Moved to Chicago in 2008 and back then I used paper maps for everything

I remember driving from Lincoln Park to a job in Oak Park with a giant fold out map on my passenger seat. Had to pull over 3 times just to figure out which one way streets went. Now I just punch an address in my phone and it reroutes me around traffic in real time. The GPS saves me at least 20 minutes a day easy. But I kinda miss the old way sometimes, felt more like you actually knew the city. Anyone else remember using the old grid system to navigate before smartphones?

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the_cameron2mo ago

Yeah "felt like you actually knew the city" that really hits for me. I used to have to memorize landmarks and street names just to get around, and after a few months I could tell you exactly which side streets to take to avoid rush hour. Now my brain just dumps all that info the second I close the maps app. It's kind of a trade off though because I can get anywhere without thinking but I don't feel as connected to the neighborhoods anymore.

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jana1192mo ago

That just made me laugh because I still forget where my own car is parked half the time even with GPS. Guess I'm just destined to always feel like a tourist in my own town.

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