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February 20, 2006
Blessed are the (American) Mapmakers
It is cool and the moment to jump on the I-Hate-the-USA bandwagon and yes, I have done my fair share of Bush Bashing but for once I have something pleasant to say about y'all.
Who do you get to design your road maps and can you send them over here please?
I gained my reputation as a so called 'chief navigator' by directing my whole family on a road trip around Virginia, some years ago. No one was more pleasantly surprised than I, that my hidden talent had been discovered at last.
O' how I reigned for many years. Well until this weekend at least, when my mother and I decided to try out the new Ikea at Milton Keynes (digested review; very well designed except for the restaurant which was crap) On the way home we heard that there were major roadworks on the main road between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, so I whipped out a map decided to take us on a little detour; a couple of A roads, one B road and with my navigating we would be home in no time.
Ahem well I blame the map. In the USA you wouldn't get two roads with the same name running parallel to each other (What are there not enough numbers in the world or something?)Nor would a map insist that a road runs under the motorway when really it is a bridge. Nor would there be road signs that direct you to a town and then abandon you in the middle of nowhere.
We arrived back here in the dark, nearly two hours later and my tail was most certainly between my legs.
I wouldn't mind but all I got to show for my fall from grace was a wipe clean tablecloth a twin pack of bendy chopping boards and a squillion nightlights.
Posted by purple elephant at February 20, 2006 07:23 PM