Swore by paper maps for 15 years, now I can't read them at all

Back in 2018 I drove cross country from Ohio to Oregon with a giant Rand McNally atlas on the passenger seat. I would plan every turn the night before and write the exit numbers on a sticky note. My buddy laughed at me but I felt like a real navigator. Fast forward to last month, my phone died on the way to a job site in Columbus and I had zero idea where I was. Parked at a gas station, tried to unfold the old atlas I kept under the seat, and just stared at it for five minutes. Couldn't even find the highway I was on. GPS rewired my brain completely. Anyone else lose a basic skill after relying on apps? Or am I just getting old?

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dianas503d ago

Remember that maps aren't just about finding roads, they actually show you the LAND too. When you stare at a paper map you see hills and rivers and towns, but GPS just shows you a blue line and tells you when to turn. That's the part that messes with your brain, you stop building that bigger picture of where you are. I still keep a state map in my glovebox but I use it to plan trips ahead of time, not in the moment. Once your brain gets used to following a voice, switching back is like trying to read a foreign language.