I just came across this vignette about a father who gave his 12-year-olds a lesson in using paper road maps to navigate their vacation journey.
https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/active-families/kids-navigate-spring-break-road-trip-no-gps/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
Our niece is at the age where she has to obtain knowledge of cars. Given she lives with us a good portion of the year I'll probably at least explain stuff like maps and road signs. I see it being a tall order for stuff like that to be retained in memory though. Most of our extended family can't even remember where to find the campground they have been going to for over twenty years much less how navigate signage to it.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on July 13, 2021, 01:37:16 PM
// Most of our extended family can't even remember where to find the campground they have been going to for over twenty years //
When my son got his permit, he asked if he could drive to church. Sure, why not. He gets behind the wheel, makes all the adjustments and is ready to back out. "How do we get there?"
We only lived 3 miles from church, and had been going there 2-3 times a week for the last decade and a half.
I teach maps to the older generation.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on July 13, 2021, 03:21:16 PM
I teach maps to the older generation.
community service?
Quote from: GaryV on July 13, 2021, 03:03:40 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on July 13, 2021, 01:37:16 PM
// Most of our extended family can't even remember where to find the campground they have been going to for over twenty years //
When my son got his permit, he asked if he could drive to church. Sure, why not. He gets behind the wheel, makes all the adjustments and is ready to back out. "How do we get there?"
We only lived 3 miles from church, and had been going there 2-3 times a week for the last decade and a half.
I remember my mom telling the story of my cousin. His parents (my aunt/uncle) were aghast that he, after getting his license, didn't know how to drive to the mall he was taken to at least once a week for probably most of his walking life.
From an early age, like 4ish, I have been collecting and studying road maps and atlases.
When I decided on the college I was going to go to, neither of my parents had visited the campus with me. (Long story short, I went with a friend who was going into the seminary at St Thomas to check out the seminary for myself. I passed on the seminary but the campus was beautiful.) Now, for my parents, they knew how to get to St Paul from home but once in the Twin Cities, I was doing all the navigating from memory. I found the campus easy enough and my mom was shocked. I then took my parents down Summit Ave to see how beautiful this city was.
My dad has always used a Rand McNally road atlas, and I grew up helping with the route planning. My mom also likes knowing where we're going by the map, at least a rough idea of the highways we'll use.
Every so often, my own kids break out the Rand McNally to find out where we are along the way. I enjoy teaching them how to read the map.
When I was around middle school age my parents asked me to give them directions from Madison to Denver. We had done that 1,000 mile drive once before. I didn't need to look at a map once the whole way.
Quote from: thspfc on July 13, 2021, 07:04:08 PM
When I was around middle school age my parents asked me to give them directions from Madison to Denver. We had done that 1,000 mile drive once before. I didn't need to look at a map once the whole way.
For all interstate drives the mental map is often good enough.
I taught myself how to read road maps with a 2008 St Louis Rand Mcnally street guide. I have no clue where I placed that book, as it still have the old US 40 interchange layouts.
Hagstrom atlases and maps were how I got into roadgeeking. You know, the yellow ones!
The parents of elementary school-age children now came of age during a time when online mapping was just taking hold and smartphones became ubiquitous, and GPS devices were on the rise.
Each year, I work an annual back-to-school event at which we give out various highway safety trinkets (activity books, pencils, crayons, whatever keychains or litter bags we may have to spare, etc.) A couple of years ago, we were a bit low on giveaway items so I got a box of official Kentucky maps to supplement our supplies. A whole lot of parents were grateful for them.
As someone who grew up with maps and atlases and still uses them, it was gratifying to see younger people actually still wanting to have and use them.
Quote from: SkyPesos on July 13, 2021, 09:28:43 PM
I taught myself how to read road maps with a 2008 St Louis Rand Mcnally street guide. I have no clue where I placed that book, as it still have the old US 40 interchange layouts.
Found it while going through some boxes. And turns out it does have the old US 40 interchanges...
(https://i.imgur.com/W1PaOUd.jpg)
(I have no clue what the highlighting is for.)
Quote from: thspfc on July 13, 2021, 07:04:08 PM
When I was around middle school age my parents asked me to give them directions from Madison to Denver. We had done that 1,000 mile drive once before. I didn't need to look at a map once the whole way.
US-151 to I-80 to I-76? That's my guess.