Do you use a paper map?

[LeonardS]

For me, when I use a GPS to get somewhere, I am dependent on it to get me back. If I look at a map and figure it out, once I get there I know where I am and how to get back. I also tend to notice more of my surroundings when I'm not just following GPS, or Siri.

That being said, there's nothing like a GPS to tell you where you when you are lost. Unless you happen to like asking for directions.

Doesn't AAA still give out free maps? I haven't asked for them in a while.

[Jared J]

I went green, GPS for me. I don't miss trying to read a map while driving, especially when that road you needed was blocked off for construction, and now you have to think fast.

The GPS had traffic and construction updates, and goes right past all of it, 95%of the time.

[Terry R.]

Imo., the large print Atlas I have tried to use, were missing all the fun small roads. Had to go back to the regular print ones and a magnifying glass.

[RRJR]

Here in Ontario road maps are costly, but I like them. Gps is great for finding addresses in towns and citys, great for finding local eaterys too.

[_Scamp87_]

I took a road trip alone a couple of months ago. I took my gps and had my phone. I flew into Vegas...rented a car for a 6 day road trip...drove straight to Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, then Venice Beach and turned the car in at LAX...my gps was crap. Those who know the area will laugh at me...i seriously cried half way through the Mojave because i was so afraid of being stranded alone...no gps no iphone signal no food no water and no sense. I was so thankful that i had printed out mapquest directions for 'just incase'...and this is something i NEVER do...i always depend on gps and iphone. The Magellan company said it was because i went over 900 miles with it so quickly and it needed to be reset...not the case...it was giving me all kinds of crazy directions. I ended up stopping in Yucca Valley and buying a Garmin. I knew there was no way i would be able to make it through LA without one.

Such a stressful first day of the road trip. I love Joshua Tree. I can't wait to go again...with an ATLAS and a road map!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

I'm considering replacement of our 2007 Road Atlas at the navigators suggestion. I like paper maps. But with several mapping options online as well as GPS receivers I wonder how many others still use paper maps. Perhaps like printed newspapers, they are on the way out? Just curious. Raz

The GPS can sometimes get confused or have other ideas from yours. Sometimes there's no "on-line" to be had.
A good paper map brings a reassuring comfort, knowing it's there when you need it.

[KevinPete]

Most of the problems I've seen with GPS units is that the map data is either inaccurate or outdated. I tried to contact all the major mapping companies such as Navteq when we mapped our county, there was no interest in getting accurate data for free. Same with UPS, FedEx- a delivery driver was grousing about finding addresses, I explained the scheme to him in about 30 seconds, if you can find the road, you can find the address. It's been over 6 years now, none of the large map providers has updated either road names or addresses. Funny thing is, I had people who sent in "corrections" to Google, they changed them to the wrong name without any verification. Would seem to be better to get a complete dataset in standard format from the agency that is legally responsible for naming roads, but I guess they don't care.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by carlkeigley

I use both worlds. But will always be an OLD school type guy.

Having lived in Southern California for 36 years, I am accustomed to using the Thomas Guide. I keep the "latest" San Diego/Imperial County and Portland editions in the car. I have older Los Angeles/Orange County and San Bernardino/Riverside editions in my desk drawer at home. When planning trips I use Google Maps. I was given a Magellan GPS for Christmas, and its in the car, but it usually stays in its box.

[Pam Garlow]

There will always be a need to have some paper products, because electronics cannot replace everything. (just ask someone with a cold if they want an 'e-kleenex'. )

I love my paper maps, but also use my IPad with google maps on it

[Cyndi B.]

I like to see what the governor and his wife look like in each state. Never give my husband GPS. He tends to substitute it for the windshield.

[RogerDat]

Paper maps or atlas give me a better feel for an entire area. I can see things that are "over there" such as parks, rivers, lakes, towns etc. I can tell what quality of roads I'm looking at, where I am in relation to major roads, mountain pass heights. All on a nice big paper "screen" a whole lot bigger than a tablet or a phone.

I have no problem with the idea of "looks like if we head East we will hit SR 53 eventually." I sort of go with Daniel Boone approach. I'm never lost, sometimes I am a might unsure of my exact whereabouts for a day or two. But I'm not lost because I know Canada is that way and Mexico is the other direction. Sun rise is that way and sets that way, hit an ocean and I've gone too far.


