wrong directions given

[Manhattanferry]

Overheard someone giving someone the complete wrong directions earlier on, a car had pulled up and the woman in front of me on the street was asked quite loudly where a particular street was, she was going on a bit and very chuffed with herself and keen to be of help ..the driver went on his merry (wrong) way and I was left feeling that I should have butted in and corrected but I didn't because of fear of embarrassing the helper ! AIBU in thinking it was best to keep my gob shut ?

Yeah, keep your gob shut
They’ll ask someone else in a bit.

They'll find their way eventually, dont worry

I hate being asked for directions! Even though I live in a tourist city and know it inside out I get totally flustered and mixed up I think I must have one of those faces as they always make a beeline for me even when there's other people around. I have suspected dyspraxia so although I can easily get myself from a to b I struggle to visualise it when describing it.

I'm sure they can work Google maps/sat nav and won't be eaten by wolves on their way to their destination.

Don't even worry about it.

Have they never heard of Google Maps? I'd be (literally) lost without it

but yeah I'd stay out of it, far too awkward

Ha ha ha ! Thanks all !

The woman being asked may have a dislike of Audi/Volvo/whatever drivers and was deliberately misdirecting the driver!

rslsys
maybe !

I've given the wrong directions so many times, I really want to be helpful but I always get muddled. The worst one was telling a woman I was sure the hotel she was looking for was around here somewhere, maybe on the next street. We were standing right opposite it. Its bloody huge with its name in massive letters on the front so no idea how we all missed it.

I worry there are still people driving around trying to follow directions I gave them years ago...

I did this once, sent a woman totally the wrong way, ON FOOT. I actually knew where the place was she wanted to go, just got confused with the 2 names. I didn't realise until about 10 minutes later and she was long gone. I really hope she asked someone else or she would have had a very long walk!

if they were using a sat nav they would not have stopped and asked for directions! I am guessing you are in england? more worried about being polite then ensuring they got the right advice?

Slightly off topic but this reminds me of my first holiday job in a department store. My "Desk" was gloves and scarves etc and right near the entrance. People we always coming in and asking me for directions in the store. I hadn't a clue where anything was and even if I politely apologised that I didn't know they still got cross with me. I got fed up with that and soon learnt to say, confidently "first floor on the right" to any question asked. No-one ever came back and complained.

babymidgetgem
Ha ha ha !

On the other hand, last week I was stopped and asked directions by a very polite young man, I stoped and thought for about a second, epxlained that there are 2 places with very similar names and I wanted to be sure to send the to the right one. man in the back, with his phine, Google etc, harrumphed and the driver said loudly "Oh FFS!"

I continued "Go OVER the traffic lights and take the first right. That road goes through [place you want to go]. DO NOT turn right AT the traffic lights, that takes you to [very similarly named but wrong place]"

But the driver has set off and they turned right AT The traffic lights. God only knows how they managed to get themselves back on the right road as the bypass would have taken them on a 10 mile detour. They were about 1 1/2 miles from their destination when they stopped and asked for directions.

Next time I will probably pretend I have never heard of either place! You can't help some people