Eek! DD got lost!

[minkydog]

DD17 went on her first job interview tonight. I took her on a dry run last night to be sure she knew how to get there. Apparently the interview went well, but when she left all the streetlights & traffic lights were out. It was dark and raining hard and I think she must have gotten disoriented. She took a wrong turn and ended up seriously lost. Not only did she have no idea where she was, she has no inner sense of direction. She knew she was on a main road and she drove back and forth on it, but couldn't find anything familiar. Turns out she was about 15 miles from home, lost in a town she had never been in before. THankfully, she saw a Publix grocery so she went inside and asked directions to a big HS near our house. They were able to point her in the right direction and she got home about 20 minutes later. All told, she was lost for over an hour.

This is her second episode of lostness--the last time she got lost she was going up to the gas station Hmmm, I think Santa will be bringing her a GPS...

 

[golfgal]

DS18 is directionally challenged as well. He uses my GPS, a lot. He also has figured out he has GPS on his phone and will use that too.

 

[minkydog]

DS18 is directionally challenged as well. He uses my GPS, a lot. He also has figured out he has GPS on his phone and will use that too.

She's just like her dad--he couldn't find his back pocket. It's kinda weird to me because directions are something that I get. I rarely get lost. I just have this giant map in my head and I always know N-S-E-W.

 

[okeydokey]

Sounds like something I would have done at that age (and still would do occasionally at this age). I love my Droid for its GPS.

 

[golfgal]

Sounds like something I would have done at that age (and still would do occasionally at this age). I love my Droid for its GPS.

I haven't used my Droid yet. Do you know if you can have it "talk" to you through a bluetooth?

 

[Handbag Lady]

My husband has a map in his head.

I do not.

If I get lost, I call him. He won't let me have a GPS as he says I *SHOULD* be able to always find my way. (*By "let" I mean in a joking way. I could just go buy one but I humor him because I love calling him at odd times asking for directions.)

I've been lost in the same town I grew up in, less than three miles from the house I lived in for 22 years. Really. Otherwise, I'm quite productive in life.

 

[KandD]

That is really impressive that she stopped for directions and knew to ask where the high school was!
When I was that age I probably would have gotten so nervous that I wouldn't be able to think straight. Good for her! (although a GPS does sound like a nice Xmas gift!)

 

[mamacatnv]

Yes, I think a GPS is in order - one of the features that I love on my Garmin is the "Home" feature.

I too have a very good sense of direction but grew up with a Mother that would get lost in our own house, I remember her fear and sense of panic.

I think it is like common sense, the ability to multi task, the ability to color match or even the ability to decorate, you either have it or you don't.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd just calls us when she gets lost. DH wants to get both of us GPS's.

 

[minkydog]

That is really impressive that she stopped for directions and knew to ask where the high school was!
When I was that age I probably would have gotten so nervous that I wouldn't be able to think straight. Good for her! (although a GPS does sound like a nice Xmas gift!)

Yeah, she's pretty resourceful. She called me first and I couldn't get a good read on where she was(I never thought that she might be clear over in another town!) DD17 was a little freaked out but she has a level head, I'll give her that. I'm really proud of her for figuring it out.

 

[redlight]

I am also a little directionally challenged. Can your daughter read a map?

 

[dis-happy]

My husband has a map in his head.

I do not.

If I get lost, I call him. He won't let me have a GPS as he says I *SHOULD* be able to always find my way. (*By "let" I mean in a joking way. I could just go buy one but I humor him because I love calling him at odd times asking for directions.)

I've been lost in the same town I grew up in, less than three miles from the house I lived in for 22 years. Really. Otherwise, I'm quite productive in life.

My DH always knows when I'm lost and calling him for directions. He thinks it's really funny to answer the phone with "Onstar here". LOLOLOL

Definitely get the GPS. Gave one to my dd when she went off to college and getting another one for my ds at Chistmas since he just got his license.

 

[Ephany]

Before the GPS, when we moved to a new town, I'd spend a day 'getting lost' so I'd be able to find my way home again when I really did get lost. My mom got lost a lot, and unfortunately, I seem to inherited that particular skill.

A GPS sounds like a nice Christmas present, my only recommendation is don't put 'Home' as your real address, perhaps pick a store or a school close by. I've known a couple of people who've had their units stolen and now the thief knows where they live also.

 

[MELSMICE]

She's just like her dad--he couldn't find his back pocket. It's kinda weird to me because directions are something that I get. I rarely get lost. I just have this giant map in my head and I always know N-S-E-W.

Sounds like me. I have no sense of direction & to be honest, it's horrible. Thank goodness for a GPS. It's a Godsend for us that are directionally challenged.

 

[Sparx]

If you get her a GPS, I'd get her a map as a back up just in case too, and make sure she can read it.

I've seen a GPS get confused on back roads or on close city streets (not being able to pinpoint the exact street you're on for a few minutes) and that can be really stressful for a new driver.

I think its really important to have a paper map as a back up in case anything happens to the gps (like its lost or stolen, or if it stops working)

 

[disfan07]

I have no sense of direction at all. But, I also have no GPS. I have a map and a cell phone. Thats all I seem to need.

I drove from Northern Virginia to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore with mapquest directions and a map just in case.

I think that GPS is great but more importantly, I would make sure that she can read a map and always has one of the area with her.

My dad has a GPS and I tried to use it once and I much prefer to get directions on google and carry a map. I HATED the GPS. ( and the GPS is what got me lost anyways....lol)

 

[PatsGirl]

When DS got his license I was amazed at how little he knew about his surroundings until I took the time to remember back when I first starting driving. Some kids just don't pay any attention when they are being carted around for 16 years About a week after getting his license and truck he was out one Friday night and called 15 minutes after curfew telling me he had taken the highway in the wrong direction and didn't realize it until he hit a major bridge 25 miles from home He got a GPS for Xmas that year, lol

Now, after the many adventures he put me through in the following two years I wonder if that is even a true story, didn't occur to me until just now putting in in writing that it was probably one of the first of MANY times he pulled the wool over my eyes

Anyways, DD13 started telling me "take a left here" and "one more road and we'll be there" since she was about 4. She was one of those kindergarten kids that could tell another parent directions on taking her home and we live very secluded so no GPS necessary for her.

 

[golfgal]

Staples has an online deal today only for Tom Tom for $89.99.