I just had the weirdest experience!

[kkrell]

Maybe he was a flasher and was working up to that when interrupted by a male presence.

[mutepointe]

Maybe he was a flasher and was working up to that when interrupted by a male presence.

People always go with what they know.

[fearfaoin]

\Not too likely. I give directions to folks here all the time (and, in fact, used to to it for a living).

Ah, yeah. In that case, he's a jerk.

[Lambchop]

Maybe he just had a really bad case of ADD.

"Do you know where . . . "

"Oh, yes, that would be the Ponder . . . "

"Oh LOOK! A man!"

[kkrell]

Maybe he was a flasher and was working up to that when interrupted by a male presence.

People always go with what they know.

Well, an event I was told about, both by the experiencer, and the flasher's therapist. Turned out to lead to a breakthrough in the flasher's treatment. But then, this might be too close to a mental health post, so moderators may wish to cut these.

[Innocent Bystander]

Sexist, yes, rude, yes. But it's true men and women have different attitudes to directions and directing people.

For example:

Near our office, is a three-way roundabout. Here's a picture, in case anyone is unfamiliar with these.

Ours is a LOT smaller. Our Administrative Assistant, who is female, tells people to "go straight on at the roundabout".
This inevitably means that, men and women take the second exit, when they should take the first.
The men in the office say "you *can't* say 'go straight on' at a three-way roundabout - it's confusing!".
She says "No it's not, it's obvious!"
We reply, "Why does everybody get it wrong, then?"

And those routemaster directionfinders, and googlemaps directions: The women print off the directions, and the men print off the maps. (Actually, I do both, but I would be very uncomfortable with just the verbal directions.)

[emmline]

Our Administrative Assistant, who is female, tells people to "go straight on at the roundabout".
This inevitably means that, men and women take the second exit, when they should take the first.

Yes, I would take that to mean go across to the other side, as if the road were straight.

And those routemaster directionfinders, and googlemaps directions: The women print off the directions, and the men print off the maps. (Actually, I do both, but I would be very uncomfortable with just the verbal directions.)

I would be uncomfortable with just the verbals too.
I study the map ahead of time, so that I've got a mental image of the geography before I follow the directions.

[DCrom]

I get what people mean about different styles of directions (I *can not give* directions my wife can follow. Nor can she give directions *I* can follow. We process location very differently. I love maps. She . . . doesn't. Loves GPS, though.)

But this guy sounds a bit of each: rude and odd.

[talasiga]

Yeah, that's some pretty bad manners in my book. I don't know what I could chalk it up to other than sexism.

Yes, I have sometimes had a similar experience in some internet forums.
Somoene starts a topic with a question. I'll answer the question.
Someone else will give substantially the same answer later and the OP will ignore
me and engage only with the other.

The later post may have been immediately after mine.
Still I get overlooked.

Its not about being acknowledged for being right or clever for me.
Its about conversation. Engagement. Reciprocity.

Its not just about me. In the same vein
I don't like it when an OP asks a question and several people give
helpful and thoroiugh responses
and the OP never comes back to thank them or give them feedback
on their input.

(OK, perhaps, "never" is a bit of a stretch but believe me I know there are threads more than 5 years old where they haven't been back to thank or engage. I regularly check on old topics you know!)

[talasiga]

.....She says "No it's not, it's obvious!"
We reply, "Why does everybody get it wrong, then?"
.....

she is coming from a narrow kinesthetic sense rather than an eagle view of the roundabout.

Given its a UK roundabout with left hand drive, I think what she means is that once you swerve left into the roundabout you just keep going straight (to be at the required exit)rather than following the roundabout which involves swerving (bending) with it.

[Denny]

Or she visualizes it from the top down (instead of bottom up in the picture)

[talasiga]

I know what visualising something top down means but whats your point in this case?

[anniemcu]

The first weird thing - a man stopped to ask directions! I mean... that' should have been a clue!

A rude man.

The world is full of them in all descriptions including their other gender counterparts.

Or maybe he has hearing problems and the resonance of the male voice was easier for him to understand. (cough ... I'm sure that is sometimes true, but the rude behavior wouldn't be excused by that)

[s1m0n]

There is a gender difference between the way men and women tend to navigate, or rather to give and undertand directions. Males are said to be more likely to navigate by vectors ('go six miles south then a third of a mile west'), whereas women are more likely to use landmarks ('turn left after the bridge then look for the green barn on your right').

[dwest]

There is a gender difference between the way men and women tend to navigate, or rather to give and undertand directions. Males are said to be more likely to navigate by vectors ('go six miles south then a third of a mile west'), whereas women are more likely to use landmarks ('turn left after the bridge then look for the green barn on your right').

While this is mostly true, gay men navigate using methods that are very similar to the way women navaigate. Me, I just drive till I hit a fork in the road and then I go straight, thank goodness for fourwheel drive, and auto insurance. However when everthing is covered with water as it has been here for the last few days who needs stinking roads, all you need is a good boat and a star.