How come nobody knows north, south, east and west?

Well First Off... · 25-01-2019 11:17PM #1

I think it's safe to say that if you reach the age of 20 and you can't tell which way south or north is, then you'll never know. I've tried explaining the simple concept to people, but I think it just goes in one ear and out the other.

People also seem embarrassed by the fact that they don't know. If I'm giving directions to people, they'll never come out and say "I don't know which way south is", and will instead pretend they know, and then I'll have to figure out that they actually don't know.

I once asked a fella which way south was, and his reply was "I couldn't tell you from here". Sounds like a good excuse, but we were standing in the same valley that his house was in and only about a mile away from where he did live! I doubt if I walked home with him and asked him the same question later, that he'd be able to answer!

It baffles me even more when they're able to know which side of the river in their city is north or south, but yet if you say 'north' when asking directions, they'll be completely stumped!

It's such a useful tool to use if you don't know the names of the streets. You can say "I'm on the street parallel to Church st on the east side"

Franz Von Peppercorn · 25-01-2019 11:18PM

Abd then Kate came in. Pissed me off as I was eating breakfast.

PirateShampoo · 25-01-2019 11:19PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

It's such a useful tool to use if you don't know the names of the streets. You can say "I'm on the street parallel to Church st on the east side"

Who has ever given directions like that?

Roger Hassenforder · 25-01-2019 11:20PM

Not knowing your arsė from your elbow is far more egregious

Gimme A Pound · 25-01-2019 11:21PM

Title = fake news.

guineapigstar · 25-01-2019 11:22PM

Stupid thread really.

Ninthlife · 25-01-2019 11:22PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

"I'm on the street parallel to Church st on the east side"

Sounds like an episode of COPS

looksee · 25-01-2019 11:23PM

Not much point giving directions about being on Church street on the east side when you know you are the only one that understands east.

blade1 · 25-01-2019 11:23PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

I once asked a fella which way south was

Seems like you don't know yourself.

Ninthlife · 25-01-2019 11:25PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

Well how would you describe it so if you didn't know the names of any other streets?

Use pub names, always worked for me.

Chancer3001 · 25-01-2019 11:25PM

My sat nav starts directions with sh1t like TURN EAST ...

Fuk off. I don't have a fukkin compass.

FFS. means sometimes I just have to drive/ walk a direction 50 50 chance I'm going the wrong way

PirateShampoo · 25-01-2019 11:26PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

Well how would you describe it so if you didn't know the names of any other streets?

I would say "do you know Church St, I'll meet you there"

ARNOLD J RIMMER · 25-01-2019 11:28PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

I think it's safe to say that if you reach the age of 20 and you can't tell which way south or north is, then you'll never know. I've tried explaining the simple concept to people, but I think it just goes in one ear and out the other.

People also seem embarrassed by the fact that they don't know. If I'm giving directions to people, they'll never come out and say "I don't know which way south is", and will instead pretend they know, and then I'll have to figure out that they actually don't know.

I once asked a fella which way south was, and his reply was "I couldn't tell you from here". Sounds like a good excuse, but we were standing in the same valley that his house was in and only about a mile away from where he did live! I doubt if I walked home with him and asked him the same question later, that he'd be able to answer!

It baffles me even more when they're able to know which side of the river in their city is north or south, but yet if you say 'north' when asking directions, they'll be completely stumped!

It's such a useful tool to use if you don't know the names of the streets. You can say "I'm on the street parallel to Church st on the east side"

So where I am now. Which way is EAST?

the_pen_turner · 25-01-2019 11:29PM

why would anyone need to used NSEW like that in directions .

do you really tell someone tp go up to a junction and turn south, why would you do such a crazy thing. use left and right etc and people will undrstand

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2019 11:30PM

Not many streets or roads around here with a simple North South or East West orientation. Here it would be "go north north east and I'm standing on church street on the south by south west side".

PirateShampoo · 25-01-2019 11:33PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

Yeah but that could mean that you'd have to drag somebody an unnecessary couple of hundred yards.

Do you have to be so obtuse?

