spokesNspin

One day last week, I was bicycling to work and a driver rolled down the window in her car to talk with me.  She was wearing a uniform and I wondered if it was a policeman about to accuse me of something. 

She wanted to know how to get to a certain street.  Ever wanting to be a helpful person, I gave her the best directions I could.  A few weeks ago another woman, this time in Old Town, asked for directions.  She was really lost.

On a regular basis people are asking me for directions.  I think the reason is that cyclists are so available and easy to accost.  

There is a certain risk when drivers ask cyclists for directions.  Just as with automobile drivers, you don’t always remember the street names etc. of places where you drive.  You just know how to get there.  It is sometimes hard to give a person who is lost directions.

Pennsylvania was the worst place I have ever lived for asking directions.  I must point out here that I am not against asking for directions.

Me: How do I get to such and such a place.

Pennsylvanian: That’s easy.  Just take this road down to where the old Johnson Hardware ”used” to be.

Do you see the irony here?  If I had been around twenty years ago when Johnson Hardware was a going concern I wouldn’t be lost.   But this seemed to be “lost” on the helpful folks of PA.   Giving directions in that manner seemed to be a common trait.

I kind of got off track here.

I am worried that when I give a car driver directions I am inadvertantly getting them more lost then they were when they stopped and asked me.

Here is how the conversation might go.

Lost Driver: How do I get to 10th street from here?

Me: Just turn right at that next stop sign. Go until the road T’s then turn left.  Drive one block and you should be there.

I was correct about turning right at the next stop sign.  But after the first block you cross a street, bunny hop a curb, cruise down the alley between Commerce Bank and Walgreens, cross another street, go down the old narrow rail road tunnel that is now a jogging/bike path, you come out and twist through a motor vehicle barrier onto the street and turn left. 

Very simple.

If you stopped me and ask for directions last week, misguiding you was not intentional.