Are women born stupid, or just evolve as such?

[Shadow Man]

Just read about Britons, and in particularly women, having an incapacity to comprehend maps.

We are not talking a recon satelite image with no compass bearings, nor antiquated moon charts, we are talking AA road atlases.

Yes, I have sat-nav in my car but this is only a relatively new thing. I have travelled thousands of miles with a trusted old A3 AA road map!!!

It appears 1 in 5 men and a staggering 3 in 5 of the fairer sex can not distinguish a motorway from a B road.

My question therefore, is this proof that birds really are stupid and should stay away from all things motor car-ish.

Or am I just a plain old-fashioned sexist pig?

[China Doll]

I can not read maps to save my life. AA route finder is my life saver.

Two of my other housemates (female) are very good at map reading and surpass the male housemate in this very fine art.

Although I can not read maps I do not class myself as stupid. A bit on the dippy side at times but certainly not stupid.

So based on my own experience I can only conclude that your'e a plain, old-fashined sexist pig.

Or on a wind up...

[johnlambert]

Q What's the most dangerous thing known to soldiers?
A. An officer with a map!!!

[jno]

lol there, johnlambert

[China Doll]

Is there a theme today?

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Q uestion440231.html

[fine,thanks]

yes you are : )

[redcrx]

old-fashioned sexist pig.

though saying that, women marry men so perhaps we are all born stupid :)

[Goodsoulette]

Personally I think its men telling women they cant do this that and the other making them believe they cant read maps. Either that or each sex excel in different areas. I can read a map perfectly well, I can also bake a cake, cook for huge numbers of people and assemble flat pack furniture. My ex couldnt do one of those things.

[mccfluff]

i'm good at map reading, havent got myself lost yet anyway, will report back after my trip to cornwall

[Gromit]

This was a very small survey of 1000 people so the results are meaningless.

You must be reading a different report, the one I read said

"When it comes to traditional cartography and the battle of the sexes, men claimed to be better than women at reading maps although results showed that both sexes had fairly equal skills, with 62 per cent of women being able to correctly decipher four-figure grid references compared to 68 per cent of men. However, ladies scored higher when it came to correctly identifying map symbols."

http://www.carpages.co.uk/news/maps-06-08-07.a sp

Yours hasn't had the Daily Mail treatment by any chance?

[dot.hawkes]

i am able to drive to anywhere in the country without a map, i know where each county is and what county is next to it and in which direction the moroways run, (trust me some people including blokes do not grasp that) I understand north and south and east and west, not good with left and right but i know what i mean, I know where most toens are, which county they are in and could drive there with no problem as long as the signposts weren't covered like they (apparently) did in wartime. saying that, i have no idea how much petrol i would need as i always base my estimate 10 miles per pound, so on �10 worth of petrol I can do 100 miles. Seems to work well, thing is, i have been doing that for 20 years, not sure why it works actually. : ((

[mushroom25]

good gracious shadow man - you've turned grey!

[Kromovaracun]

I strongly suggest someone keep a look out for Ruby, so we can all take cover before she arrives...

I think to take the results of this particular finding as indicative of feminine stupidity would be rather brash. Not only is it a massive generalisation, but even if you work in such broad terms, remember that women surpass men in various fields, just as men surpass women in others.

So the two general mindsets are different, but you can't place one above another on anything other than an individual basis.

[joko]

well said goodsoul

i know a number of females who automatically assume they won't be able to do something because of the stereotypical view that they can't and therefore make no attempt to even try... they instantly think ''ooh better ask a man to do it'' - there is also a strange assumption that any man can automatically do these things whether they have ever done them before or not.

simple stuff that is considered ''man stuff'' - like changing a plug, wallpapering, shelves, etc etc - all very easy to do if only they tried

wardy - you know the answer to your question already.

[smudge]

Hi Wardy

I passed my driving test in 1972 & since that time have driven thousands & thousands of miles, not only in England, but on the Isle of Wight, Guernsey, Spain, Cyprus, America, Perth WA, Sydney & other countries.

I have driven all sorts of vehicles from the mini, to the 'big man's' box vans - from manual, column change to auto's! I've towed people, have been towed & helped many a poor woman & in a few cases men, in & out of parking spaces. Driving on motorways or using multi-storey car parks has never ever botthered me.

Having said all that & like China Doll - I'm not very good at map reading, so I simply print off directions from AA Route Finder & have no trouble at all in reaching my destination - unless there's a traffic jam!

Anyway, my husband is a brilliant map reader & doesn't mind writing down directions for me - if need be!

Happy motoring!

[dyli795]

No, they are born that way. But just to avoid any discrepency, nature, in its mysterious way, also sees to it that they evolve as such. Good old fail-safe nature ( makes things easy for us stupid men to understand. )

[smudge]

P.S. When I say I'm not very good at map reading - I can if I put my mind to it, but it's probably down to laziness & being able to use the methods I stated earlier!

[beryllium]

What are men for then?

We drive.

You read.

It's a simple task for you.

and it keeps you quiet......

[clairey-s]

YOU must be "born stupid" to post a question on here with such a title, you must have been aware the argument and insult it was inviting from female ABers? Or are you actually THAT dumb?

[bensmum]

I have always been able to read a map (and I don't have to turn it every which way to do it!)
I am very good at planning routes before I go on a long journey without the help of these online planners and I am not afraid to stray off the route either. Like dot I know where the counties are in relation to each other and can follow signs.
And like goodsoulette I can do lots of other things which my ex wouldn't even attempt (perhaps that's why he's an ex!)

[nuoyg]

yaaawwwwwnn!