There are things that are necessities in our lives that we take for granted, because we simply don’t think about them at all. One of these things is the map. Currently, we depend greatly on the GPS systems that are either in our cars or on our smartphones, which obviously means we don’t give the old-school paper map a second thought. You should, however, hold that thought because you’ll be surprised to discover that the paper map is not as disposable as you think. We’re going to present you with a number of reasons why paper maps are still a necessity in your life.
When The Network Fails or Phone Dies
Technology is a wonderful thing until it fails us. It’s never a smart idea to rely completely on only one mode of guidance when you’re getting around. Besides trying your best to memorize the way around places, having a paper map on you will certainly save the day if your GPS dies on you because you don’t have network, or if your phone’s battery runs out.
They’re Great for Road Trips
Going on a road trip is something that you have to do at least once in your life, and doing it using a paper map gives it a completely different feel altogether. Using a real map to plan out your whole journey is amazing because many of these maps have things put on them that no GPS would have. You can even look up a variety of printable maps or have them delivered to you online. The maps found at https://www.onestopmap.com/ allow you to see the different kinds of maps that are available, and it’s really cool that you get to determine what you want to see on it. This kind of map is ideal for a road trip because you can pay attention to landmarks that you’d like to stop off at, such as motels or historical landmarks.
You Can Map Out Your Route
When you use a paper map you can sit down before you head out on your journey and see what different alternatives there are. While the GPS options does give you different alternatives, it’s completely different when you are able to map it out yourself before the trip so that you can follow it exactly the way you want. Real maps give you a much wider picture of the area while still being clear. When you look at screen, it’s either too small or the scope is limited due to the screen size.
It’s Good to Cross-Reference
While we’d like to rely on our digital maps without a second thought, it’s always best to cross reference with a physical map to make sure you’re on the right track. This is especially important if you’re going somewhere for the first time, or if it’s an isolated area that has many alleys that you could possibly get lost in.
Maps Expose More Terrain
Digital maps are pretty one dimensional. Yes, you can use a virtual visual from the satellite views, and those are quite accurate, but there’s something about how the geography of a location is drawn out on a map that makes it extremely unique. You can even find maps that show off terrain that may no longer be there, but it’s almost like a lesson in history and you can see where something once stood in the past.
Nothing Feels Quite Like it
No matter how advanced digital maps become, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of using a real map. The process of opening the folds to reveal the beautiful colors and details, looking at the map key to figure out what is where, all of this is extremely mentally stimulating and it gives you a sense of adventure that no digital map can ever replace. It’s almost like going on a treasure hunt in your car as you explore the surroundings around you and decipher this amazingly detailed map of everything that you hold in your hands.
As we delve deeper into the age of technology, we are becoming more and more dependant on digital guidance in everything we do. It’s important that we don’t forget about the basics that we’ve used in the past and not disregard them because they’re probably not as useless as you deem them to be. As you can see from the points mentioned here, paper maps are just as relevant as they were before GPS and map apps. They offer so much more to work with and it’s hard to beat the feeling of paper in your hand that you can keep for years to come as a nostalgic memory of all the places that you’ve been to.