I was driving to Providence to see a Bruins game with my friend Shannon. The two of us got into my car and called On Star so that we could get turn by turn directions to the game.
All was going well, and we could see the city from the highway. And then we hear “turn right off of Exit 18 to Providence.” Well that’s very hard to do when you’re in the left lane and two feet away from the exit.
I must be honest, my friend and I have been notorious for screwing up directions, but our experience got me thinking, don’t we rely a bit too much on technology these days?
Before I had On Star, I had a map, a map that I would have to read to get to my destination. A map that didn’t talk or display a digital arrow pointing me in the right direction. And my map and I always got to where we needed to go, on the first try.
My turn-by-turn navigation system is great; however when I was off the wrong exit trying to find a way back , the system told me I had left the highlighted route and it could no longer help me.
Well isn’t that great! Now I have no idea where I am, and my map? Well that’s at home, because why would I need a map when I have turn-by-turn directions?
I tried to call my On Star consultant back and ask for them to re-route me to the Dunkin Donuts Center. But of course I’m unable to connect with the server because I’m in the middle of nowhere. So Shannon and I try to hit different buttons and get our route re-uploaded.
“We never got lost in your old car,” Shannon tells me in a snooty manner.
“Yeah Shan, I got that,” I reply, kind of annoyed.
“Well where’s that map you used to have?”
“I don’t have it anymore.”
“Well it looks like you still need it,” she so helpfully informs me.
Though I was annoyed by her comments, Shannon brought up a good point. I did still need a map. I needed a map for when my technology failed me.
After a few phone calls to my mom and some guidance from a man at a gas station, I finally made it to the game. During the third quarter. Soon after my disappointment faded I began to realize how much we do rely on technology. If I had brought my map, I would have been able to get to where I needed to be on my own. But instead I relied on technology, and it ended up leaving me lost in the city.