# Drawing A Circle **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085 "2012-12-15T02:33:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/1 "2012-12-15T02:33:27Z")
Do right-handed people mostly draw, say, the letter “O” in a clockwise circle, or a counter-clockwise circle? (I’m left-handed, I don’t know) Mods: my apologies if this should be in IMHO. But I figured there’s mostly one answer. This is not meant to be a poll – I’m wondering about things like [the Earth’s rotation,](http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/brujaja/2rotation_zps08249c6d.gif)the (western) preference for clockwise and left-to-right motion, and chirality of molecules. Er, and any potential connection. The inside of my head is a fun place. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/2 "2012-12-15T02:35:52Z")
I am right-handed and tend to draw my circles in a clockwise direction. I also live in the northern hemisphere, if that factors in to your theory. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/3 "2012-12-15T02:39:24Z")
I am right-handed and draw my circles counterclockwise. The next time I dip below the equator, I’ll give it a try and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/4 "2012-12-15T02:55:37Z")
right handed counterclockwise northern hemisphere virgo ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/5 "2012-12-15T02:56:53Z")
Right handed, counter clockwise. It probably has nothing to do with the earth’s rotation or how molecules are oriented or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/6 "2012-12-15T03:13:25Z")
Right-handed. Clockwise. Northern Hemisphere. Pisces. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/7 "2012-12-15T03:32:05Z")
I think my sign was “Maternity Ward.” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/8 "2012-12-15T03:35:44Z")
Right-handed, anti-clockwise. I also draw my capital E strokes in upward order (down, right, middle, top) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/9 "2012-12-15T03:41:25Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Right-handed, anti-clockwise. > > I also draw my capital E strokes in upward order (down, right, middle, top) Ditto, on both counts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/10 "2012-12-15T03:46:05Z")
Right handed, counter-clockwise starting from top dead center. Northeren Hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/11 "2012-12-15T03:54:17Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Do right-handed people mostly draw, say, the letter “O” in a clockwise circle, or a counter-clockwise circle? (I’m left-handed, I don’t know) > > Mods: my apologies if this should be in IMHO. But I figured there’s mostly one answer. > > This is not meant to be a poll – I’m wondering about things like [the Earth’s rotation,](http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/brujaja/2rotation_zps08249c6d.gif)the (western) preference for clockwise and left-to-right motion, and chirality of molecules. Er, and any potential connection. > > The inside of my head is a fun place. I’m right-handed, Northern hemisphere resident, and I go counter-clockwise. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/12 "2012-12-15T03:58:39Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Right-handed, anti-clockwise. > > I also draw my capital E strokes in upward order (down, right, middle, top) Didn’t realise the portion of the Earth was actually a serious (?) part of the OP. I’m in the Southern Hemisphere, where the Coriolis Effect on anything other than weather patterns is a myth. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/13 "2012-12-15T04:31:30Z")
Right handed, counter-clockwise, Southern Hemisphere, cancerian and year of the snake. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/14 "2012-12-15T04:33:30Z")
Right-handed, counterclockwise, (checks toilet flush) Northern Hemisphere ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/15 "2012-12-15T04:47:37Z")
Right-handed, counter-clockwise, northern hemisphere, Gemini, year of the Ox, and the moon was in the third house, the House of Communications, when I was born. As for the northern hemisphere, the further north I travel, the slower the angular velocity my circle drawing becomes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jesta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Jesta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesta)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/16 "2012-12-15T06:12:30Z")
Right handed, counter-clockwise, Southern Hemisphere, Sagittarian allergic to peanuts. but… if I try to freehand draw a bigger circle, say ball or disc sized, I draw clockwise. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/17 "2012-12-15T06:40:30Z")
Right handed. Counter clockwise. Northern hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/18 "2012-12-15T07:01:04Z")
Right handed. Counter-clockwise. Starting at the top of the circle. Northern hemisphere. New world. Scorpio (old style). Virgo (new style). Year of the Ox. Element of Metal. Punarvasu Nakshatra. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/19 "2012-12-15T07:24:11Z")
Argh. Got a poll anyway. I actually thought there was one factual answer. I mean, don’t they give you workbooks in kindergarten that show you how to draw letters; you know, with a dotted line and, in the case of circles, an arrow? I guess this means that some of you were either very naughty, or asserting your cognitive individuality – your choice. My assumption was that, since I’m left-handed and draw my circles clockwise, right-handed people (the 9/10s majority) must draw them counter-clockwise. I was originally wondering if the way that most people draw circles had anything to do with why the graphic of the world turning that I linked to was portrayed turning in the wrong direction. But after I came back to check responses, somehow I realized that I wasn’t absolutely sure which direction I draw my circles at all. Finally I had to go look at a pre-existing example of my writing to find out for sure. And I was wrong. I actually draw them counter-clockwise. So now I can’t remember what my theory was exactly, but I’m pretty sure it was wrong. 😕 As long as I’m asking, is there a preponderance of left or right-handed molecules in nature? How about clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation? Do most planets in the solar system rotate in one direction? Is there any real reason for the direction of rotation of things in space, other than, say, an impact? ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085/20 "2012-12-15T07:50:25Z")
I’m right-handed, Northern hemisphere resident, and I go counter-clockwise. I just tried several times to do it clockwise and they all turned out to be capital "D"s. I would keep a close eye on those who go the other way. I think that’s how you can out the Lizard People. Or Scientologists; same thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drawing-a-circle/644085.md?page=2)