Street Maps
Street maps are devices that are used to help you find your way around places. They can come in various formats but all have the same purpose. If you need to you’re your way to somewhere in a city, town or other place then you can simply look it up on a map and work out how to get there or where it is.
There are various kinds of street maps you can use nowadays. Popular options include:
- Paper maps: paper maps come in various shapes and formats. You can, for example, use a fold out map that covers a specific area. Book maps such as A to Zs are also popular for use in towns and cities. These can be purchased in large, small and even pocket sized formats nowadays. These work by an index system. You simply look up the place you want to go in the street maps index to get a map reference, find the place on the relevant page and you can then see where it is so you can work out how to get there.
- Online maps: online maps are maps that you can view on your computer. These maps allow you to key in a location (i.e. a street, a place or a town) and the map will then display on your computer. You can then print the map off if you like so that you can use it as you need to. Some online street maps will also give you directions and journey times if you wish as part of their services.
- Mobile maps: mobile technology also includes the ability to access mapping facilities. So, for example, you can use some online mobile phone services to look up a location. This works in much the same way as standard online street maps services except you access it via your mobile phone. Other alternatives such as GPS and Tom Tom systems can be used either in handheld versions or in a car or vehicle. Again, here you key in where you need to go. The difference with these systems is the fact that they may then give you detailed instructions as you drive or walk to tell you the route you should be taking as you go along.
The main aim of street maps in any format is simply to help you to get from A to B. The type of map you use to do this may simply depend on personal preference.