I am getting fed up with MapQuest. Recently I printed out directions from the company’s website to get to a location with which I was not familiar. I was told to take an exit that didn’t exist and then, when I’d worked around that problem through a couple of “creative” u-turns, was taken on a route that was actually in the opposite direction from where I needed to go. Fortunately I knew enough of the side streets that I was able to work around the main problems and get close enough to where its directions were actually helpful. I can’t imagine how someone from out of town would have been helped. They’d probably be standing on the steps to the Jefferson Memorial asking passers-by for directions. It’s a free service and sometimes you get what you pay for.

In that vein, I have discovered Google Maps (maps.google.com) and am very impressed. It’s the kind of free service that might put ADC or Rand McNally out of business. All you do is input an address and up pops a very clear map of the area that you can then print out and use to get you around. It shows which streets are one-way and allows you to guide yourself if you happen to make a mistake.