# Can anybody else read upside down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 26, 2000, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169 "2000-03-26T06:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/21 "2000-03-26T19:51:00Z")
I’ve been able to read upside-down since I was a little kid. Dad used to show off my talents when we visited the barber shop, but I never knew if it was really a unique talent or something everyone can do… I can write upside down, but it’s slow and kinda messy. And yes, I’m left-handed. * * * “Lisa! In this house we OBEY the laws of Thermodynamics!” - Homer Simpson ---
**Author:** ![saucy\_potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@saucy\_potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucy_potato)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/22 "2000-03-26T19:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by android209: > \*\* Yeah, but I bet ya cheated and kept your eyes open, right? > > \*\* ## ::sigh:: You got me there. I guess I’m not as talented as I had originally thought. ‘When I feel friendship for you, I am ashamed.’ ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/23 "2000-03-26T21:17:00Z")
I can read upside-down, but not as fluently as rightside-up. What’s strange about it is that oftentimes the words don’t look upside-down so much as _backwards_. I can also read words from a greater distance than most people - good eyesight combined with word “shape” recognition. Good for reading your cubemate’s emails without them knowing. (no, I don’t really do that) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/24 "2000-03-27T01:10:00Z")
Yeah, but I got your guys beat cause I can read words on hands. ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/25 "2000-03-27T01:15:00Z")
I can read upside-down, backward, reversed, or any combination thereof. And I’m righthanded (the only thing that has kept me from using the Simon and Garfunkel lyric from RTFirefly’s post as a sig line). I can write backwards and reversed, and am fairly decent at writine upside down. What I cannot do under any circumstances is write with my left hand. I tried to develop this talent in an effort to become ambidextrous once, and I could not get the hang of it at all. * * * Heck is where you go when you don’t believe in Gosh. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169/26 "2000-03-27T04:13:00Z")
I’m a lawyer. Of course I know how to read upside down. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-else-read-upside-down/15169.md?page=1)