime in conversationwise.

That said, the only time most people know about it is when they're in the car w/me (while I'm driving) or when they'll ask me for directions to get to a particular place; the latter happened more often prior to Mapquest and the widespread use of GPS navigation systems.

Although, there have been times when one's GPS either screws up (it does happen) or is missing; that's when I still get the phone calls requesting better directions.  At home, I have a few ADC atlases covering the Delaware Valley where I can flip to the page I need and talk them through it.  Though it's always a challenge when the surrounding area of their destination, although small in area, requires looking at 4 different pages of the atlas to get the whole picture.

There also have been times while writing directions, I'll even sketch out what key direction or exit sign to look for.  In those situations, I just hope that the sign(s) in question are either still there or the state DOT hasn't drastically changed the legend on the sign (I-84 & US 20 interchange in Sturbridge, MA a few years back) or completely reconfigure the interchange (I-87/287 split in Tarrytown, NY just east of the Tappan Zee Bridge also a few years back).

[kphoger]

And the rest of my family could truly care less

Well, that's good at least.  I would have felt bad for you if they couldn't care less. 

[1995hoo]

And the rest of my family could truly care less

Well, that's good at least.  I would have felt bad for you if they couldn't care less. 

I am pleased to see someone else pointing out this all-too-common error.



To answer the original question, most people I know don't find roads too interesting, so I don't talk too much about the more esoteric things like signage and the like. But they're all too happy to ask for directions since everyone who knows me knows I'm like a walking road atlas at times.

My wife gets frustrated when I comment on signs and the like when we're riding in the car, though when I pointed out to her that she should feel that my being interested in road signs is probably better than being into porn or doing drugs or some such. She conceded the point but then noted that we wouldn't be married (or she'd be seeking a divorce) if I were into porn or drugs.

[NE2]

I could care less about pedants not getting sarcasm.

[formulanone]

I am pleased to see someone else pointing out this all-too-common error.

I think it's kind of a case where both statements make sense, since they're used idiomatically:

- If they "could care less" [to care less than another], it's an obvious point, almost a redundant statement.

- If they "couldn't care less" [to not care less than another], it still means they're essentially at a point of not caring, because there's zero care for the subject matter. Even though it sounds like they do care.

Idioms are not a sense make.

[Molandfreak]

Everyone I know thinks it's pretty cool that I know where so many roads lead... They call me whenever they need a human GPS

[kphoger]

I am pleased to see someone else pointing out this all-too-common error.

I think it's kind of a case where both statements make sense, since they're used idiomatically:

- If they "could care less" [to care less than another], it's an obvious point, almost a redundant statement.

- If they "couldn't care less" [to not care less than another], it still means they're essentially at a point of not caring, because there's zero care for the subject matter. Even though it sounds like they do care.

Idioms are not a sense make.

I believe the meaning is that it would be impossible for the person to care less about the topic than they presently do.

[djsinco]

I could care less about pedants not getting sarcasm.

It appears as though you are Anti-Semantic

[Dougtone]

My family and some of my friends know about my involvement in the roads hobby.  Most people think that I like to travel a lot (and this is how I present my joy of travel), but probably wouldn't connect the two together.

[NE2]

I could care less about pedants not getting sarcasm.

It appears as though you are Anti-Semantic

I tried to come up with a good reply to this but couldn't. Sorry.

[kphoger]

Stalin?

[djsinco]

Is this a day to note in history?

NE2 had no comeback!

[jwolfer]

I keep it to myself.  As a geek of many geekeries, I have learned not to bore people.

I make an exception when people expound on their understanding, usually mistaken, of numbering conventions.  Also, I'm not sure whether this counts, but I apparently have a neon sign over my head that says in both English and Spanish, "Ask this person for directions."  Even when I am in a metropolitan area other than my own, I usually know the answer.

Waiting to pay at a gas station in a far away city that you are in for the first time and you give better directiosn to the lost traveler than the clerk who has never left their home town

[jwolfer]

My family and friends know that I know my way around anywhere. And that I love to drive.  Before gas got real expensive I would take drives just to look at roads I have never been on or to check on progress of construction projects.  In college I would drive hours just for fun.  ( Nice to have your parents Exxon Credit card..all I needed was a Bitchin' Camaro)  So my friends knew I would go on aimless drives just to see where a road went, of course I had already seen the route on a map.

My wife really saw the depth of my road geekery when we flew to California for her Grandmothers funeral in 1997; I was able to identify cities and roads from the airplane window.

I was interviewing for a Corporate Trainer position about 15 years ago. I had to do an educational presentation on any subject.  I chose a presentation to do on the Florida state route grid.  I told them how the US and interstate highways all had a state route number and how the grid worked.  ( Lots of people wondered why we had a SR 9A with out a SR9.  I bet some of the panel are still telling friends and neighbors about I-95 being SR 9)

I have had to work at not being a know-it-all on the subject with people.  I was so glad to find MTR years ago and know that I am not alone in my road-geekery. Funny thing is that my brother ended up a Civil Engineer and he cant get anywhere with out a map/GPS

[Scott5114]

I was interviewing for a Corporate Trainer position about 15 years ago. I had to do an educational presentation on any subject.  I chose a presentation to do on the Florida state route grid.  I told them how the US and interstate highways all had a state route number and how the grid worked.  ( Lots of people wondered why we had a SR 9A with out a SR9.  I bet some of the panel are still telling friends and neighbors about I-95 being SR 9)

But did it get you the job??

[DandyDan]

My wife really saw the depth of my road geekery when we flew to California for her Grandmothers funeral in 1997; I was able to identify cities and roads from the airplane window.

This is the type of thing that makes me get a window seat on airplanes the few times I have flown, although I never have flown with anyone I knew personally yet.

[corco]

There is nothing I enjoy more than annoying the person next to me in an airplane when I'm sitting by the window, look over at them, and say "OH MY GOD IT'S ROCK SPRINGS"

One time I did that and the person sitting next to me happened to be a geographer, so that was awesome.

[kphoger]

The coolest for me was travelling through western Nebraska on Amtrak in the middle of the night; I was standing by the door for the final ten minutes or so as we were approaching my stop.  The conductor, even at night, knew every little town along the way by name.  I've tried to be able to do that along the I-57 corridor in Illinois, on Amtrak from Carbondale to Chicago, and it can be both a fun and a daunting task.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It's not usually the first thing I tell people, but I'm not ashamed to discuss it when it presents itself. I also post plenty of road-related content on Facebook, and usually I do get some positive response from non-roadgeeks in addition to the roadgeek contingent I have on my page when I do post content.

[formulanone]

There is nothing I enjoy more than annoying the person next to me in an airplane when I'm sitting by the window, look over at them, and say "OH MY GOD IT'S ROCK SPRINGS"

Admittedly, my knowledge of the American Southwest is quite minimal, so Virgin America has an in-seat entertainment option that kept me busy until sundown:

[djsinco]

Virgin America (as well as Virgin Atlantic,) rocks! I wish they flew everywhere.

[ctsignguy]

I could care less about pedants not getting sarcasm.

It appears as though you are Anti-Semantic

I tried to come up with a good reply to this but couldn't. Sorry.

Better than my ex-SO, she was anti-SEMENTIC.....(she hated cuddling and the things it led to...and that is why she is now my ex-....)