-- phundug, Jan 13 2008

[brevity], [+].
-- 4whom, Jan 13 2008


[+]. And alternate sets of colour-coded arrows to tell you how to fold Milton Keynes into the armpit of a giraffe.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 13 2008


Parmenter's Pointers (+) (obscure F-Troop reference)
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Jan 14 2008


We are concerned that USAF pilots might misinterpret the arrows as "Bomb Here !" directions.
-- 8th of 7, Jan 14 2008


[MB], Milton Keynes is already in the armpit of a giraffe.

As to the idea; you fold maps how they were folded before. Really, how hard is it?
-- angel, Jan 14 2008


// Really, how hard is it?
The problem is that you have to fold in a certain order - e.g., do the vertical folds first, then the horizontals; or worse, folding the middle first, than in the resulting middle, etc.
If you pay attention to a vertical or horizontal at the wrong time, you can encounter anything from an impossible alternating concave/convex fold pattern to something that superficially folds alright, but places contradictory convex/concave folds on top of each other, for you to run into at a later time.
This is nothing that a bit of calm consideration on the kitchen table can't fix, but try doing it at night, on a windy street corner with mittens on, and it gets harder. And once you've done it wrong, your new folds obscure the original directions.
-- jutta, Jan 15 2008


Thank you [jutta]. Folding it while sitting in the passenger seat without map corners protruding into the driver's face is also not facile.
-- phundug, Jan 15 2008


And hence the plastic-coated maps that don't mind which way you fold them (and don't mind getting wet, either).
-- DrCurry, Jan 16 2008


// don't mind getting wet //

Hmmm, pathetic fallacy, hmm.....
-- 8th of 7, Jan 16 2008


Didn't you see "She's Having a Baby?" You fold them back and forth back and forth.
-- nomocrow, Jan 16 2008


Just so long as you didn't have to pick up any tooling. [+]
-- Letsbuildafort, Jan 16 2008


Useful - or is that not such a compliment here? [+]
-- xenzag, Jan 16 2008


There once was a time when all maps folded the same way - concertina across from the left hand side then fold the resultant strip in half, thirds or quarters depending on map size.

The advent of the 'easy fold' map confused things, introducing zany half-and-half-again folding styles into a once perfectly rational realm of endeavour.
-- Texticle, Jan 16 2008


Ah, those happy, innocent days of two-dimensional topology ..... where are they now ?
-- 8th of 7, Jan 17 2008



random, halfbakery