[andyking]

I guess I'm lucky - I'd never looked before, but I checked, and I live in a very small town, about 50 feet from where Google Maps places my town name.

I get your point - if you live in North London, then getting directions from "London" is probably not the way to go. Postcodes seem to be the quickest way, for me.

[RobAley]

Indeed, being in the UK postcodes are great. A short unambiguous way of identifying a fairly specific location (usually down to part of one street). From my limited knowledge of postal/zip codes in the rest of the world though, they aren't always that precise, sometimes refering just to a whole town (or greater area).