In the early days of automobiles when, for the first time in history, large numbers of people had opportunities to travel well beyond their local areas, finding directions was a problem. Prior to that, the range of most peoples' travels was limited to a relatively short distance from their home, and people quickly became familiar with the small network that they regularly used. Signage was not needed. However, as new drivers roamed into unfamiliar areas, the lack of signage made getting lost a common occurrence.