Which Way Is the Lake?

By Matt Wood in Miscellaneous on Oct 2, 2006 4:21PM

Live in the city long enough, and someone will stop to ask you for directions. Sometimes people want to know the best way to go somewhere on mass transit, testing your knowledge of the bus routes and El stops. If you live near a landmark or certain public services, you might hear the same request over and over and get the answers down pat. Chicagoist takes a certain pride in giving good directions because it makes us feel that much more a part of our neighborhood. The fact that someone thought to stop and ask reassures us that we no longer look like a hick fresh off the cantaloupe wagon.

We're not always helpful though. Sometimes it's just by underestimating the distance to point B, as in, "Yeah, just keep going a few streets that way," when we later realize that what they were asking for was really 10 blocks away. We think about our answer after they've left and feel badly, but we know they'll figure it out soon enough, probably by stopping to ask someone else. But a few times, we've steered bewildered travelers completely in the wrong direction, either through an honest mistake, or, as in one case we're ashamed to admit, because we were so annoyed and distracted that we stopped and pointed without thinking.

Chicagoist's question for you today is: How good are you at giving directions in the city? Can you rattle off El stops like Rain Man and mark off distances like a frontier tracker? Or do you shrug and act like you're a tourist? Are you willing to admit that you don't know the answer, or are you mean-spirited and pretend you know, waving your arms and saying vague things like, "Head towards the lake"? And what are the worst directions someone has given you?