  The detour between two points u and v (on edges or vertices) of an embedded
planar graph whose edges are curves is the ratio between the shortest path in
in the graph between u and v and their Euclidean distance. The maximum detour
over all pairs of points is called the geometric dilation. Ebbers-Baumann,
Gruene and Klein have shown that every finite point set is contained in a
planar graph whose geometric dilation is at most 1.678, and some point sets
require graphs with dilation at least pi/2 = 1.57... We prove a stronger lower
bound of 1.00000000001*pi/2 by relating graphs with small dilation to a problem
of packing and covering the plane by circular disks.
  The proof relies on halving pairs, pairs of points dividing a given closed
curve C in two parts of equal length, and their minimum and maximum distances h
and H. Additionally, we analyze curves of constant halving distance (h=H),
examine the relation of h to other geometric quantities and prove some new
dilation bounds.
