Photo credit: Archie Archambault
Go here to purchase the LA map or look at the others.
He’s created nearly 40 maps total. He visits each city, wanders around, and hangs with locals in the know: residents, leaders, and (who better?) real estate agents.
He’s even got maps of the Milky Way, the Moon, the brain and the gut!
“New research indicates that GPS’s are hindering our ability to create mental maps of our surroundings. My maps aim to install a “Map from the Mind,” simplifying structures and neighborhoods in the most efficient and beautiful way. The circle, our Universe’s softest shape, is the clearest graphic to convey size and connection.” —Archie Archambault
This reinforces my instinct to avoid GPS as much as possible, and force myself to navigate with maps, using handwritten directions that I’ve plotted myself and keeping track of landmarks as I go.
Don’t get me wrong — I love being able to pull up a Google map and look at street view to get a sense of where I’m going before leaving the house. But so far I’ve resisted using step-by-step navigation.
I don’t want to lose the ability to find my way.
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5 Comments
Mari
What a great idea to ditch GPS’s. U probably don’t know this about me, but I lovvvvvve maps and can sit there and stare and study one all day. The one thing I loved about moving to a knew city was learning my way around, learning all the freeways and side streets, and learning what’s along the way. I remember loving to learn my way through Santa Cruz and then in Houston when I first moved there. Even in LA when I moved to SFV (totally different world out there) and then to Santa Monica, which were new LA territories for me…I loved learning my way around there.
I do use my Waze app a lot to see what traffic is like, which is almost a must when driving in LA, but I think I might just turn it off once I get an idea of what traffic is like and what my quickest way will be. I can say one thing I do like about waze is that it’ll take u in completely different new, side street, ways to get around traffic. That’s when I learn new ways. That’s always fun…
01 Mar 2016 10:03 am (@Cruzn_mari)
Kim@OCDtravel
That's a good point about Waze helping you find new ways to get around. I've heard that from some friends. So, ok, technology has its advantages :)
(and definitely for the traffic info ... another good point)
I could totally study maps all day, too!
01 Mar 2016 10:03 am (@Twitter)
Petrea Burchard
I love maps, too! My first job as a teenager was as a travel router, and I’ve loved maps ever since. I like Google maps and I often plan my travel with it before I head out. (And let’s not forget sigalert.com.) Before my Paris trip I studied the city on Google Earth.
The only experiences I’ve had with GPS were when other drivers used it. Once a friend was coming to our house in Pasadena and ended up in South Pasadena, several miles away during rush hour. And once a friend and I ended up on what was basically a cliff. I trust my sense of direction much more than I trust GPS!
01 Mar 2016 07:03 pm (@Twitter)
Kim@OCDtravel
A travel router, that sounds like an interesting job. Who were you routing?
And how did you end up on a cliff?!? lol
My only experience with GPS is also when other people use it. I do have to admit that the directions can sometimes help avoid traffic (I learned this lesson the hard way, when I ignored my friend's GPS instructions because I knew there was a closer onramp to the freeway... turns out, traffic was jammed there and if I'd listened to the direction we would have avoided at least some of it). Live and learn.
But overall I don't want to be too reliant on it.
02 Mar 2016 08:03 am (@Twitter)
Petrea Burchard
It was my first job. Amoco Motor Club (the Midwestern equivalent of AAA). I made “triptiks” for people traveling in their cars. I learned all the best routes and points of interest.
The cliff: Trying to get from Pasadena to Wilshire Blvd. I knew the route, but the driver listened to her GPS and we ended up on a street in Silverlake that was so steep she was afraid to drive down it. If her brakes had failed we’d have gone straight into the reservoir!
02 Mar 2016 02:03 pm (@Twitter)