Ah,
Mapquest. How amazing is it to be able to plot your trip online and get handy maps printed out with detailed
directions. Like so many other services now online, and free, Mapquest is one that has changed our lives for the
better. But as anyone who has ever used these services regularly knows, they do make their mistakes.
The New York Times
has a piece on online mapping’s shortcomings. Streets named the same thing in different towns, bad routes, just
plain wrong information. All of these things happen, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. I’ve been foiled by
Mapquest a few times, ended up driving around in circles because the directions were wrong. Of course, it’s always a
good idea to carry along a real road map when you drive anywhere, but some of us have become so dependent on these
services that sometimes we forget.
Over time all this stuff will get better. No question. But for now, travelers should consider map redundancy, that way
you won’t end up in some city you’ve never even heard of.