Left handed in a right handed world
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It is so frustrating being left handed in a right-handed world. Given that we make up one in ten of the population you would think that us ‘south paw’ folk would be accommodated a little better wouldn't you? Left handed people just aren't equipped with the tools to do the job. Today I went to pick up my driver's license and I had to sign on one of those notepads. Well, being left handed I accidentally leaned on it about 10 times, causing me to have to re-sign all those times and causing extra work for the already crabby lady. |
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I find right handed computer mice very awkward to use, especially the ones moulded specifically for right-handed people. Also, I have lost count of the number of times I have been to an Internet café and of course all the computers are set up with the mouse on the right hand side of the keyboard. So I sit down and move it over to the left hand side and carry on using the PC. When I leave, sometimes the staff will go over and set it up right-handed again. Once I was even given a filthy look as I left, like I have "soiled the equipment" just by using it left handed. This sometimes causes a dangerous situation |
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Another thing that I find annoying are scissors. When I try to cut fabric or something rather difficult, I have to either get a right-handed friend to do it for me, or I have to awkwardly try to cut it with my right hand. This sometimes causes a dangerous situation, because I don't have the greatest control over my right hand. Now I must admit, there are SOME left handed scissors and other tools out there, but they are a pain to find and they get lost in the pile of right handed tools. Your thoughts? |
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Comments from visitors
Im 27 years old. I have been left handed for all of those years except for 2 when I decided to try to use my right foot for the things I used to use my left hand for. I found that it didnt really work as eating an ice cream on a nice sunny day whilst walking through the park became too much of a struggle. Seriously tho, never have I had any issue being left handed. However I am fantasticly good looking and very creative and actually took a degree in innovation...sadly only the last innovation bit is true.
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innovationcreation - 18-Jan-12 17:13
I'm a lefty! Just curious to know why some opted for "Prefer not to say" though?
If they would rather not answer the question about which hand they use, why take the time to answer it - by saying, you would rather not answer it?
If they would rather not answer the question about which hand they use, why take the time to answer it - by saying, you would rather not answer it?
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You too then MikeP? So is the grumpyoldman. How about you Nikki?
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grumpyoldwoman - 30-Jun-09 17:54
More creative and innovative, and often better looking too.
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But, Mr. Pratt, we are more intelligent and artistic!
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grumpyoldwoman - 30-Jun-09 16:31
Left Handedness has always been of interest to me(im right handed).whenever I meet a new person I always observe whether they are right or left handed.Years of observation have convinced me that Left-Handers are far more Likely to drop things and break things.Left handed people are Less efficient than right Handers.
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I am what they call cross dominant. I write and eat primarily left handed. I play ball right handed. On my computers I use a Logitech Marble Mouse. It's actually a track ball. The beauty of it is that it is symmetrical so it can be used in either hand.
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It is nice to see the left-handers being proud f it (survey now at 63.1%). As the grumpyoldwoman below says, there is a great site available that comes up quicly on search engines, with lots of personal touches and super gadgets for the left-handed population.
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I find it extremely frustrating to be a lefty in a right hand world. In classes, having to deal with the rings on the left side of the notebooks, the individual desks are designed with the rest on the right side! I often write essays in class and having to do it while holding up my elbow is actually quite tiring. A while back my left hand was feeling discomfort so I made a trip to the doctor's and he explained to me that I was suffering from a minor case of arthritis. Can you believe that! I am only in high school and I'm suffering from ARTHRITIS?? My dad doesn't even have it yet. If you look at the data, left handed employees have a higher risk of job-related injuries due to the fact that the machine/tool being used is designed for right handed users. It is said that left handed drivers are in more accidents because the driving system is made for right side oriented drivers.
Ah...perhaps I'm just too picky, but who knows. Maybe sometime in the near future, the percentage of left handed people will increase. I doubt it will be equal to that of right handed people, but maybe it'll grow to be more than just 10 percent.
Ah...perhaps I'm just too picky, but who knows. Maybe sometime in the near future, the percentage of left handed people will increase. I doubt it will be equal to that of right handed people, but maybe it'll grow to be more than just 10 percent.
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I am 19 years old and left-handed. I have never really had a problem besides curling my hand and/or smudging the ink when I write.
I grew up using a right-handed mouse, scissors, and keyboard with my right hand. I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me at all! Honestly I can't do any of those things left handed! I'm 1/2 way adapted I guess you could say!
I grew up using a right-handed mouse, scissors, and keyboard with my right hand. I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me at all! Honestly I can't do any of those things left handed! I'm 1/2 way adapted I guess you could say!
