18
Rant: My uncle said I was lazy for using GPS instead of reading a map
Was talking to my uncle at a family BBQ last weekend and he went off about how truckers like me are lazy for relying on GPS instead of paper maps. He said I'd be lost if the signal died, which honestly got me thinking about how much I actually depend on it. Has anyone else had someone make you question a habit you thought was totally fine?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
jasonf178d ago
Yeah but does your uncle still drive a rig or is he retired and just talking? Paper maps are fine if you got all day to pull over and unfold them across the steering wheel. I use GPS but I still glance at the map on my phone to get the big picture before I start rolling. The signal dying thing is real though, I keep a backup atlas under my seat just in case. Nothing wrong with using the tools we got.
4
ellis.susan7d agoMost Upvoted
Totally agree with you on keeping a backup atlas. It's funny how we all kind of settle into this mix of old and new tech without really thinking about it. Like, I'll use GPS for the turn by turn stuff but I still pull out a physical map if I'm going somewhere totally unfamiliar, just to see the whole route laid out. It's the same with everything now, I notice people still use paper planners alongside their phone calendars or keep a real cookbook next to their tablet. We're all just finding what sticks, lol.
1
grace_campbell7d ago
Used to think paper maps were just clutter from a different era. But after getting caught in a dead zone in the mountains last summer with no signal for three hours, I completely changed my mind. Now I keep a state road atlas in my glovebox and it's saved me twice when my phone couldn't even load a map. You're right, having the old school backup feels more like common sense than nostalgia.
7