The path to true love never did run smooth, and the road to just about anywhere is full of unexpected obstacles and diversions. Whether you are forced to make a detour due to an unexpected road closure, heavy traffic, or just a sudden change in travel plans, making a detour along potentially unfamiliar roads can be an anxious process. GPS devices have given many drivers a great deal of confidence, but how do you detour without a GPS device? Here are several ways from Sears Imported Autos.

If you know ahead of time you're going to have to make a detour on your journey, simply log on to Google Maps or a similar online service and plan your route, including directions, in advance. Some might argue that doesn't make it a real detour. But even if you don't know in advance you'll need to extend your journey, you can access these internet services from your smartphone without resorting to GPS.

Really, your first option to detour without a GPS device should be to reach for a map, which you should have secreted in your glove compartment as a matter of routine, in case of emergencies. Plan your detour completely before leaving the original route, and don't just assume you'll be able to join the road later on without checking the map carefully. If you're driving with passengers, give the most sensible person the map and allow them to navigate while you concentrate on the driving, and don't be afraid to check directions at every single junction if you're at all unsure. It's better to be slightly annoying than to end up lost!

But without maps, what can you do? Roads twist about a bit, so navigating by the sun or stars is likely to be of limited use to you. Of course, you could always ask a local person for directions. If you're driving out in the wilderness, this might be a limited option, but you're less likely to have to make a lengthy detour anyway if you're driving across a trackless plain.

When asking for directions, people have a tendency to stop listening, get confused, or over-estimate the amount of information they can store in their head. Write down any directions you're given that are longer than "drive over that hill and you're done." And don't just write them down - thank your new friend, read back your directions and check their accuracy, then drive away. And if you think you've been sent the wrong way, don't hesitate to roll down the window and ask another person if you're heading in the right direction.

And of course, if a detour is forced on you by a road closure, you'll be following a lot of other cars, possibly even on a signposted route, and won't need GPS at all. Taking a detour might occasionally be stressful, but use a bit of common sense and you shouldn't need a clever GPS device to help you.