When Left Is Always Right - An Ambidextrous Argument

Which side of the page did you start reading this article from? Well, my case is almost won already!

Unfortunately I am a little short sighted and so from time to time I have to go and get a new prescription for my glasses and contact lenses. Each time I do this, the optician informs me that my left eye has better vision than my right.

I am very much right handed. I write with my right hand, I ring a doorbell with my right hand and I reach out with my right hand before my left. However my left hand/arm is much stronger. I cannot open brand new bottles of soda with my right hand, yet it is simplicity itself with my left! Gripping is much easier with my left hand too and I am pretty sure my left hook could put my right to shame!

My head seems to turn to the left much easier than the right. I don't have any particular neck problems, it just easier to turn to the left.

Here in the United Kingdom (and a few other countries) we drive our cars on the left hand side of the road. In the USA and the rest of the world, you drive on the left side of your car!

For many hundreds of years, in many countries (there are exceptions) the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. Reasons for this seem to stem from traditions both religious and medical. It was once believed that the "vein of love" was found in the ring finger of the left hand because before we knew how the circulatory system worked it was thought that a vein of blood ran from this finger right to the heart.

Here is the, (clears throat) science bit! Seen as we are all (or perhaps its just me) reading this on a website, research has shown that we as the people generally prefer our websites to have the "clickable" stuff on the left hand side of the pages. The research showed that when all the navigation and clicking was on the left hand side of the page, then the site was usually more successful and popular.

So, what is left to say about left? Well, probably plenty but you get the picture; I just happen to think left is right! Discuss.