Without the Correct Directions, All Are Lost

Re “Going in Circles” (Oct. 17) about the male animal’s supposed reluctance to stop for directions:

While there may be a grain of truth to some of the psychobabble set forth therein, the author has ignored several obvious reasons that I and many others (male and female) prefer toughing it out on our own rather than seeking assistance.

Consider:

The most likely places to seek directions, because of accessibility and hours of operation, are service stations and fast food restaurants. In many urban areas (the most likely places for tourists and/or potential lost sheep), these are staffed by personnel whose command of the English language and ability to lend directional assistance is often quite limited.

We are becoming an extremely transient society, where fewer and fewer people remain in one place long enough to learn their neighbors’ names, much less acquire a thorough knowledge of local highways and byways. Directional inquiries are too often answered with “I have no idea.”

Finally, it has been my experience that there are just as many women as men who are hesitant to seek directions--particularly when traveling alone in unfamiliar territory.

This is primarily due to the high incidence of violent crime against women.

ERIC A. HOLCK

Los Angeles