# During daytime, can you tell the direction you're facing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419 "2010-04-08T16:01:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/41 "2010-04-08T18:46:16Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > San Antonio, huh? You’ve never lived anywhere with true cloud cover, have you? I didn’t catch that. Ah, to live in sunny San Antonio. Around here the sun is like a distant cousin - shows up once in a while and can either be a lot of fun or make your life utterly miserable. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/42 "2010-04-08T18:53:19Z")
I’m always pretty alert to the directions, not so much from the position of the sun, but from how I’ve walked and turned and what landmarks are around me. If I’m in doubt, I use my watch for a compass: 1. Point the hour hand toward the sun. If it’s daylight savings time, move back a number (i.e., if it’s 3:00 DST, point the 2 at the sun). 2. In the northern hemisphere, halfway between the hour hand and 12 is south. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/43 "2010-04-08T18:55:23Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I know how shadows work and how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. So if I were walking and someone said “turn south,” and it was afternoon, I could look at my shadow and/or the sky and figure it out. But I’d be thinking “what a twit.” “Left” and “right” are much more useful directions as is “toward the (large easily viewable landmark)” or “uphill.” If I’m driving, “go South” is useless as I don’t have time to figure out what that means in time to do anything about it. (“toward the equator” how could that possibly be helpful? That’s grounds for divorce) > > If it’s overcast, night, noon(ish), or there’s something else blocking the shadows or the sun, I have no idea what direction I’m facing. North could be anywhere. Pretty much exactly this, for me. > [@butler1850](#): > > Give me 10 minutes, the sun, and a stick. I’ll tell you where NESW are. > > Put stick in ground. Mark end of shadow. Wait 10 minutes, mark end of shadow. Connect marks. That mark is roughly east/west, bisect it to make North/South. (This works North of the equator) > . Oh, sure, because that’s SO helpful when you’re lost in a car, just get out your handy stick, put it in the ground, and in ten minutes, there you go! West! Luckily, my husband has an excellent sense of direction, and I have a GPS (wonderful device! You should get one!). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/44 "2010-04-08T19:03:45Z")
Let me add, btw, generally, in Albany, I always know which direction I am facing with a little thought, because I know this town. And because of the lovely, lovely river landmark. Put me in a strange town and forget it. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/45 "2010-04-08T19:23:10Z")
No problem. I can navigate around [this place](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=varanasi,+india&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.178967,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Varanasi,+Uttar+Pradesh,+India&ll=25.310123,83.01056&spn=0.002522,0.004823&t=h&z=18) without much difficulty. Not kidding. ---
**Author:** ![breaking-reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/46 "2010-04-08T19:25:05Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > Yes, but if you call us from Broadway & Main, how would we possibly know which way IS left or right? We don’t know which way you’re facing, therefore we don’t know where left or right goes. I’m going to say, “The \_\_\_\_\_ is on my left” or “I’m facing the \_\_\_\_\_” and then you’ll know which way I should turn. I’m much more able to give and receive directions based on landmarks. “Turn towards the McDonalds on Main Street” vs “Turn North on Main Street”. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/47 "2010-04-08T19:31:43Z")
I’m facing forward. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/48 "2010-04-08T20:39:03Z")
I always know what direction I’m facing, sunlight or no. I’m also generally aware of the time, i.e, I’ve never been in the habit of wearing watches as I tend to have the time to within 5 minutes of actual. I have no idea how I do either of these things. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/49 "2010-04-08T21:00:46Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Oh, sure, because that’s SO helpful when you’re lost in a car, just get out your handy stick, put it in the ground, and in ten minutes, there you go! West! Please look at what I was replying to. If I was drugged and held for an indeterminate time, and dropped off in an undetermined outdoor location. I’m assuming that I’m on foot. It would be nice of them to provide me with a car, but I think that’s out of scope of the post I was replying to. In any case, not everybody does all their travel in a vehicle. In a car, simple compasses are available. I have one stuck to my windshield. It’s probably not the most accurate, but it’s a great backup to my (inherently inaccurate, but usually somewhat correct) internal compass. GPS is good for folks that can’t read maps. 😃 (Actually, they are pretty cool, but more expensive than I want to spend, when the map book for my entire state costs about $20 from DeLorme. Nor do I like dedicated electronics. A full feature “car GPS” isn’t very good for use in the woods) I have a handheld GPS unit, which can do all the road navigation, on a very little screen, with no voice output, so I generally use it for off road navigation during hiking/hunting in the woods. I also carry at least one compass as a backup to the GPS. Batteries fail, usually at the worst possible moment. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/50 "2010-04-08T21:47:30Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Give me 10 minutes, the sun, and a stick. I’ll tell you where NESW are. > > Put stick in ground. Mark end of shadow. Wait 10 minutes, mark end of shadow. Connect marks. That mark is roughly east/west, bisect it to make North/South. (This works North of the equator) > > I’m usually right on with my directions, which drive my wife, and my friends crazy when we’re out and about, and need to navigate. I love pointing north, without pulling out my compass, then being confirmed by the compass that they pull out. It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s usually pretty close. I see, and south of the equator the sun moves from west to east? If the sun is out (or the clouds not too thick) and I know the time, I will know the direction. If you have a shadow, the quote will work anywhere, north or south. I generally know in any familiar place where I am facing. So does my wife who is something of an amateur astronomer and much better than I about telling directions from the stars. Even I can find the north star when in the north. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/51 "2010-04-09T00:52:19Z")