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Me and my sister are both lefties but our parents are righties! How weird! There are only 5 lefties in our class! I cut with my right hand and can play sport with both but I am more comfortable with left! I write and colour with my left though!!!! Lefties rock and are supposed to be really good at art, sport and clever.(I think that's right!) If people find things dangerous make more things left! Life would be soooo much easier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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!Little drop of Ocean! - 10-Feb-09 18:51
There is a very useful company, do a search for anything left-handed & you'll find it!
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grumpyoldwoman - 17-Nov-08 09:51
I definately agree that being left handed can cause dangerous situations - especially with scissors! the annoying thing is that I can never find anywhere that sells lefthanded scissors apart from the early learning centre!!!!
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froggythefrog - 16-Nov-08 21:00
I use both but there is no option in the poll for me!! Am I being singled out LOL
My Grandma was left handed and was caned and told she was evil if she was caught using her left hand. My son is left handed and has had problems at school being taught to write incorrectly and has been given pens that smudge too easily. It is so much easier to get left handed equipment these days, on the internet, but why does it have to be so expensive.
I write with my left hand because mainly because it's neater. I have found that when I have to write or sign for something alot of equipmet is set up for right handed use. Our local post office has pens on both sides probably because one of the casiers is left handed and understands the difficultly.
My Grandma was left handed and was caned and told she was evil if she was caught using her left hand. My son is left handed and has had problems at school being taught to write incorrectly and has been given pens that smudge too easily. It is so much easier to get left handed equipment these days, on the internet, but why does it have to be so expensive.
I write with my left hand because mainly because it's neater. I have found that when I have to write or sign for something alot of equipmet is set up for right handed use. Our local post office has pens on both sides probably because one of the casiers is left handed and understands the difficultly.
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Ambidextrous - 29-Apr-08 11:03
I am an elderly lefty and can remember my school days. I was caned every time I tried to use my left hand to write, had my left hand tied behind my back, in an attempt to make me write and use my right hand to do things. They didnt win though, I won and when I left school at 14yr, I was still a staunch left hander.Throughout my working life I have found that I was needed more and more to help out the right handers that couldnt do the job. WE ARE VERY USEFUL!!
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sherggy the lefty - 14-Mar-08 13:27
I'm Left handed, and for my whole school Life I had to use the mouse right handed, it slowed me down in IT exams, it slowed my work down, made my life a pain. but now I get to use my college mouse left handed and its so nice. (we couldn't get them set so the click worked the right way round for left handed users)
people lean over to use my computer or what ever and complain that its hard to use, what most of them don't appreciate is my whole world is like that the whole time, we only have right handed keyboards, and the mice are molded for right handers (well most of them) which is annoying too. nothing I can do though.
some of the computer mice don't have enough slack on the wire to put them to the left hand side with out unplugging them, untangling them and putting them to the left.
in the ILC (library/computer area) I finished using the computer, and of course the mouse was on the left hand side, and the cheeky employee said to me "are you going to put that mouse back so that the next person who wants to use it doesn't have to change it over" so I said to her "What makes you presume that the next user will be right handed, they could be left handed. also, why is the onus on me to make sure its easy for right handed people, and why don't right handed people have to change it over for me?" and then I walked out
and having to write with those ring binders so your hand gets in the way, irritating! and sizzors the bane of my life
people lean over to use my computer or what ever and complain that its hard to use, what most of them don't appreciate is my whole world is like that the whole time, we only have right handed keyboards, and the mice are molded for right handers (well most of them) which is annoying too. nothing I can do though.
some of the computer mice don't have enough slack on the wire to put them to the left hand side with out unplugging them, untangling them and putting them to the left.
in the ILC (library/computer area) I finished using the computer, and of course the mouse was on the left hand side, and the cheeky employee said to me "are you going to put that mouse back so that the next person who wants to use it doesn't have to change it over" so I said to her "What makes you presume that the next user will be right handed, they could be left handed. also, why is the onus on me to make sure its easy for right handed people, and why don't right handed people have to change it over for me?" and then I walked out
and having to write with those ring binders so your hand gets in the way, irritating! and sizzors the bane of my life
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Lefthanders have too much money. They will spend it where they will, too much of it, causing a general inflation for all the rest of us. Only today I went to a restarant for lunch, described as 'fashionable', one which was way out of town 55 miles away, where they charged us £60 for what was a meagre meal. They didn't even have a menu. All their food was cheapo "homemade", basically a feeble fish soup with hardly any protein. Even the wine was "domestic", not even bottled. The gipsy-band couldn't even sing in tune. Yuk! we were ripped off.
This restaurant didn't even have electric lights. And it had an outside loo.
I am not a lefthander. I earn my money with my right-hand.
This restaurant didn't even have electric lights. And it had an outside loo.
I am not a lefthander. I earn my money with my right-hand.
