response 5 of 58:

Oct 9 02:27 UTC 2003

The only way I ever learn my way around any new city is by getting 
repeatedly lost until I build up some kind of subconscious mental map of 
how the major streets fit together.  Once I have that, I'm never lost 
for long...I just need to drive until I cross a major street I 
recognize.

Every city has its own confusing features.  In Ann Arbor it's how many 
streets merge, seperate, and change names.  In St. Paul, it was the fact 
that you couldn't follow any straight street in the grid for more than a 
couple miles before hitting a lake.