# Things you've been surprised you've had to explain at work
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 13, 2021, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959 "2021-05-13T02:42:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 15
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/281 "2021-05-18T19:55:40Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> When your brain works correctly it is difficult to understand why someone else’s brain doesn’t work similarly.
Are you able to write and mouse with your left hand as well as your right hand? If not, does that mean your brain isn’t working correctly?
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/282 "2021-05-18T20:01:32Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> As to @BigT …
> IMO the folks who subscribe to your POV are some of the ones who get it exactly backwards. You absolutely _could_ label your hands port & starboard. And wander around town giving directions that make you sound like a yachting nerd.
I don’t understand your objection. Yes, I could do it, but it would be inaccurate, because those terms only apply on a boat. And while those terms might be accurate while I’m standing on a boat, that would only apply if I’m facing the correct direction. If I turn around, they are now inaccurate.
The same is true of the boat. If one side was labeled right and the other one left, that could be accurate if I faced the right way. But, if I turn around, then the side labeled left is on my right, and the side labeled right is on my left. Thus they are inaccurate.
The whole point of the terms port and starboard is that they always refer to the same part of the boat, no matter which way the person is facing.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/283 "2021-05-18T20:40:51Z")
Please see my post explaining the difference between directions and labels. You are confusing the concepts.
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### Author:  [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/284 "2021-05-18T20:41:56Z")
To continue the confusion of clockwise and counter-clockwise, I had to assemble a lamp, screwing the different parts of the pole together, finally reaching the base. As it was all pre-wired, it was easier turning the base than the pole part. But it was “lefty-tighty” wrong way around holding the pole and turning the base, not the other way around. Confused me, and made me think of this thread.
> [@BigT](#):
>
> …but it would be inaccurate, because those terms only apply on a boat.
And the International Space Station.
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### Author:  [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/285 "2021-05-18T20:44:17Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#):
>
> I am a farmer; and it’s impossible to tell people what I do succinctly. At least, unless they already know something about the subject.
Well, crapsicles. There goes that idea.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/286 "2021-05-18T21:47:10Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Please see my post explaining the difference between directions and labels. You are confusing the concepts.
I’ve read your post. I don’t agree with it. We are discussing the labels for directions. All “port” means is the direction closest to the port side of the boat, and so on. It is fixed, relative to the boat.
I have a left and right. But, without me, there is no left and right. You cannot look at two points and say which one is to the left of the other. But you can look at two boats and say which one is on the port side of the other.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/287 "2021-05-18T21:53:20Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> You cannot look at two points and say which one is to the left of the other.
Points don’t have hands. I do, you do I assume. We both have sides just like a boat. And we have left and right whether or not we have you. And your definition of port makes no sense. It’s either the label for the left side of the ship or the direction of a ray that originates at the center of the boat midbeam and extends through the port side of the boat. Relative to the bow that is the left side of the boat and it is always the left side of the boat relative to the bow no matter which way you are facing just like your left hand is always your left hand no matter where it is or which way you are facing. Sides have labels, they are not directions.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/288 "2021-05-18T23:05:52Z")
I agree w @Tripolar. In @BigT’s concept, which side of a boat shaped like a pie pan is “port”? Lest one object to the artificiality, many life rafts are circular, hexagonal, or octagonal.
The right answer is a boat has a bow, and a human has a nose.
The left/port _direction_ is defined as 90 degrees counterclockwise from a ray driven from the geometric center through the bow / the nose. Likewise right/starboard is the _direction_ defined as 90 degrees clockwise from a ray driven from the geometric center through the bow / the nose. Both definitions are as viewed from above.
The port/left _side_ of a boat/person is that portion lying in the port/left _direction_ from the center. And similarly for the starboard/right _side_ which lies in the starboard/right _direction_.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/289 "2021-05-18T23:37:46Z")
> [@doreen](#):
>
> Left doesn’t suddenly become right when you are facing the back of the boat. Nor does starboard become port when you are facing the back of the boat.
OK, @doreen, imagine this: Suppose that you tattooed the words “Left” and “Right” on your hands. No boats involved here, just people, and we all agree that people have left and right, correct? Well, if I’m facing in the same direction as you, the hand with the tattoo “left” on it is on the left, and the one with the tattoo “right” is on the right. But if I’m facing the opposite direction from you, then the word “left” is on the right, and the word “right” is on the left.
In the same way, if I’m on a boat, and facing the bow, the boat’s left is to my left, and the boat’s right is to my right. But if I turn around and face the stern, now the boat’s right is on my left, and the boat’s left is on my right. “Port” and “starboard” are just words for “the boat’s left” and “the boat’s right”. Which might or might not be the same as my left and right, but then, other peoples’ left and right aren’t always the same as mine, either.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/290 "2021-05-18T23:43:27Z")
(This is one of the strangest sustained tangents unrelated to an OP I’ve seen in a while.)
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2021, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/291 "2021-05-18T23:47:48Z")
Similarly (I suppose), north is just a word for “East’s left” and “South” for “East’s right” (I’m taking East as a more fundamental direction because the Sun comes up there.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/292 "2021-05-19T00:07:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> But if I’m facing the opposite direction from you, then the word “left” is on the right, and the word “right” is on the left.
🎵 The one on the right was on the left… 🎵
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/293 "2021-05-19T00:11:03Z")
Re: Port and Starboard -
Cars have a driver side and a passenger ‘shotgun’ side. That does not change regardless of the position in the car, if you are looking over the back seat, or in which direction the car is pointed.
I’m starting to think we are getting whooosed here.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/294 "2021-05-19T00:16:37Z")
But whether shotgun is on your left or your right depends on your position relative to the car.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/295 "2021-05-19T00:16:45Z")
> [@enipla](#):
>
> I’m starting to think we are getting whooosed here.
A lot of people have difficulty with the concept for various reasons. I think one big reason is that we learn our left from right at a very young age and never think much about it again. Most people mostly learn left from right at a young age, but not getting it quite right isn’t going to help with understanding the concept.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/296 "2021-05-19T00:17:12Z")
And what country you’re in.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/297 "2021-05-19T00:17:54Z")
Indeed. I literally cannot figure out what the arguing is here. It seems everyone agrees what port and starboard are, so what’s the debate?
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/298 "2021-05-19T00:19:32Z")
True. Once I was driving and was really startled when I looked in the rear-view mirror. The guy in the left hand seat in car behind me had a map open in front of him, blocking his view of the road completely. I was a tad freaked out - but a closer look revealed that it was a British car.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/299 "2021-05-19T00:21:08Z")
Some people do not believe ‘port’ is a synonym for ‘left’, and ‘starboard’ a synonym for ‘right’.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youve-been-surprised-youve-had-to-explain-at-work/941959/300 "2021-05-19T00:40:09Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> the pointy end of the boat
[ ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b0/7f/c8/b07fc8b9ad9ec9197fb4bd55f464f4a0.jpg)
[ ](https://woodenboatusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/K005-17-1024x680.jpg)
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