# Right-handed people, a few questions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2024, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056 "2024-07-31T13:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/21 "2024-07-31T16:48:11Z")
Yeah, me too. Also “neither”. What do they mean “which hand is on top when you clap your hands?” I don’t clap vertically I clap horizontally and neither hand is on top. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/22 "2024-07-31T16:52:08Z")
Right hand for most things. Carry with either hand. Guitar- left handed. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/23 "2024-07-31T17:20:44Z")
I’m strongly right handed, with a twist. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which hand do you use for: Writing – **right** Cutting with scissors **right** Holding a bat one-handed **right** Eating with a spoon **right** Holding a toothbrush **right** Brushing your hair back when I wasn’t a balding reliquiae **right** Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? **left** Which ear do you use when talking on the phone? **left** Which foot do you use when kicking a ball? haven’t done this since I was a kid, but **right** Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top? Usually **right** but either way feels natural. When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top? **right** Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding? **left** Which hand do you throw a ball with? **right** Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book? **right** Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming. **right** In addition, despite being an uncultured 'Murican, I hold/use dining utensils European style so hold my fork in my left hand, knife in my right when eating a meal. I shoot a gun left-handed. I wear my watch (yes, I still wear a watch every day) on my left wrist. I carry my wallet in my left thigh pocket. The twist: I’m blind in my right eye and mostly deaf in my right ear, which dictates a few of the above choices. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/24 "2024-07-31T17:47:45Z")
I’m almost exclusively right-handed, but when we played garage hockey, I had a left hand shot. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/25 "2024-07-31T17:48:58Z")
Writing – **right** Cutting with scissors– **right** Holding a bat one-handed– **Don’t know. Haven’t held a bat since childhood** Eating with a spoon– **right** Holding a toothbrush– **right** Brushing your hair– **both right and left** Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope?– **left, I am strongly left-eyed** Which ear do you use when talking on the phone?– **left** Which foot do you use when kicking a ball?– **right** Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top?– **right** When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top?– **right** Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding?– **left** Which hand do you throw a ball with?– **right** Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book?– **right** Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming.– **Don’t know**. I am right-handed, though I can write decently with my left, it is just a slow process. I am very strongly left-eyed (confirmed by an optometrist) and generally pretty klutzy. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/26 "2024-07-31T18:02:03Z")
Writing **Right** Cutting with scissors **Right** Holding a bat one-handed **Right** Eating with a spoon **Right, but can switch** Holding a toothbrush **Right, but can switch** Brushing your hair **Not sure, I don’t do this** Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? **Left, because I am cross-dominant, which is not uncommon but sucks. This has very little to do with handedness** Which ear do you use when talking on the phone? **Left** Which foot do you use when kicking a ball? **Right** Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top? **Left** When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top? **Right** Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding? **Not sure, left feels more natural** Which hand do you throw a ball with? **Right** Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book? **Right** Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming. **Right I think, they could have worded this much better** Also, I open jars and bottles by holding them with my right hand and twisting with my left, which I’m told is “backwards.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/27 "2024-07-31T18:04:52Z")
Which hand do you use for: Writing Cutting with scissors Holding a bat one-handed Eating with a spoon Holding a toothbrush Brushing your hair > > All right handed, except maybe holding the bat. That could be either. Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? Which ear do you use when talking on the phone? Which foot do you use when kicking a ball? > > All right handed, but until recently my right eye was better than my left. Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top? When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top? Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding? > > Right Which hand do you throw a ball with? Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book? Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming. I throw right handed, but I bat and golf left handed. I can use either hand to turn pages. My father was left handed, though in the early 1920s he was forced to do things right handed and kind of lost his left handedness, so it is not surprising I do some things left handed. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/28 "2024-07-31T18:06:11Z")
The common surveys used in scientific research where this might be important include ones like the [Edinburgh Handedness Inventory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Handedness_Inventory), which indeed has a Likert-style scale of: always left / usually left / both equally / usually right / always right. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/29 "2024-07-31T18:32:25Z")
The only ‘lefty’ thing I do on that survey is use my left eye preferentially as it is my dominant eye. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/30 "2024-07-31T18:53:59Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? **left** > [@Monstera\_deliciosa](#): > > Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope?– **left, I am strongly left-eyed** > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? **Left, because I am cross-dominant, which is not uncommon but sucks. This has very little to do with handedness** > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > The only ‘lefty’ thing I do on that survey is use my left eye preferentially as it is my dominant eye. I wish there were more research out there on how/why cross-dominance occurs, but I haven’t been able to find much online. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/31 "2024-07-31T19:12:20Z")
I play trumpet with my right hand but I play French horn with my left. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/32 "2024-07-31T19:17:12Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > I wish there were more research out there on how/why cross-dominance occurs In my case it’s easy: I’m blind in my right eye so I have no choice but to use my left eye. Same with sighting down the barrel of a gun. Even though I’m right handed I have to shoot left handed. After nearly blinding myself with a BB gun when I was a kid I don’t shoot much, but when I do I have to shoot left-handed. Which to my mind is a better way to shoot: you aim the gun with your dominant hand, so why would a right-handed person _not_ shoot left-handed? Anyway, I have to do it because of my eyesight and now even holding a gun right-handed feels awkward. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/33 "2024-07-31T19:17:18Z")
