I remember reading it somewhere. I think it’s left. Is it left?
Are there any online cites for it?
I’m working on an interior layout project and it would be useful to know. Thanks in advance…
Most houses are built such that the entrance is to the right front of the house or to the right of the entrance room? 
My first thought would be “to the window”.
If you want left or right, I’d say left. But I’d guess that would be a function of what side of the path people tend to walk on.
With a familiar building, say your own home, you would turn towards the direction you already know you want to go. (Like towards the coat rack to hang up your jacket. Or towards the stand were you leave your keys. Or the stand with the answering machine on it. etc.)
In a strange building, I would guess they would maybe not turn, but at least glance in the direction with the most unobstructed view.
So if the door was hinged on the left, and opended inward, they would glance to the right as that has the most to see. They already checked the door out as they approached…
If it opens outwards, I dunno. Then it would depend on the floor plan of the building they are entering, I guess.
In my experience, people turn to the right. I’ve noticed this because at the museum where I work, there are two poorly-designed exhibits which start (chronologically) on the left side of the room. I have to direct visitors to turn to the left when they enter each of those rooms, otherwise, they automatically file to the right.
I actually always look to the left! I took a moment to think about it and realized that it’s second nature. Maybe it’s one of those actions that depends on whether you’re right or left brained?
bar.
when I enter a room, I usually look into the direction the door opens. For example, if the hinge is on the right side of the door frame, I will walk in, and look to the left because I can easily see it, where the door would be blocking my view to the right.
… to the bar. At least duing party season.
According to the book, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill, people turn to the right. My experience with my own store agrees with his conclusions.
Since childhood I’ve had “Look right, look left, and right again before crossing a street.” ingrained into my being. I think most people of my age were taught the same, and pretty much do that from years of school safety training…
Boy it sure seems to me that the last look should be to the left – into oncoming traffic (in the US and other right-hand drive countries)
I’ve always heard this phenomenon syncs up with whether or not you’re right or left handed. Works in my case: I’m a righty, I tend to turn to the right.
Me too. I remember in high school a teacher gave us a ‘test’ to see which side of our brains were dominant. Such as, which hand do you automatically open a door with, which shoe do you put on first, etc. I remember it because, even though I’m right handed, it seemed the right side of my brain was dominant, thus why I do a lot of actions with my left hand.
I think I usually look towards the direction the door opens from, pretty much beause that’s what I can see first.
With places that have sliding doors, such as Wal mart, I tend to look in the direction that most interests me. At HEB in Texas, it was to the right because that’s where they kept the beverages, sandwich meat, and depending on which door I walked in, the photolab (I always walked in the far left door if going to the photolab, since that was the closest door).
At Wal Mart, I look to the right at first, but mostly to see if the cute girl who works at the portrait studio is there, after that, I glance at whatever DVDs they have on dispaly next to the McDonalds and veer left to go to the Electronics and toy sections (Hey, I don’t care if I am 22, the Star Wars transformers are just cool).
Actually, most places that I can think of going to, I look right because that’s where they tend to put things of interest. At the library where I work, the circulation desk is on the right. At Hastings, the magazines, sci-fi books, and coffee are on the right. That said, the book store on campus has all the caffeinated goodies on the left (but they mostly sell textbooks, which are all on the right).
Actually, according to my psychology professor, the right brain/left brain thing is pseudo-science. It got media attention before they had time to properly test the theory, and by the time they realized it wasn’t accurate, it had already become pop culture, handed down from generation to generation by people who aren’t psychologists.
I don’t doubt that people tend to favor one side or another, but it apparantly has nothing to do with how your brain is wired. IIRC, I use my right hand for most things, but I present my left side if I’m fighting (unless I’m fighting “one-handed”, as I usually am when rapier fighting). I let my less-useful arm take whatever damage is coming my way, then flip around and attack with the right side.
Right for the oncoming traffic on the far lane.
Left for the oncoming trafic where you step out.
Start to step out if it was clear.
Right to the oncoming in the far lane to be sure it’s safe when you reach it.
ISTR a bit in Patriot Games where Jack nearly gets pancaked by a double-decker bus because he failed to read a sign printed on the crosswalk at the corner: “Look Right” 
Please remember that the proper place for a nuclear attack is on the floor under the desk, and the same for tornadoes. In the event of enough notice you will be sent home so you may shelter with your family. One good thing from back then. I did get to touch one of the touring moon rocks when they sent them around with a caretaker to all schools in the country. They also gave some away as favors to important European officials. Most of those are now lost. Some worker in Europe may run across one in a junk room someday or they’re owned by a privite collector now. Who knows? I believe the rocks were imbedded in lucite for use as a paper wieght or such.
Dunno 'bout y’all but I turn to the hostess and say hello. 