Or I could be saving someone the embarrassment of being shamed for not getting thier Boy Scouts badge for navigation.

looksee · 25-01-2019 11:33PM

The thing about moss on trees isn't accurate - only this morning I saw a tree with moss on the west side. Admittedly the forest was fairly solid on that side so you can see how the moss got codded, but no help if you are lost. Same with sun rise and sun set, great guidance provided you are up early enough, and its not clouded over, otherwise you might just as well guess.

doolox · 25-01-2019 11:35PM

I noticed that when I was in The US people gave directions in terms of North South etc while people in my native Galway used expressions like up the road or down the road etc.... The up and down directions bore little relationship to the cardinal points or to any geographical feature and varied depending on the village you were in.

In fact there was a study done on this subject of upness and downess in Irish directions which showed a high variation depending on the townland or village you came from.

The Yanks have no such problems, east is east and west is west.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2019 11:36PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

I wouldn't give such directions unless the roads did have an obvious orientation. Say if it was parallel to the river Liffey.

So, you only know the four cardinal points and then only with reference to a landmark.

looksee · 25-01-2019 11:37PM

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Or I could be saving someone the embarrassment of being shamed for not getting thier Boy Scouts badge for navigation.

I got the Girl Guide one, and can still 'box the compass', though its a bit boring so I won't bother you with it. And its no use for finding direction unless you know one of them.

Gimme A Pound · 25-01-2019 11:40PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

I do now!

But everybody else can't be that stupid can they?

Obviously not. You know that there are people who know those directions.

I use that system myself. I have a terrible sense of direction and NSEW suits me well.

Aphorism Capital · 25-01-2019 11:45PM

Just because streets aren't in a nsew direction doesn't mean nsew directions have no use.

For example, a question such as " Is the landmark north or South of the town?" can clear up confusion. Sometimes people give directions such as "turn left at the crossroads". There is potential for miscommunication as the person giving directions could be assuming the person they are giving directions is coming from a different direction than they actually are. So it could in fact be right at the crossroads. But if you say the location is North of the crossroads that possible miscommunication is eliminated if both parties understand nsew.

looksee · 25-01-2019 11:46PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

If there's a clear sky then (assuming you know the time) you don't need to be up early enough. You should be able to tell during any time when there's day light. Think about it.

The moss on trees method obviously doesn't sound very reliable.

Now you are adding qualifications. If you just woke up and stepped out of a dark building you might be able to see the sun down towards the horizon but you could not be certain whether it was morning or evening. And if there is sufficient cloud cover that you can't see the sun then you ... can't see it.

looksee · 25-01-2019 11:49PM

There you are now, only took us 3 pages...

biko · 25-01-2019 11:50PM

Only Yanks say things like
"I'm on the west side of the building"

Irish response:
"Well, I'm standing outside The Red Lion on Moore Street. Make your way over here, you muppet"

Ken Tucky · 25-01-2019 11:50PM

guineapigstar wrote: »

Stupid thread really.

Really taught OP was going to tell us but got as far as your post, laughed and bailed out

Aphorism Capital · 25-01-2019 11:51PM

biko wrote: »

Only Yanks say things like
"I'm on the west side of the building"

Irish response:
"Well, I'm standing outside The Red Lion on Moore Street. Make your way over here, you muppet"

You're ignoring situations where it's very useful.

Irish_peppa · 25-01-2019 11:55PM

But how can you tell NSEW without a compass.
Like the sun rises in the front of my house but i cant see the sun break the horizon when i see it its allready house height. so am i still to assume thats east? and where it sets is back garden again is that west when its about to disapear behind the house or can it be relatively high up and still be west

Gimme A Pound · 25-01-2019 11:55PM

Well First Off... wrote: »

Is that not a contradiction?

Sounds it all right!

Ubbquittious · 25-01-2019 11:55PM

People have gone stupid from relying on technology too much. Some can't navigate from the front door of their house to the back door without using Google Maps(tm)

buried · 25-01-2019 11:58PM

How come nobody knows north, south, east and west?

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