This is nothing new. I've been doing this on index cards, with nearly the same layout, for at least three years now. I've accumulated a huge envelope FULL of different destinations, except I don't use Google Maps, I use Mapquest. But this is pretty damn close to what I do already. I'm not going to waste the money on something so useless.

This I like.

Wow, the Luddites' doodad. Makes me wanna go home and watch a little fireplace before bed.

Yeah but when you go off course it just turns into Mad Libs.

You're kidding right?

Is there a part of this scenario where my printer is broken? Because you can print directions off the web.

@strider_mt2k: Apparently that is what the little "Made It" or "Got Lost" is for. So when you just keep all of these in the car and forget to throw them away, you can't get lost the same way as last time...

@kaneshadow: Touche

Only in America.

@blackwand: That's for the people who discover your body in your car after you run out of gas b/c you got lost.

Also known as google maps. the poor mans gps alternatives. Beats reading the melways (street directory) and feels a bit like orienteering. Sucks if you make a wrong turn though :(...I love my tomtom

I always do paper so that I can insert my own route (satmaps take you the "fastest" way, but not always the most direct or simple). I turn on the business locators on the maps too and make note of landmarks near my turns (like turn right past the Burger King, etc). Great for plotting long trips as I know in advance where favored gas, food and hotels are. I also keep an Atlas in my car, just in case of detours, accidents or construction. Paper rules.

But I would miss that sexy female voice giving me directions! I hacked my garmin so it says " Turn Right...and GOSH you have a giant penis!"

I just take a glance at a map, memorize the streets and sidewalks, check to see if the Mini is in good condition (tires, maintenance, etc) and then just drive like a bat out of hell until I can find a parking deck to ditch the car.

@kaneshadow: This was my first thought when reading the post. I usually just print them out also.
...but I suppose it's still very slightly cool for those who prefer not to use up their ink...I guess...

@LoganSix: Well, that's great if your brain hasn't been rendered incapable of retaining information for more than 5 minutes due to all of the advances in technology to keep you from having to remember anything at all.
I can barely remember a phone number long enough to look it up in the caller ID, then redial it at this point. Nonetheless try to memorize a set of directions to someplace I've never been....Ahhhhh, the joys of "advancement"

@Curves: "I also keep an Atlas in my car, just in case of detours, accidents or construction."

I had to laugh at the mental image of a huge hardbound tome (or some dude holding the Earth) mounted in the trunk of your car! :D

Anology paper is always good, but there's just something so sexy about that suction cupped Tom Tom clinging to my window....

@tamoko: Hold it. you mean I'm not posting on Fleshbot?

@kaneshadow: That's the first thing that occurred to me, too. Another method also comes to mind:

Use speech output to create audio clips of the driving directions and then use estimated drive time to fill a playlist for an iPod that assembles everything so that you can just drive with your music playing and get prompts along the way.

Who wants to fund my start-up? :-)

@tamoko:

Your Tom-Tom suction cups stays on the windshield? We had to buy one of those bean-bag thingies, because the suction cup lets go of the windshield.

'Course, the suction cup wouldn't work at all on that Paper GPS, I bet.

@SgtMac02: I get headaches now and then... they usually aren't as bad after I kill someone with my bare hands.

@strider_mt2k: Effects of caffeine had not yet kicked in. The atlas is a nice paper bound one. (Atlas is holding up the world in my garage, no room in the car.)

@strider_mt2k:

Yeah and when you go off course it xjxuxsxtx turns into Mad Libs!!!!

/fixed

I'm a MAN, i don't need no directions from some womans voice on no expensive GSP machine or whatever the hell you call dem dare tings.

Oh great, more paper.

@kaneshadow: Printawhat? And what's that web thingamabob?

Even if you wanted to use paper, why not just use blank paper?

What a gimmick!

This would be like marketing "internet paper," paper that said: "write website content below" as if you couldn't do that on blank paper anyway!

It gets even cheaper if you just grab a sheet of the hoards of reams of laser paper you have laying around your house that goes to that laser/ inkjet printer you bought but rarely use_

A whole ream of el-cheapo multi-purpose paper run $5-$7 for 500 sheets - do the math from there_

@Computer_Chef: Great idea!!!! I am so in!!! Too bad traffic and weather could adversely affect time, and trying to ff or rwd to find out what step you were supposed to be on, would be kinda long. Maybe if you subliminally added the next direction throughout the songs in between the actual directions it won't be nearly as hard....

Man, if only Google Maps had a print function that could could do this for me!

Wait...

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that's not a GPS system. GPS gives longitude and latitude (and possibly altitude). This doesn't even utilize a GPS system, you get directions through Google Maps(tm) which isn't utilizing GPS. This is a poor excuse for a navigation system :c)

@Curves:
You do realize that with Google Maps you can change the route taken, right?

I already have a GPS when I travel. Sometimes I have an arguement with her whether we should stop by Target to pick up a few items or not.

printers broke? i wish i had money to blow like most people. or the time to waste buying stupid irrelevant shit like this

@secretmanofagent: I dont like Google (maps or anything else) and use them as little as possible. Steve Ballmer is banking on people like me.

@Curves:
When you say you don't like Google, are you sure you meant Google? I think you may have misspoke and I'll give you a chance to retract your statement.

Pen and paper? This is so retro.

Nope, GOOGLE. I dislike their search. Its ok if I dont know what I am looking for, or have all day to research something. If you like them and get good results, thats great, but when I want results that I can use, I use (dare I say it) Yahoo. I do research for a living and what I look for, I find more, better, faster there. I know I will take a slam from some of you folks for it, but for my purposes, Google sucks.

@blackwand: Well, the easiest "one button" thing to do would be pause if you're running a bit slower than scheduled, but if it's a long delay it would suck being without music at the same time. If you're ahead of schedule, you'd have to know to skip ahead, too, which might not be so handy.

There must be a way to hook into the odometer and use that to control playback instead of guessing at the time. Distance estimates are going to be a lot closer than time time estimates. Something like Nike+, but for the car.

@LoganSix: He's never going to get it, David Webber.

@Goodnightbabytron: Actually, it's just Webb, isn't it? I always hurt my butt when I fall off my high horse.

Notice the bottom right corner of the pad?

@Goodnightbabytron: Yes. It is just Webb.

@Curves:
To each his own I suppose. I applaud you for your courage. Standing alone is not always easy.

I kid - Enjoy your Yahoo! :c)

@Curves: so, when they say something like 9 out of 10 people use google, you're #10. :)

Well, no. It says $6.50 for 60 sheets on Perpetual Kid and at [knockknock.biz] they're $6.99 for 60 sheets, (in which knockknock actually came up with this idea...)

@firesign: I am always the one who falls OUTSIDE the normal distribution of the standard bell curve, no matter what we are measuring. Comformity is over rated anyway (and they are, for my purposes, the better engine).