Left vs. Right vs. East vs. West

In My Humble Opinion
1

This is inspired by the “Stuff you once didn’t know” thread.

Someone once observed (and indicated to me as a “fact”) that men, in general, are more likely to get mixed up between East and West and less likely to get mixed up between left and right. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to mix up left and right than to mix up East and West. A number of people of both sexes that I have mentioned this to have confirmed the pattern. It’s true for me-- I’m male and I’m far more likely to mix up east/west than left/right.

So does this hold true for you as well?

2

No

3

Good answer imthjckaz!

Johnny, tell him what he’s won!

4

Too long?

5

I was completely serious with the “good answer”. It was a perfect response to a truly puzzling question.

So you get … a year’s supply of Turtle Wax. your car will bright and shiny, no matter the season.

But that’s not all … you’ll also receive …

Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco Treat.

And all our contestants will receive the home game of “Is It East or West or Left or Rigt?” - fun for the whole family.

6

No, also. I’ve never thought about it, actually.

Here in Denver we ALWAYS know where West is, because that’s where the mountains are & you can almost always see them. I’ve noticed here people use NWSE to describe direction or locations of places more than in other cities, probably because the mountains are a constant, so we tend to think in those terms.

7

I remember hearing men had a better sense of direction because they had a larger amount of iron in their bodies (???) but that sounds stupid and is likely wrong.

–Tim

8

I think something about mens’ hypothalamuses (sp?) being bigger has to do with their having a better sense of direction. A fairly significant study of London taxi drivers showed that as they did the rigorous training to learn all the routes & streets, the hypo-whatsises got bigger.

I have noticed men having a better inate sense of direction than women in general. Women are supposed to rely more on landmarks & so on.

9

no, i get both wrong. i get port and starboard correct though. i just thought it was a lefty vs righty thing not a male vs female thing.

10

When I was five, I figured that I would have less trouble with left/right issues as I became older and more experienced.

I still get them mixed up all the time. East/West is much less of a problem.

11

Yeah, since I have to use left and right so often, I always get 'em mixed up, but on the rare occasion I use east and west, I get it right. Figures… :rolleyes: