Left, Right, or Straight Ahead?
I’ve been a trucker for many years, and when I’m riding around an unfamiliar town, it’s easy to get lost. Often I have to make snap decisions about which way to turn. Finding my way back on track becomes a crap shoot… blind luck. When I’m lost and come to a 4 way intersection, I must quickly choose which way to turn, or not. The wrong choice could be disastrous. How about you? In a pinch, which direction are you most instinctively or intuitively inclined to go? Left, right, or straight ahead until you reach the edge of the world? Any idea why you have such a preference, if you in fact have one?
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I go the way the little lass in my GPS tells me to go.
Assuming of course you don’t have a freakin GPS system in your vehicle! Like me. lol
No preference that I know of…many factors involved…like if there are landmarks that can help me (mountain/ocean), if I can remember where I came from, etc.
I’ve always wondered how one becomes a trucker. Sounds like fun.
I am left-handed, have two left feet, and lean far to the left politically. I always go left. So I say to you, “Go left, young man.”
If I need to head downtown, I aim for high buildings otherwise I’d just try to stay away from gangster parts of town! I very often get lost! I like maps.
@Futhermucker Assuming of course you don’t have a freakin GPS system in your vehicle! Like me. lol
Noah? Is that you?
If you have to rely on technology-free decisions, just make sure you keep turning the same way – like navigating a maze.
It all depends on where I’m going. I generally have a sense of where something is, even if I don’t have a GPS. I’ll turn the way that seems most likely to get me where I want to go. Usually I’m right.
I almost always turn right. Not sure why, it just seems safer to me than left. Straight seems like I’m furthering my mistake. But then, I’m aware if I make 3 fast right turns I might as well have gone left!!?
I’ve a good sense of direction. I read street signs (look for the E/W or N/S). I pay attention to the location of the sun (helps me to determine general direction). And I try to plot in my head the general layout of streets (most cities have a grid system of streets that work in conjunction with highways).
Turning left, right or gayly forward really depends on the general direction of my desired destination and on using my directional skills. This, and a willingness to stop at the 7-Eleven to ask for directions.
Assuming of course the sun is at its zenith and east west markers don’t mean a dang thing when you don’t know if the way back to the highway is north or south.
and btw prolificus , who turns “gayly forward”? Not ME dude! lol. Oh and there are no 7–11’s in the south, which is where I truck.
If I’m in a suburban/urban area I usually just park somewhere and get out and walk around until I figure it out.
If I’m in in the country, I just drive. Eventually I’ll come across a sign.
Always forward, nothing straight about me.
You can’t just park an 18 wheeler anywhere you please and get out and ask directions. Ugh. Ok, I see my first Fluther question was a fluthermuckin sucky question. I was hoping to touch upon instinct and habit more than anything…. Sorry, I’m new at this.
Grumpy fish is displeased :(
Always go right. That was my ex-husband’s advice. He was a truck driver also.
~ I did speak about instinct guided by my directional skills. I see you’d rather mock my gayly forward and pffft at my 7-Eleven than acknowledge someone’s answer… Not a good way to get more responses to your answers. ~ <said [removed
by me]>
@faye – they’re not, I fixed <it>.
@Futhermucker I don’t know what trucks you follow behind but the ones I wind up behind there is nothing quick about anything they do. If you are a driver it seems to me you have a month of Sundays to make up your mind to go which ever way you ultimately decide to go! Flip a freaking coin!!
@prolificus, your type is so small I can barely read it. I’m using a tiny laptop. I wasn’t mocking your comment I was jesting.
@Cruiser When you’re driving a 60+ foot long, 13 and a half foot tall, 10 speed, 80,000 pound GVW truck, and possibly lost… without a freakin GPS unit… it can take a month of sundays to get out of anyone’s way. On behalf of all truckers everywhere… we do apologize for the inconvenience.
@Futhermucker – welcome to Fluther. We use small print here often, so I hope you figure out how to read it on your laptop. I hope you’re not Fluthering and driving, the distraction can really screw up your instincts!
lol okay and thanks for the warm welcome. But I hope you understand I’m not a kid anymore and my eyesight may be diminishing… Maybe I won’t pass my next DOT physical without glasses. Who knows. No I’m not fluthering while driving, I’m parked in party row behing a Petro T stop in Georgia. Don’t worry I haven’t driven trucks 16 years w/o a single wreck cus I’m a complete idiot. ;)
I always turn right. I’m at home right now, so it works.
Since two rights don’t make a wrong, I tend to turn left at least once first. Of course, I get lost maneuvering out of my back yard, so…
On foot, I tend to go left. If piloting a vehicle, I tend to go right. If I know the direction in which my destination lies, I’ll try to go that way.
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