Interesting tangent fact: most lefties in professional baseball are actually right-handed, and they just taught themselves to throw with their left hand/arm because of the advantage it gives them in the sport. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/34 "2024-07-31T19:26:01Z")
The advantage of throwing handedness in baseball is extremely position-dependent, of course. Pitchers, first basemen - it’s good to be lefty, though for pitchers it’s very situational depending on the batter. Catchers, other infielders - better throw with your right. Outfielders can take their pick, generally. Batting is where you’re more likely to see a natural righty using their nondominant hand to gain a platoon advantage against the more numerous right handed pitchers. Of course, if you can switch-hit, that’s best of all. ETA: apostrophe ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/35 "2024-07-31T19:27:38Z")
Pretty dominant righty. When I played basketball, I taught myself how to dribble left-handed, but that’s about it. As someone who worked in the trades, I used my off-hand for a LOT of help when working. That said, any work that required torqueing or swinging a hammer, etc. was done with the right. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/36 "2024-07-31T19:28:03Z")
I’m 100% RIGHT for that survey. I find 2-handed activities curious. For example, when I played piano, my RH was definitely more facile than my LH. But when I play bass or banjo, the 2 hands are doing really different things. Why is it presumed that strumming with the RH is “preferable” as opposed to fretting? (I suspect SOME portion is attributable to the standardization of instrument/tool/equipment production.) Or in golf. The left arm is basically (gross simplification) making the swing, with the right going along for the ride. I recall discussion that right handers might do better if they swung left handed. But my impression is that far more clubs are available in right-hand configurations. I’m unsuccessfully trying to think of any fine or gross manipulation activity that I do better with my LH. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/37 "2024-07-31T20:14:14Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which hand do you use for: > Writing Right > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Cutting with scissors Either - I own both right and left handed scissors (the lefties inherited from mom) and can use either equally well. Sometimes I take my left-handed sewing scissors to meets because, since so few people can use them, I am less likely to lose them. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Holding a bat one-handed I have no idea - it’s been decades. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Eating with a spoon Either, equally well > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Holding a toothbrush Right. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Brushing your hair Right. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? Left - currently the right is messed up with a cataract. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which ear do you use when talking on the phone? Left. Because I hear better with it. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which foot do you use when kicking a ball? Either, but more inclined to favor the left. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top? Right. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top? Left. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding? Right. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which hand do you throw a ball with? Either. Equally well. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book? Right when reading languages that go left-to-right, the left one when reading (or trying to) languages that go right-to-left. Has a lot to do with how the books work. For e-books - either, equally well. > [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming. Have no idea, it’s been decades. In compensation for all those sports questions I couldn’t answer regarding bats and clubs - I am definitely a left-handed shooter when it comes to guns. I _can_ shoot right handed but it feels very awkward and I’m not as accurate. I can also play ping-pong or tennis either right or left handed. Chopsticks only right handed. Cutting with a knife - right handed. Also vegetable peeling. Originally I always had my computer mouse on my left, but things are so geared now to “right hand is mouse hand” that I switched. I still prefer to use a calculator with my left hand. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/38 "2024-07-31T20:22:51Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Pretty much all right hand here. With an exception. Left hand for phone, especially at work. I take notes with my right hand. I’m pretty sure that is how they plan things; the handset on the desk phone is often on the left with the keys on the right. This is intended for the convenience of the majority righties. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/39 "2024-07-31T21:02:51Z")
Which hand do you use for: (The answer is Right, except for where specified or clarified Writing Cutting with scissors Holding a bat one-handed Eating with a spoon Holding a toothbrush Brushing your hair - **N/A (sadly) (but it used to be right)** Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope? **- Right, but note that my vision in that eye is much better** Which ear do you use when talking on the phone? - **Right unless I need to take notes** Which foot do you use when kicking a ball? Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top? **- Left** When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top? - If **I ever clap horizontally it would be right** Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding? **- Left** Which hand do you throw a ball with? Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book? Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom I am dreadfully right sided. The stuff on the left is only there to stop me from going round in circles. j ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056/40 "2024-07-31T22:51:51Z")
Writing: right only Cutting with scissors: right Holding a bat one-handed: right Eating with a spoon: right Holding a toothbrush: right Brushing your hair: what’s hair? Which eye do you use for looking through a telescope?: Left, but a botched cataract op left me with no central vision in the right eye. Which ear do you use when talking on the phone?: Left; my left ear is somewhat better than the right, but I actually do it both ways. Which foot do you use when kicking a ball?: right Fold your arms in front of you – which arm is on top?: left When you start clapping your hands, which hand is on top?: left Clasp your hands behind you back with one hand holding the other wrist - which hand is doing the holding?: left Which hand do you throw a ball with?: right Which hand do you use to turn the pages in a book?: usually right Using a bat or club two-handed, which hand is on the bottom (nearest the hitting end of the bat) when holding the bat down towards the ground? If this is your left, you will be facing to your right looking over your right shoulder to see the ball coming.: right One curious difference. When I was dealing a hand, someone remarked that I was dealing left-handed. I deal either way at random and I don’t even know which way is left-handed. I had an uncle who was right-handed all the way, but threw left-handed. Odd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056.md?page=3)