I'm Shaking My Head at Myself...

...I doubt it will be the last time.

I never thought I would succumb, but I guess I'm not as strong as I thought. We got a GPS. MBB convinced me that it will pay for itself in a few years because when we are away and rent a car we won't need to rent a GPS. I think he convinced me because I figured that meant we actually, possibly, would go away at least once a year (Though as soon as I opened the box he said "oh, I can take that on my next business trip." My thought was "hmm, I thought it was for US to take" and then, "yeah your company can pay US the ten bucks a day to rent the machine!" and then "as the guy in charge of the bottom line there, maybe he was trying to save the COMPANY money").

Why don't I like GPS machines? Maybe, because some of the people I know who use them are silly, and never look at a map or know anything about their destination until they get in the car, and SOMETIMES will look at the whole route before driving. Though mostly they plug in the address while driving, so they probably sit back and wait to be told what to do. Hmmm, maybe the machine was developed by aliens (who came down to earth and made themselves look like people)so they could get humans so used to following directions that once they actually take over the world it will be easier because of all the people so inured to following the GPS.

But I digress.

We haven't used the GPS yet, since we've only gone places that have been well traveled. However, I know people who will use the GPS to go places they know how to go, which makes no sense to me (or the aliens are on to something). People like to be told what to do, they love direction and the ability not to think. Makes for a comforting feeling when you're on the road....knowing that the cars on the road with you are driven by mindless drones, who are not only talking on their bluetooth enabled GPS, and eating a sandwich, but paying no attention to where they are going until the VOICE tells them where to go.

I contend that it is not hypocritical that we have used GPS systems when we rent cars on vacation. We ALSO print out mapquest directions to places we know we want to go, just as a backup. (though for local driving the best resource is someone who lives in that town). I'm not a complete rube, I know the benefits of this machine, quick change of plans, and wrong turns are easily fixable (though once in Minneapolis we had a GPS whose voice literally sounded ANNOYED when it said "recalculating." We had a few people listen to it, and they agreed. Basically say "recalculating" in a voice that would be followed by a pursed frown. That's what it sounded like)without fighting with a huge map while trying to drive, or putting yourself in danger by pulling over into a shoulder of a six lane highway with a speed limit of 70...try getting back into THAT traffic.

I do see some cool features that could be very helpful, especially when driving with kids. Knowing how far to the next gas station or convenience store (read: bathroom)and HOW TO GET THERE is invaluable. I just don't want to lose the desire to know where I'm going before I get there, or the different possible routes ahead of time. I'll just have to be strong for myself.

Plus, now I'm not dreading the drive home on visiting day, as much. I'm sure this machine can easily direct me out of the bumper to bumper traffic through alternate and less traveled routes.

Me and everyone else with a GPS.