I Know Exactly Where I am Darling, Honest

[RobBrady]

A study by car insurers Sheilas' Wheels reports that the average male drives an extra 276 miles per year as a result of being lost compared to women's 256 miles.

The survey also found that 26 per cent of men wait for at least half an hour before asking for directions and 12 per cent actually refuse point blank to ask a stranger for help.

The research also claimed that over 55s have the best sense of direction. Those surveyed admitted to getting lost just 26 times a year on average. The average motorist under 25 - what Sheilas' Wheels refer to as the "sat-nav generation" - gets lost an embarrassing 37 times a year.

I wonder does that mean that the sat-nav generation perceive that the technology gets them lost or do they admit to it being their own fault. Sat-nav on average, across the population, reduces journey times, but we hear reports all the time of destinations being input incorrectly and hapless drivers ending up miles away.
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Robert Brady

[M8TJT]

That means that men drive a whopping 10% further when lost. Hardly worth mentioning realy

[robertn]

If the avergae is 10000 miles / year, that means that 2.5% of the time the average person is driving they are "lost". That means that the average person is lost for about 1 week of the year. I wonder what their wife does for the week - and what she says when he gets home at the end of the week "Sorry honey, I got lost on my home from work!!!"

[culzean]

Being a man, I agree about males being less likely to ask for help when lost, this is because men like to work things out for themselves more than women do. In my experience, once women find a way to do things (on a computer, how to work a camera, how to get to a place etc. etc.) they will not try anything else, even though they may be doing it the hardest, longest way possible. Men on the other hand are much more inquisitive and will always be looking for a 'better' way, and if that involves getting lost sometimes, well Hey-Ho what the heck.

PS. I know my way around pretty well and mainly use my sat-nav for speed (sorry safety) cameras and POI's.

[DennisN]

I think you'll find that most men who don't ask for directions are the same ones who regard their cars as virility substitutes (I won't say the actual words on a family site!). Asking for directions is the same as admitting they are hopeless in the upstairs department.

Professional drivers don't have any such hangups - a lorry driver will stop and ask directions the minute he even vaguely supects something is wrong. He knows that not only does it cost extra in fuel and wear and tear to drive aimlessly hoping to get there, but he could easily find himself stuck in a nasty place. When I became a whitevan man nearly 12 years ago, I learned very very fast to ask directions - ego is no substitute for money disappearing down the exhaust pipe.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[culzean]

There is another reason why lorry and white van drivers are more likely to ask for help, they are normally on a tight schedule and as we all know 'time is money' !!!

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