GPS might be nice to answer the question "where the heck are we" assuming I have not paid any attention to the map or think I might be doing victory laps of Atlanta construction zones. I do like the printed driving directions from online, they can be really helpful in terms of distances to turn off or exit. But I always relate them to an overall map of the area. Why waste almost a half century of map reading experience?

[Don'n'Deb]

I used MapQuest directions when going to pick-up ' There Yet ' the first time, got sent the wrong way, and had to call OP. Well, while explaining the new directions to Deb, I missed a stop sign. One Frontier down!! Enter Tundra and TomTom ; drove right to the guys driveway. Yes, I use paper and computer maps, but I don't leave home without TomTom. I even now use it " Trucking". Truckers don't get lost, someone will tell them where go!! LOL

[LeonardS]

So those folks in Northern California and Western Oregon years past that somehow got themselves on snow closed roads and stuck for days....were they using GPS or paper maps?

Most paper maps show winter road closures.

[FJ40Jim]

Yes, I like to keep my travel route "loose". A paper road atlas allows me to look ahead 100miles and say "I think I wanna go through this little town and avoid this big city."

I also have a basic GPS that tells speed & heading & allows dropping waypoints.

One of these days I would like to upgrade to a small tablet running a GPS program to have the convenience of just typing in a destination address.

[carlkeigley]

[Why waste almost a half century of map reading experience?]

I think that can explain some preferences.
I'm sure there are many who can't read a map. My wife is lost on one.
Then there are the tech babies that have probably never seen a map.

I used to sack groceries in an IGA store. The head check lady could sling
those canned goods at me faster than I could bag them. And no mistakes.
That's on a manual electric register. When the power was down I had to
crank the register for her. She wore my arm out.

Many cash clerks today don't know what to do without a scanner and even
then when it tells them the correct change they have trouble making change
back to you. So, experience in real life makes a big difference in our choices.

I on the other hand have big problems with the advanced techy stuff.
I'm somewhere in the middle. Know just enough to get by. But I could definitely
survive without all the tech stuff. Without the satellites roaming most of the world
would come to chaos. But for some of us old timers, it'd just be another day.

[Ricky 4]

We use a GPS and also have an atlas and maps.
We don't rely on just the GPS.
I like to look on the map and see what towns are coming up next and the atlas has info on interesting things to see in some towns.
I still like books in paper form.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by LeonardS

So those folks in Northern California and Western Oregon years past that somehow got themselves on snow closed roads and stuck for days....were they using GPS or paper maps?

Either, neither, or both. There are recent stories of people who got themselves stuck in various situations using just about any combination of navigation technology. The common element is that the successful any tool requires intelligence, so lacking the application of intelligence any tool can fail to produce the desired result.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by KevinPete

Most of the problems I've seen with GPS units is that the map data is either inaccurate or outdated.

The same for paper. Whole subdivisions and freeways exist in the blank spaces of printed maps that have not been replaced recently enough.

I once got off-track in an unfamiliar city, so I stopped at the next intersection to read the signs for the streets and look up their intersection on my map. The streets were not in the index. When I finally worked my way to a place which could be found on the map, I realized that I had been in an area (several blocks in each direction) where the streets were all shown, but the names were not.

The main advantage of paper for updates is that any sufficiently detailed paper map will do, even if it is not the same style as its predecessor, but a GPS update must be in the exact form required by that GPS system to be usable.

[Carol H]

As far as I'm concerned my GPS was the best 140 dollars I have ever spent for travel. Great for warning me of traffic back ups & offers an alternative way often much faster. Ask it for the closest grocery store or gas station all very handy to have in a strange area. It will also show me the locations of state parks near me.
No wasting time driving around or searching on maps. Or trying to read a map while driving.

I do have an atlas that I keep in the car & when traveling in remote areas I will take a look at the route the GPS is suggesting to be on the safe side. I have also programmed it to warn me if the route it has planned includes any gravel roads.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by LeonardS

So those folks in Northern California and Western Oregon years past that somehow got themselves on snow closed roads and stuck for days....were they using GPS or paper maps?

Most paper maps show winter road closures.

They weren't using anything, including their brains and common sense. I don't care if it IS the right road, if the conditions are that bad, stay home. If you don't have food, water, pack boots, straps, tire chains, a shovel, winter clothing, and a heat source…stay home. If kids are with, stay home!

I will drive in bad winter conditions, but I also carry a ridiculous amount of winter gear with me.