Discussion: control label orientation

During my last ski-O race, I was caught pretty much off guard when I couldn't orient my map after very first control. Everything seemed to be misoriented by 90 degrees. After close to a minute of hesitation desided to disregard compass readings altogether. Worked just fine until the finish. Only after finish I found what the source of confusion was. Control numbers and codes were printed top to the east not north. So is the expectation to find them oriented to the north is too strong or it does have some merit?

I printed them sideways once for a sprint. I will never do it again---it's just too confusing. It isn't part of the game to do that particular translation in your head.

I printed them on an angle once. I will never do it again---the tears were epic.

Doesn't section 4.7, quaintly called "Overprinting symbols" apply to all disciplines of orienteering? 703 Control number: "The numbers are oriented to north."

Before digital maps when they were hand drawn. I went in one event where each control number was orienteed to the direction of the leg - very confusing and the setter was set upon by a mob of angry orienteers

I had a control number on the weekend that was printed over the top of a knoll. I was very unhappy since I could not relocate from the knoll I was standing at at the time.

The numbers should have been oriented to north, as should any text on (or off) the map, so it actually aids in orienting the map. When drawing orienteering maps I will also try to add other map text such as names of streets or creeks and orient it to north for the same reason. The only exception I can think of offhand would be contour values aligned on a contour line, though these aren't normally used.

Are you sure it wasn't a Hungarian map? They have E at the top...