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I have no trust - 18-Jan-08 19:22
I'm a lefty but can also use my right hand for basically everything including writing due to having broken my left arm a couple of years ago. (Now I'm ambidexterous, don't I feel special =P )
I've never had any problems using right-handed equipment, such as scissors... I cannot for the life of me use left handed scissors... I have to use right-handed ones in my LEFT hand! otherwise I cannot use them.. As for a computer mouse, I have never had a problem, but cannot use them in my left hand.
I think the only way to get over all of these things, which are, quite frankly, not that easy to adapt to, do not need to be altered for our comfort. If everything was made for both left and right-handers, we would end up producing far too many things that would never be bought, other than by the odd few people who are incapable of adapting.
In other words, get over it, it is the way it is and it'll never change. You were given two hands, and whether one is dominant over the other or not, you still have to use the other one regardless. I especially learnt that lesson when I broke my arm and was forced to use my right one for everything, although it took virtually no time for me to adapt. A day or two at most, and about a week to be able to write legibly.
Try using your right arm for everything, you'll soon have no reason to complain.
I've never had any problems using right-handed equipment, such as scissors... I cannot for the life of me use left handed scissors... I have to use right-handed ones in my LEFT hand! otherwise I cannot use them.. As for a computer mouse, I have never had a problem, but cannot use them in my left hand.
I think the only way to get over all of these things, which are, quite frankly, not that easy to adapt to, do not need to be altered for our comfort. If everything was made for both left and right-handers, we would end up producing far too many things that would never be bought, other than by the odd few people who are incapable of adapting.
In other words, get over it, it is the way it is and it'll never change. You were given two hands, and whether one is dominant over the other or not, you still have to use the other one regardless. I especially learnt that lesson when I broke my arm and was forced to use my right one for everything, although it took virtually no time for me to adapt. A day or two at most, and about a week to be able to write legibly.
Try using your right arm for everything, you'll soon have no reason to complain.
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Geesh...so much right-handed anger.
I've never understood why people can't be more understanding. I am very left handed...I don't have much strength or dexterity with my right hand. I use a left handed mouse, and a left handed keyboard...I get all kinds of flack from everyone...but, no one wants to use my keyboard because it's too difficult for them...how come they don't realize my using a right handed keyboard is just as difficult for me?
A little understanding...of course no one wants to take anything away from people who overcome great obstacles...but, if you "righty's" tried doing things with your left hand instead of your right...you might understand how uncomfortable some mundane tasks can become.
I've never understood why people can't be more understanding. I am very left handed...I don't have much strength or dexterity with my right hand. I use a left handed mouse, and a left handed keyboard...I get all kinds of flack from everyone...but, no one wants to use my keyboard because it's too difficult for them...how come they don't realize my using a right handed keyboard is just as difficult for me?
A little understanding...of course no one wants to take anything away from people who overcome great obstacles...but, if you "righty's" tried doing things with your left hand instead of your right...you might understand how uncomfortable some mundane tasks can become.
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I'm a ICT Tutor and we offer Internet Cafe sessions.
Until recently I selfishly never thought about my students being left handed, until I began to work in a centre that offers ICT courses to people that are, well lets say no so well off, or have disabilities of 'some' kind - whether physical or mental.
A lady of 72 joined my course, she was absolutely terrified of using the mouse because she simply could not control the mouse. She had been on loads of computer courses before but 'lost it' half way through because of the nmouse. What the tutors hadn't picked up was her left handedness. On top on that she had dspraxia too, so hand, eye co-ordination was against her too. I sat her down, showed her how to change the mouse over as well as the mouse buttons, explained the different types of mice available and she carried on through the course to complete it with ease.
In the end she used a laptop and a mouse pad instead of a mouse, but with it set up for left-handed. She was extremely grateful for the help and is going on to study further.
So why you sit there moaning about being left handed think about hpw hard it is with other difficulties too ontop and be grateful.
Try learning computers and the terminology too when you can't speak or have minimal comprehension of english...now that's a challenge.
Until recently I selfishly never thought about my students being left handed, until I began to work in a centre that offers ICT courses to people that are, well lets say no so well off, or have disabilities of 'some' kind - whether physical or mental.
A lady of 72 joined my course, she was absolutely terrified of using the mouse because she simply could not control the mouse. She had been on loads of computer courses before but 'lost it' half way through because of the nmouse. What the tutors hadn't picked up was her left handedness. On top on that she had dspraxia too, so hand, eye co-ordination was against her too. I sat her down, showed her how to change the mouse over as well as the mouse buttons, explained the different types of mice available and she carried on through the course to complete it with ease.
In the end she used a laptop and a mouse pad instead of a mouse, but with it set up for left-handed. She was extremely grateful for the help and is going on to study further.
So why you sit there moaning about being left handed think about hpw hard it is with other difficulties too ontop and be grateful.
Try learning computers and the terminology too when you can't speak or have minimal comprehension of english...now that's a challenge.
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