Which way?

North, south, east and west isn't always north, south, east and west respectively here in Chicago.

When driving and you come to an intersection of a road that is aligned north / south, you'll find signs that are giving you the option of going east or west?!? Huh?!?

You see, east and west don't really mean east and west. They mean, "Do you want to go towards the city, or away from it?".

Chicago is situated on the west side of Lake Michigan, so any travel towards the city is east and any travel away from the centre of the city is west. So a road that leads north / south eventually either heads towards the city at one end and away from it at the other - hence the designation of east / west instead of north / south.

Understand?

Me neither.

| 30 Nov 2004 | #