Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I have a hopeless sense of direction & use primitive methods to help myself.
e.g.
Sun comes up in East, that's Eastbourne way.
Sun goes down in west, think Weston Super Mare.
South is Southampton
North lies Northampton.

The odd thing about locating places is the common practice of giving imaginary directions such as,
I'M GOING OVER/down to, across to, up to, over to.
Who decides whether your position is any of the above?

I say to my son "Come on down" & he replies "I'll come on over" it puzzles me.

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I've always found it useful to know that Meriden is at the centre of the Meridian.

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

Robert - it sounds like you are exploring your female side. I thought it was us wimmin who get accused of being spatially/geographically challenged?

I like to turn a map upside down etc to make it easier to check a route, and I often have to check which hand my wedding ring is on, to ensure I've put the left on the left, as it were. If asked for directions by someone in a car I have to half close my eyes and imagine doing the journey, moving the appropriate hand to illustrate left or right. Poor drivers - must regret asking the mad woman!

Oh, a mnemonic my children taught me, all those years ago - Never Eat Shredded Wheat. The compass points, starting from 'North at the top' and going clockwise. NESW

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I can get lost in the supermarket absolutely no sense of direction at all. I am in awe of anyone who can find their way around.

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I think it is geographically determined unless it's short distances, in which case over, across, along, around, are all fine
I think, I don't know!

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

Direction is from the perspective of placement, i.e. FROM that point. The green grocer might think that you are COMING to collect your vegetables but from your perspective you are GOING to collect them. South Africans on the other hand say, "I'm COMING just now!" despite the fact that they cannot possibly be "coming" just now because they are actually "going" just now and won't be "coming" until they've arrived. It's all very simple really, don't you think?

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I can now see why, sometimes, one does not know if they are coming or going.

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I always marvel at the way in American films they say things like, "He's heading south on such and such street"
How do they know which direction it is?

South Africans also say," I'm coming now, now'" which is a lot more urgent!

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

After reading this thread feel so much better about my total lack of any direction finding gene. I too have to turn maps upside down to navigate when hubby's driving. A fact he finds hilarious. If he is giving me directions he will often say wedding ring side!

Re: Down your way (or possibly up your way)

I have a very poor sense of direction!