h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is pretty accurate to my experiences. The one thing I can think of that wasn't mentioned is the usual refusal in a mixed company situation of the men to actually get out of the car and ask for directions. This happened to a group of us once in Brooklyn. Eventually, my friend's girlfriend got out of the car and went in a McDonald's to get directions. As it turned out, this was probably a good thing, as she was the only one in the group who could speak Spanish. The directions didn't get us where we wanted to go, but while attempting to follow them, we passed a discount department store (Caldor, for anyone who is interested), where we were able to purchase a map.

I think many of these problems would be solved if the average person would actually learn to read maps properly, buy some, and then make sure they have them in the car. It is on this last point, that I usually fall short. I am usually the navigator on car trips as I am always the best map reader in the group. My problem is remembering to grab a map from my collection of city maps on my way out the door, thus forcing us to rely on memory of former trips to whatever city we're in and also the "detail" map in the road atlas.

In the aforementioned trip, we had forgotten to bring the road atlas with us, and were driving around New York relying on memory, which is almost never a good idea.

I agree with the tips regarding learning to read maps. Still, one must remember that a map won't do any good if you don't have some idea of the location of the destination.
Occasionally, lacking other alternatives, I've successfully employed the Dirk Gently method of getting to a destination; or, had fun trying.

I once had a VERY considerate person tell me exactly where the destination was located:
"Do you have a XYZ road map book? Please look on page 105 Block D6. We are on the East side of Liberty Avenue, between Seventh and Eighth St." If you didn't have the map, they would fax you that page.

Now before any Mapmakers tell me that I am condoning infringement of copyright, just remember it's a sure way to persuade the guided party to buy their own copy of the XYZ road map book in order to find the rest of the way from wherever they may be! I believe that's called ADVERTISING? Oh and I also fully agree - keep the map book in the car!