We moved to NW Norfolk just over 5 years ago. We already knew that there wasn’t much in the way of mobile signal in the area. The cottage that we had previously rented for summer holidays had a map on the noticeboard, showing where to go to find a signal for the various networks, and we were familiar with the rural legends about businessmen going bankrupt while holidaying in the area because they mistook the lack of calls for peace and quiet.
I finally took the plunge and bought my first smartphone about 2.5 years ago, but realistically as a very portable wifi device with occasional use as a mobile phone, rather than anything else. Last week we had to visit Norwich for various reasons, including delivering several crates of books to the Oxfam Books & Music store; the latter was going to be challenging, as we needed to get close to the store, which is in the Lanes, a pedestrianised area where it is easy to get lost on foot, and where taking a car sounded like the height of folly. However, needs must, and we pored over maps of Norwich anxiously, trying to figure out how to break into the Lanes. Eventually I had a bright idea – my phone included Google Maps, so perhaps it understood the Lanes? We asked it for a route, which looked completely baffling, but no worse than anything else we had thought of, so we’d give it a shot.
As we set out, I switched on GPS and mobile data, selected our preferred route, and pressed Start. Within minutes we had lost signal, and Google Maps sat there like a pudding for the whole of the journey; however, as we passed Norwich Airport, about 3 miles out from the city centre, it suddenly sprang to life, flashed madly across the county, and started giving us directions. The detail was impressive, knowledge of obscure rat-runs amazing, and the speed of re-calculation startling when we missed a very narrow turning in an industrial estate. And then we were in the Lanes! That was a bit alarming, as pedestrians made no allowance for us at all. Then a church appeared, in the middle of the narrow path down which we were driving – which side to try to squeeze past?? But that was fine – “The road swings right briefly, then left again” so we drove round the RHS of the church without catastrophe. And suddenly “You have arrived at your destination, which is on the right” – well, we still had to turn right and drive a further 50m, but neither Google Maps nor any sane motorist would drive down there!
Then we finally surrendered our university text books to Oxfam (which took even more courage than driving through the Lanes), Google Maps re-located us as we exited the narrowest Lane, and guided us safely to our target carpark. An absolute revelation, which probably comes as no surprise to all you city slickers with your 4G and other urban refinements.
Tomorrow I have an appointment in the centre of Nottingham. I know the route like the back of my hand, even the final stages, but I think I’ll give Google Maps another whirl!
