The approach is fundamentally different: in Europe it's organized by where you want to go (or do), in the US it's organized by cardinal directions.

In the US, if you're on 89th Street and 5th Avenue, and you want to visit your friend on 10th and 1st Avenue, you'll know exactly which direction to drive. Need to go to another city? Take the highway following the direction the other city is. Americans are typically good at knowing where the sun rises, or are always getting lost.

In Europe, you know your friend lives by the main hospital, so you follow the signs indicating the hospital, and then (if you're lucky) signs to your friend's neighborhood. From there you need to know how to get to the street they live on. Need to get to another city? Follow the highway signs indicating that city, if it's close by, otherwise you'll need to know what cities are on the way to it.

When we lived in the US, I could easily find any address in most cities. My wife was always getting lost, sometimes going to the complete other side of town.

We've been in Europe for over a decade now. She has no problems getting around to most places she needs to. I'm always getting lost going someplace new.