Are you a human compass?

ahi · 09-16-2009, 02:39 PM

... like this guy:

Quote:

When I was a teen, I always consciously kept track where the North was. Every time I made a turn, I would adjust my imaginary compass - yeah I was some kind of freak. I would also make note of the orientation of some landmarks in every city. After a while, it became an automatism, now (over 20 yrs later) I often amaze people by pointing where the North is with very good accuracy without using a compass.

I'm assuming he means that this works even when he goes to place he hasn't been before.

If you are like him, pray tell us more about your enviable superpower!

- Ahi

EowynCarter · 09-16-2009, 02:48 PM

I'll be unable to tell "north" or "south". But I'm usually good at marking the direction I want to go and keep it.

Bilbo1967 · 09-16-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I'll be unable to tell "north" or "south". But I'm usually good at marking the direction I want to go and keep it.

Nope, totally spacially challenged myself. Most days I couldn't even tell you which way was 'up'.

desertgrandma · 09-16-2009, 02:55 PM

I get lost going to the bathroom.....but thats just me.

Bilbo1967 · 09-16-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I get lost going to the bathroom.....but thats just me.

Well, that would explain the mysterious damp patch in the dining room then.

derrell · 09-16-2009, 03:22 PM

I pay attention this also. It drives me crazy when I get somewhere and was asleep when we arrived and no longer have any idea which direction is which. I have no built in pigeon sense that tells me which way I'm heading.

Back when I used to travel more this drove me so insane that I bought a watch that had a built in compass so I could tell which direction was north if I lost track.

Who are you? · 09-16-2009, 03:27 PM

When I need a direction I usually just check the time and the sun and figure it out from that. For most uses that's accurate enough (e.g. going in a single direction when you get lost hiking).

PennyPie · 09-16-2009, 04:02 PM

Ummm...yep I too keep directions in mind. If we're traveling, I always try to align myself when we reach our destination. I'm very 'map' oriented' ( for lack of a better phrase). I get uncomfortable, almost disoriented, if I don't have a handle on directions in an unfamiliar area.

RWood · 09-16-2009, 05:02 PM

He reminds me a lot of myself. I always seem to be able to relate where I am to a map complete with compass points. Since about 2nd grade my parents always gave me the maps when we traveled and we never got lost (again.) It does drive my wife crazy.

Wetdogeared · 09-16-2009, 05:32 PM

Ocean to the left (west) of me, mountains to the right (east), here I am stuck in the middle of 'I don't know where', with either GPS #1 in the car, or GPS #2 on the bike.

WDE.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 09-16-2009, 05:39 PM

I usually have a pretty accurate idea of which way is which. I'm also the mapreader when the yeti & I go anywhere.

Elsi · 09-16-2009, 06:11 PM

Not me -- but my husband seems to have a built-in compass in his head. All it takes is for me to step inside a building and I'm all turned around. He can go up stairs, around corners, through twisty little passages all alike, and still know which direction is which.

ravenne · 09-16-2009, 06:15 PM

I'm the most directionless person on earth! I have one GPS for the car, one for cycling and one for running. Way back when there were no GPS / navigation systems we frequently did a lot of extra sightseeing on vacations because I held the map upside down....

krisk · 09-16-2009, 06:27 PM

I have an excellent internal compass! I can walk around the woods at night with no light and get where I am going without error. this has driven generations of Girl Scouts crazy as I would show up in their campsites unannounced, with no fanfare, and of course, no light! I also used to do a great deal of spelunking and could without error get back to the entrance we came in through after several hours down, and once even after several days down.

ravenne · 09-16-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisk

I have an excellent internal compass! I can walk around the woods at night with no light and get where I am going without error. this has driven generations of Girl Scouts crazy as I would show up in their campsites unannounced, with no fanfare, and of course, no light! I also used to do a great deal of spelunking and could without error get back to the entrance we came in through after several hours down, and once even after several days down.

I'm wondering what you're doing out in the woods at night?

Hopefully you're not going out there alone, are you?

09-16-2009, 05:32 PM	#10
Wetdogeared Storm Surge'n Posts: 5,780 Karma: 8213195 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Polar Vortex Device: S0ny PRS-300/350/505/700/T1	No. Ocean to the left (west) of me, mountains to the right (east), here I am stuck in the middle of 'I don't know where', with either GPS #1 in the car, or GPS #2 on the bike. WDE.

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09-16-2009, 02:48 PM	#2
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	I'll be unable to tell "north" or "south". But I'm usually good at marking the direction I want to go and keep it.

09-16-2009, 02:55 PM	#4
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	I get lost going to the bathroom.....but thats just me.

09-16-2009, 03:22 PM	#6
derrell Jack O' Apes Posts: 227 Karma: 1939 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oklahoma Device: Ebookwise 1150, Nokia N810, EZ-Reader, HTC Droid Incredible, Archos 70	I pay attention this also. It drives me crazy when I get somewhere and was asleep when we arrived and no longer have any idea which direction is which. I have no built in pigeon sense that tells me which way I'm heading. Back when I used to travel more this drove me so insane that I bought a watch that had a built in compass so I could tell which direction was north if I lost track.

09-16-2009, 03:27 PM	#7
Who are you? Groupie Posts: 184 Karma: 300001 Join Date: May 2009 Device: 505	When I need a direction I usually just check the time and the sun and figure it out from that. For most uses that's accurate enough (e.g. going in a single direction when you get lost hiking).

09-16-2009, 04:02 PM	#8
PennyPie Cocoa & Toast...mmmmmm... Posts: 275 Karma: 1000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ohio Device: Sony PRS-700, iPhone	Ummm...yep I too keep directions in mind. If we're traveling, I always try to align myself when we reach our destination. I'm very 'map' oriented' ( for lack of a better phrase). I get uncomfortable, almost disoriented, if I don't have a handle on directions in an unfamiliar area.

09-16-2009, 05:02 PM	#9
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	He reminds me a lot of myself. I always seem to be able to relate where I am to a map complete with compass points. Since about 2nd grade my parents always gave me the maps when we traveled and we never got lost (again.) It does drive my wife crazy.

09-16-2009, 05:39 PM	#11
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I usually have a pretty accurate idea of which way is which. I'm also the mapreader when the yeti & I go anywhere.

09-16-2009, 06:11 PM	#12
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	Not me -- but my husband seems to have a built-in compass in his head. All it takes is for me to step inside a building and I'm all turned around. He can go up stairs, around corners, through twisty little passages all alike, and still know which direction is which.

09-16-2009, 06:15 PM	#13
ravenne Wizard Posts: 4,917 Karma: 1840619 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Munich, Germany Device: Kindle PW, PocketBook 360°, Cybook Gen3, iPad mini	I'm the most directionless person on earth! I have one GPS for the car, one for cycling and one for running. Way back when there were no GPS / navigation systems we frequently did a lot of extra sightseeing on vacations because I held the map upside down....

09-16-2009, 06:27 PM	#14
krisk Wizard Posts: 2,148 Karma: 8229 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the road again Device: kindle	I have an excellent internal compass! I can walk around the woods at night with no light and get where I am going without error. this has driven generations of Girl Scouts crazy as I would show up in their campsites unannounced, with no fanfare, and of course, no light! I also used to do a great deal of spelunking and could without error get back to the entrance we came in through after several hours down, and once even after several days down.