# What could you do with a third arm? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964 "2000-09-29T02:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/21 "2000-09-29T19:13:53Z")
easy… pick my nose, masturbate, and change the channel at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/22 "2000-09-29T22:16:59Z")
I could pick up and eat one of those two-foot subs without having to cut it in half. When I’m playing cricket and I’m coming in to bowl, I could use one arm to bowl, one arm to balance myself, and one arm to steal the umpire’s hat. ---
**Author:** ![GreenEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@GreenEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenEyes)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/23 "2000-09-29T23:00:37Z")
Oooo can you imagine? To be able to scratch your own back when you have one of those killer itches. OooOooOoo ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/24 "2000-09-30T03:49:46Z")
On the one hand, I could aspire to be tridexterous. On the other hand, I’d be asymmetric, which is generally not attractive. On the Gripping hand, this is fun to consider. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malarky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Malarky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malarky)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/25 "2000-09-30T18:39:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Colin Wilkinson \* > \*\*Who wants three arms anyway? My vote is for a prehensile tail. \*\* HELL yeah! I’d totally take the tail over an extra arm…hmmm…would a prehensile tail be more interesting sexually than an extra arm? ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/26 "2000-10-02T16:22:04Z")
Improve my skiboxing, of course. (Zaphod, where are you ???) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/27 "2000-10-03T01:11:01Z")
I could _finally_ masturbate! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/28 "2000-10-03T15:58:31Z")
Boy, I could talk up a storm in sign language! ---
**Author:** ![JimmyNipples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JimmyNipples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyNipples)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/29 "2000-10-03T16:13:59Z")
So far, the responses have been rather pedestrian. I’d whack off, scratch my ass and pick my nose. Preferably at my in-law’s house during supper. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/30 "2000-10-03T16:55:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by agisofia \* > I WANT TO BE A HINDU GODDESS, DAMMIT You mean you’re not?! \ And &@##!\*, TheNerd beat me to the gripping hand bit. Now that that’s off my chest–I’d want an extra pair, just for symmetry. I could manage all the game hotkeys at once, play duets with myself on the piano, and invent new wind instruments that require 4 hands (most now only take 3 🙂 ). I’d settle for the prehensile tail, though–(Warning: Incoming TMI!) I’ve often thought of the sexual possibilities of one. ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Sue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Sweet\_Sue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Sue)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/31 "2000-10-04T05:49:20Z")
\*\*sub         [/sub]O         º       sub)[/sub]         +         +         +         +         +         A         " \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/32 "2000-10-04T07:57:08Z")
Use it to strangle Sweet Sue 😉 O Caterpillar? What does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/33 "2000-10-04T14:40:45Z")
I could finally walk and chew gum at the same time! … I mean…um… Damn! I’m NO good at these things! Zette ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/34 "2000-10-04T21:23:22Z")
I could have my own relay race in the Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/35 "2000-10-07T06:04:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Primaflora \* > \*\*Use it to strangle Sweet Sue 😉 > > O Caterpillar? What does that mean? \*\* My interpretation of her mental gymnastics is as follows. Extra limbs would make one caterpillar like. It is for that reason that she stretched out the ascii picture of “herself” ---
**Author:** ![Sangria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Sangria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangria)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/36 "2000-10-12T01:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bafaa \* > \*\*You could make obscene gestures while keeping two hands safely on the wheel! \*\* The third had in the car image is the one all my friends came up with first. Usually to tune the radio or find the baby’s binky or use a car phone. But gestures is sort of the same. I’m not in a neighborhood where gestures are a good idea, however, so even if I get the third arm I don’t see myself doing that one. ---
**Author:** ![Shaelar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Shaelar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaelar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/37 "2000-10-12T02:08:40Z")
Hmmm. . .a third arm. With a third arm I would most definitely scratch the back of my neck constantly. Mmmm. . .just the thought of that gives me chills. That would be soooo good. Hehe. . .yeah. I’m weird. I know it. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/38 "2000-10-12T02:59:18Z")
thanks Kyberneticist. I just seemed to have clicked on several threads that day where Sweet Sue had inserted her posts that made no sense to me whatsoever and I was feeling irritated. I can’t decide what it says about my sanity that I can’t figure what most of her posts are about 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/39 "2000-10-12T05:20:19Z")
Ask pretty near anyone who is a Furry/Anthrofan, the advantages and disadvantages of a prehensile tail in intimate encounters are very much…discussed in those circles. ---
**Author:** ![ThreeLeggedBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThreeLeggedBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThreeLeggedBob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964/40 "2000-10-31T18:19:32Z")
Touch my toes. TLB [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-you-do-with-a-third-arm/34964.md?page=3)