Let’s say you’re cruising through some desolate part of the U.S. you’ve never been to when the trusty smartphone you’re navigating with craps out in the middle of the night. It’s then that you wish you had the foresight to have a backup plan. A folded paper map might seem like a waste of glove box space, but it’s the unexpected times when you might find it saves your bacon.Here are seven quality reasons why it’s worth it to you to have one handy:
- Reliability –They never lose power or signal.
- Safety –Between looking at the screen, hearing the Google Maps lady say the directions at the exact moment you passed the turn you needed, or that dreaded “recalculating” announcement, the distractions abound which can lead to safety issues. Sometimes there’s peace in pulling over and looking at a map.
- Speed –Studies have proven that using GPS can actually take longer than using a map to manually plot out your route.
- Mental Maps –Using a map forces you to pay more attention to your surroundings, which means there are local landmarks you’re more likely to pay attention to.
- Lay of the Land –Maps offer a “big picture” of where you’re at, where you’re going, and what’s in-between. That includes areas that might have a larger population and more rest, food, and entertainment options.
- Navigation Education –Having the skill to use your intuition can serve you well. Relying solely on digital directions means you’re taking another step to let this skill rot away. Take the time to make yourself smarter.
- Developing Your Mind For The Future –Studies are currently being done on how GPS-reliance might increase the risk of ugly brain problems like dementia and memory loss. In addition, there’s a thought too much reliance on digital assistance can “hinder our ability to imagine and think creatively about the future.”
Paper maps only cost a few bucks, and – at the very least – you can rip out pages and wad your gum up in them if you never end up using it for their intended purposes.
Source:Art of Manliness