Miscellaneous Forum

Being a very proud left-handed person (my mother, also a leftie, always told me left-handed people were 'special') I've just started reading 'A left-hand turn around the world' by David Wolman. This book tries to discover why some of us are left-handed and the historical and cultural significance of left-handedness.

One statistic the author repeatedly refers back to is that us left-handed people make up approximately 9-12.5% of the world's population.

This got me thinking about VT's hand bias. Therefore I propose a scientific study. Simply reply to this post with you hand of choice listed and i'll work out the percentages later (unless we're all really clever and can work it out as we go along). No references to being ambi-dextrous please as apparently theres no such thing according to the author!

1. Left-handed

Right-handed.

The left handed people were originally considered to be freaks!! The left handed people uses the right part of the brain which is considered to be artistic.

Have you found difficulty in using certain equipments or tools with left hands?

Well I'm sorry to say he is wrong.
I write, kick a ball, play guitar and throw a ball right handed.
I shoot my shotgun, play golf and cricket left handed.
I can shoot a handgun and play darts with either hand.

A long time ago i read a statistic that read 'that 70% of accidents in the home are caused by left-handed people using things designed for right-handed people'

Ive never had a problem really, other than left-handed scissors which bziarrely i cant use! The only thing i do right-handed is play golf..however, last year a picked up a left-handed golf club for the first time and discovered that i was just as good with my left hand.

As for ambi-dextrousness...according to 'official studies' it doesnt simply refer to the ability to use both hands for certain tasks. Its argued that theres no such thing as true ambi-dextrousness as one-hand will always dominate in tasks where you have ot use both hands...apparently theres a test called the Edinburgh test that more or less proves this theory.

True ambi-dextrousness only strikes 1-1,000,000 people apparently!

Nice to know that I'm 1 in a million. LOL

Ha, ha, ha.....we are all unique. I would have said that I was ambidextrous but according to your info I am not. Since the broken wrist I had to force the left to work on tasks and it doesn't volunteer as readily any more. I am mostly right handed now.
Carole.

completely right handed.

Ricky, in the interest of my 'scientific' study would you like me to record you as 'ambi-dextrous' or would you like to renounce your 'one in a million' status?...lol

I think it would be best for your study, to decide yourself my status.
Everything I have told you is true, even my friends think it is weird

The acid test....according to the author anyway....when removing the lid from a jar which hand do you generally use to remove the lid?

Left

I dont ever remember having left-handed scissors at school! I can only use right-handed scissors in my left-hand! My right-hand is completely useless!

Right. Do you know why we drive on the left in the UK?

Lefty here.

Throw balls with my left hand. Primarily catch with my left hand as well, but trained myself to catch with my right for baseball purposes.

Left handed hockey player. Unlike many lefty goalies, I put my stick in the right hand, and the glove in the left.

Scissors in my right hand.

For in my right hand...so as to put the knife in my left.

Go figure.

I'm a righty

This book, which i'm less than halfway through, is a goldmine of information for us lefties!

As for why we drive on the left in the UK...according to the author 30% of the worlds population drive on the left, as to the reasons why it all comes down to geography, history and cultural reasons apparently. Some other guy refers to it in another book - basically the reasons differ for each area of the world/locality. In some regions of a country they drive on the left whereas the rest of the country drive on the right. Its all a bit vague im afraid.

Will let you know if I uncover anything else about it.

I heard it came from when we rode horses, your right arm was your sword arm so it was free to defend you against attack from someone coming towards you.

When studying at art college out of the 64 students in my year group alone, over 40 were left-handed, there is clearly something in the fact that left-handed peoplea are deemed to be creative. It is logical when considering that left handed people have a right-hemisphere dominant brain which is the side linked to intuition and creativity....This may also explain the Roman term 'sinister' for left and the link throughout history between left-handed people being regarded as 'bewitched' and persecuted accordingly?

always remove a jar lid with the left hand...

writing left handed.
throwing right handed.
Rifle, hand gun right handed.
tennis racquet right handed
Pool / snooker left handed.
Bow annd arrow left handed
Scissors right handed.
Using scalpel left handed.
Driving - comfortable n right or left hand drive, comfortable right or left side of road.
The world is set up for right-handers though...us lefties aree up against it....

LEFT HANDERS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND.....

Dean, your observations are correct as its mentioned in the book. However, the big argument raised by the author is that according to scientific research the two things that distinguish homosapiens from the rest of the animal kingdom is the ability to speak and the right-handed bias. The author simply asks the question, why?

The sword story is also mentioned, it refers to a gentlemen always having a lady to his left-hand side whilst walking together so that his 'sword-hand' is free to defend an attack from an enemy. Still doesnt really explain the driving thing in my mind though.

I thought the other thing that distinguished us form other aminals was opposing thumbs (obviously on both hands!!) and you're right, iot doesn't explain the driving thing. I am in trigued as to the number fo left handers about and why should evolutino (if that's your viewpoint) generate so many right handers? Is it becasue the left hemisphere of the brain was used more to survicve, ie. mechanical, practical skills? Did this in effrect, reduce the need for use of the left side of the brain over a long period of time, therefore reducing the number of left-handers created?

you could not fight someone from a horse with a sword in your left hand if they were on a horse to your right

Sorry, opposing thumbs are also mentioned.

Am currently reading all about the hemisphere theories. Its suggested that
its genetic but lots of arguments/evidence rage against it.

Left-handed parents have a 20% chance of having a left handed child, one left and one right-handed parent = 15%, two right- handed parents = 9% chance of a leftie child. Twins are also more likely to be left-handed.

The organisation of the brain is suggested as a possible reason but theres conflicting evidence. We have a 'lateralised' brain which is unique in the animal kingdom, this therefore should make our right-hand bias unique...but according to some animal experts this isnt the case...thus blowing everyones arguments out of the water. Its all very confusing though...interesting but confusing!

My mother's argument is the best i've heard so far...we're just damn special:)

That makes perfect sense to me now Mark, thanks. In other countries driving on the left has evolved for different reasons apparently.

I can only but ask :)

Just to blur everything further, ive just read that 90% of parrots use their left foot to pick up food - no-one knows why!

I'm the same Ricky. All sports that require two hands on a bat, tennis racquet etc., I play with my right hand. Everything one handed is with my left. I can write with either hand so I think that author is wrong.

But which hand takes the lid off the jar?

http://economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3471297

Lefty!

Shoot, use a knife, sew, crochet, write, etc w/ my left hand.
The right uses scissors (and no I can't use left scissor either!)

My friends don't let me slice food for serving (like bread and such) cuz I decimate it! One friend's dad mentioned he thought it was b/c I needed a lefty bread knife .... I'd rather just let someone else do it than spend the cash :)