Direct me nowhere

[benconnolli]

I am trying to make a set of direction rules that I can follow anywhere I start and turn it into an adventure.

I have already got;
Gradient percentage signs must always be followed
Straight on if an option
First turning off a nasty road
Veto any tracks already ridden in that direction
Within an hour of sunrise or sunset always go towards the sun

I need ideas for a way of making decisions at T junctions/forks as well as a mechanic for getting onto bridal-ways and navigating on them.

Give us your best, or worst and I will give them a test and report back.

[jameso]

Nice idea. I tend to
Always see 'Road Closed' as an opportunity or challenge
Never ride past a Byway/BOAT as they're generally a link between roads and more likely to be useful than a Bridleway
Go uphill rather than downhill where there is the option (you already have that in the gradient sign rule)

Could be a great base for new RWGPS routing algorithms
T-junctions - ride away from the bigger towns or city names? Takes some knowledge of the area though. Take the direction of longer-distanced place name? .. on the basis that the road (if good) is more likely to continue longer in that direction.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Junctions - dice, flip of a coin?

[restlessshawn]

I will often go out of my way to cycle through anywhere with a rude or amusing name though it generally leads to disappointment

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[Mrhoppy]

At junctions you could just alternate between left and right.

[touch]

Throw a stick in the air and follow the direction it points.

[benconnolli]

Wow! Thanks. Some brill suggestions here. Agree the go down regardless rules could be expanded to now be:
Setting sun, steep, pubs if hungry/thirsty, dead ends, BOATS, silly names, and the wind.

If we are going for a rule over random at junctions then
If listed, biggest distance
else if know, smallest town
else if signpost, longest name
else, opposite of previous turn
(Can you tell I work in software?)

Stemming from the coin or dice idea I have visions of a magic 8 ball set into the top cap that only settles when you are stopped, and therefore momentarily lost, and gives you opportune advice. Don’t ask me how it knows you have stopped. It’s magic after all. Twister dial is another possibility, and I could paint my tarp for multi use too! If I had an analogue watch then I could take the second hand as my direction, possibly even times are right and odd left. I’ve just remembered those pop dice you get in the middle of some board games. Solves the issue I had imagined with picking up the dice from the floor.

Quite excited about the prospect of this but will have to wait until November to try it out due to life.

[Ray Young]

Lie your bike on its side and spin the front wheel. When it stops spinning the direction the valve is facing is the direction you go. Or as near to as possible, .

[benconnolli]

Lie your bike on its side and spin the front wheel. When it stops spinning the direction the valve is facing is the direction you go. Or as near to as possible, .

Much as I appreciate the absurd image of me doing that and you are probably joking, you could be onto something. Skip the sideways bit with a heavy bike and just peek over your front wheel, turning your head instead of your bike, and use that valve position.

[Bearlegged]

Strikes me this would work best with techniques that don't require stopping, thus ruling out coin toss/dice/spin the front wheel.

Also, what on earth do you mean by "pubs if hungry/thirsty"??? You'll be telling me you pass up opportunities for cake next!