I usually have no trouble with directions during the day, even in an unfamiliar city. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/52 "2010-04-09T02:06:31Z")
I don’t know it instinctively, and would have a problem if it was nighttime or it was too overcast to find the sun. And if I was in a strange area of a city and was getting emergency driving directions over the phone, and was told to go south with no time to stop and establish directions, I’d be royally pissed. It’s the burden of the person giving directions, I think, to establish where the driver is coming from and use that to tell them left versus right. It’s not that hard, and they’re not being distracted by things like driving the car. But yeah, if I can see the sun and have 15 seconds to think about it, I know my directions. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/53 "2010-04-09T02:27:52Z")
One of those useless traits I can’t put on a resume or earn money at: I can always (Always) know the 4 directions, even when blindfolded & spun. and FTR: I can drive fast, forwards, backwards, and switch between them in less than 8 seconds each. I can shoot straight naturally and quickly. I can both smell and taste when the weather is going to change, and can tell you what it will change to well before the networks do. I can get you out of any burning room, either through door, window, wall or floor. I can walk you out of almost any woods to the nearest point of safety, compass or no. I can usually build you shelter w/i 30 minutes and find you water w/i 60. I’m considered expendable and a waste of money to employ, as I don’t have the proper skill-sets to bring the proper value to stock holders. Just another Lazy American Employee… ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/54 "2010-04-09T02:38:43Z")
> [@breaking-reality](#): > > I’m going to say, “The \_\_\_\_\_ is on my left” or “I’m facing the \_\_\_\_\_” and then you’ll know which way I should turn. I will? I know San Francisco pretty damn well but I don’t have all the major streets memorized. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/55 "2010-04-09T02:42:54Z")
No way. I am so directionally challenged, that I can’t even exit a parking lot in different way than I entered it, because I’ll probably not know what direction to go in. I can tell my directions here in town, because the streets are laid out in a very straightforward manner, but get me even to the outskirts of town, and I really have to think about it. I think this is genetic in my family- none of the women can navigate for crap. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/56 "2010-04-09T03:07:07Z")
As I left work today, at about 16:00, I tried to look for the sun. It was, and still is, raining today. And believe me, there is no fucking way I could tell where in the sky the sun was located. The sky was a complete wash from horizon to horizon. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/57 "2010-04-09T03:21:44Z")
I could do it instinctively in Seoul and Chicago. That’s about it. Any other place I’d have to stop and think about it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/58 "2010-04-09T03:30:57Z")
While I know how figure out which direction I’m going, I’m not that good of a multitasker, and I’m likely going to have to pull over to figure it out. But, then again, I’m not going to be asking for directions without pulling over anyways, as I don’t trust myself to drive and talk on the phone at the same time. I find it odd though that people often drive to places they are unfamiliar with without already having directions. Especially now that you can get them online. The only times I’ve gotten lost have been when my usual methods of figuring out which direction I’m going have failed. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/59 "2010-04-09T03:31:53Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I laugh and laugh when people say “look at the sun”. Ok, sure. It’s sunny and there aren’t many buildings around. Yay! But I live in the northeast. 3 days out of 7 it’s either raining, snowing, or very cloudy. Dark, gray clouds, where you can’t see the sun. I wish I could use this as my excuse, but I get lost inside malls too. I can only tell you which direction I’m traveling in if there’s a sign by the side of the road that tells you. My sense of direction is pretty poor. When I go somewhere unfamilar, I often print out directions that cover both ways - if I didn’t odds are better than 30% I’d get lost trying to mentally reverse the directions. I found out recently that this is one of the [symptoms of dyscalculia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculia#Potential_symptoms), which makes a stronger case that I suffer from it even though I can tell left from right. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419/60 "2010-04-09T13:04:37Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Please look at what I was replying to. If I was drugged and held for an indeterminate time, and dropped off in an undetermined outdoor location. I’m assuming that I’m on foot. It would be nice of them to provide me with a car, but I think that’s out of scope of the post I was replying to. In any case, not everybody does all their travel in a vehicle. > > In a car, simple compasses are available. I have one stuck to my windshield. It’s probably not the most accurate, but it’s a great backup to my (inherently inaccurate, but usually somewhat correct) internal compass. > > GPS is good for folks that can’t read maps. 😃 (Actually, they are pretty cool, but more expensive than I want to spend, when the map book for my entire state costs about $20 from DeLorme. Nor do I like dedicated electronics. A full feature “car GPS” isn’t very good for use in the woods) > > I have a handheld GPS unit, which can do all the road navigation, on a very little screen, with no voice output, so I generally use it for off road navigation during hiking/hunting in the woods. I also carry at least one compass as a backup to the GPS. Batteries fail, usually at the worst possible moment. Sorry, that reply was tongue-in-cheek, obviously it didn’t translate that way. I didn’t mean to dis your mad navigating skilz, which I envy, for the record. As for the GPS, we never had one until we got one for a recent drive from Arkansas to Maine. It was about 1500 miles, 1200 of which we’d never been on, to a specific house in the middle of nowhere, which we’d purchased sight unseen from Japan. The GPS (which we paid $75 for, on sale) was an absolute godsend. We drove straight to the house, through narrow, wooded, twisty backroads in Maine, at night, in the rain, without a single wrong turn the whole trip. And then, the next day, when we had no food in the house and no internet and wanted to find a restaurant, we went to the GPS and it was kind enough to find the nearest lobster shack for us. It’s neat. I love my GPS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-daytime-can-you-tell-the-direction-youre-facing/535419.md?page=4)