cursed

25 Apr 2004

I was asked by mrs davej to pour out a quantity of liquid into a measuring jug the other day and it struck me how I have coped with small difficulties through my life so well that I havnt even noticed that I had a problem.
My problem? being left handed in a right handed world. So folks, spare a thought for 10% of the population. Whilst you cant design products for left handers in a right handed world they could at least design for dual use where possible. In the case of the measuring jug, put the sodding numbers on both sides, its no good to me when I hold it in my left hand and the numbers are round the back!
Other examples I found of late which give me a problem or at the least make me look awkward :-
tape measure..I want to hold it in my left hand, hook the tab on the right side of the item to be measured and draw the tape out from the right, consequence, the numbers are upside down.
Electric tools with a trigger lock button..normally this small button is located on the left hand side of the handle and is engaged by the right hander with their thumb when required. The left hander will have engaged this button with the palm of his/her hand accidentaly with the net result that the bloody thing will still be going when you let go of it.
Fruit knives and the like..designed with a straight edge one side and a bevel the other to pare away a small slither or section...left hand starts off ok but the bevels design, quickly throws the thing off the fruit completely.
Fountain pens...impossible. Apart from the fact that the nibs are designed to let the ink flow when used by a right hander , my bloddy hand follows the pen and drags through the freshly laid ink.
stairs escalators etc....I wanna stand on the left and hold the hand rail with my dominant hand the instructions on the tube and the rest of you guys say no!
Electrical items such as irons where the lead exits the from the side of the handle...the lead trails across my body and gets in the way.
Computors...number keys on the right
scissors with a thumb hole and a larger fingers hole.....wrong side folks
diggers forklifts and small plant....control levers on the right
clothes... Oh yes believe it or not. I wanna put my wallet in my back pocket using my left hand bloody impossible given that trousers with one back pocket have them located on the right arse cheek. I wanna put my pen in the inside jacket pocket with my left hand..bloody awkward seeing as the pocket is also that side of the jacket.
The list goes on and on and yes you can get all these things in a left handed version from specialist suppliers but my point is that next time you see a colleague doing something and you think to yourself why on earth they are struggling or are doing it awkwardly, it might just be, that they are simply .........left handed.

25 Apr 2004

I sympathise with you Davej, as someone who is also left handed, I have also come across these same problems and many more. However, these items were designed by right handed people who are jealous of the skills and dexterity of the Left handed race. We overcome all these obstacles with a flair unsurpassed by them. We are able to use both hands more often than they possibly could. How many left handed people play golf right handed? (Aye), or cricket or can manage all those right handed designed implements? Now ask someone who is right handed to use something designed for left hand use and they are knackered! They can't adapt!
So hold your head up high. It's not us who are cack handed - it's everyone else!! lol

Mal
:lol:

25 Apr 2004

I have a strange one for you davej and Mal609.
MrFC is left handed as well as my son, but if I lay the table out for dinner they both have there cutlery as a right handed person does,(knife on the right , fork on the left) ...............My daughter on the other hand is right handed like myself..... but she rearranges her cutlery so that her knife is on her left and fork is on her right !!!!! rolleyes

:roll:

25 Apr 2004

Another classic is a corkscrew.
I'm not left handed but my son is - well he's left footed; bowls left handed in cricket; bats right handed and plays golf right handed - mixed up kid or what :!:
Seriously though have you heard of the left handed shops where you can buy many of these things (although mechanical diggers might be stretching it) for left handed people confused

: :?:

25 Apr 2004

I suppose we could all learn from the chinese and force every child in every school to be right handed.
Yes, forcing these children to do everything right handed can seriously affect your mental health, but at least they can use scissors better.
The only thing I can suggest is to ask the manufactorers to think of you lefties. Tell them that if they had a breast pocket on both or just the right side on their shirts then a whole new market is open for them to exploit.
I honestly can't see the world (or the UK) changing to have better standard equipment or designs. For that I sympathise with you cause but being a righty I will probably not do anything to help it.

25 Apr 2004

Hi DaveJ,
Like you I am predominantly left handed, although I do somethings with my right hand leading.
If your really stuck for some items, there are a couple of UK websites which supply left-handed items.

and

Have a look, they may be able to help you out for some items.
Harry0

25 Apr 2004

Thanks Harry. I have been meaning to get a few things for two of the children.
You've make it so much easier for me and have already found the childrens scissors that they so desperately want.
kiss

Harry0
Dawn :silly:

25 Apr 2004

I thank you for your tips and links folks and I am aware that a lot of things are now available to us, why only the other day I ordered my first left handed cheque book its amazing how much easier it is to fill out without having to jam your fist up against the stub side.

25 Apr 2004

There's always one who has to be different.

25 Apr 2004

I was naturally left handed but was 'forced' to revert to right handedness by well meaning teachers, and in particular, by boxing coaches who thought 'southpaws' to be inferior. Interestingly, two of my children are left handed as well. Having been right handed for a long time , I smashed my hand up in an accident, and had to re-learn to do things left handed-shaving, using forks, wiping arse, you name it-I am now pretty close to being ambidextrous, except when writing cheques or paying bills when I come over useless on both sides.

25 Apr 2004

Arti I used to box southpaw in the Army!! still can't use a jigsaw properly in my right hand whilst holding the wood in my left.....MrsFC just walks away and waits for the .......AHHHHHH

26 Apr 2004

This slogan was on a T-shirt I once bought for my left handed partner
The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body
Therefore a lefthanded person is always in his right mind !!!
I also bought him
A left handed cup - the picture was always facing you
A left-handed clock dunno

- the hands went backwards - till you looked at the clock through a mirror :!:
Lefthanded people usually lead with their left foot and vice versa .... My son is righthanded and leftfooted ... my niece (who is 2 days older) is lefthand and right footed :doh:
Lucy kiss