https://www.reddit.com/r/southpaws/comments/1j6xgzy/some_questions_for_the_lefthanded_people/
created by Particular_Air_296 on 09/03/2025 at 02:25 UTC
9 upvotes, 25 top-level comments (showing 25)
I'm right-handed and I'm trying to be ambidextrous. I'm becoming more and more conscious of how I do things, especially concerning how left-handed people do things so I can copy them. I don't want to just invert the way I do things and call it how it's done left-handed, but there might be things how left-handed people do things that make them truly originally left-handed, so when I copy them, I can be more convincing.
Though I think sometimes left-handed people, or even right-handed people, tend to do things differently than other left-handed people because they're opting for optimality so sometimes even if your dominant hand is left, when you do something, sometimes you use your non-dominant hand because that hand might be nearer to reach out for something. And it's not just because you're forced to, but because it's more convenient. Unlike scissors or something like that, where you're actually forced to use your right hand, unlike, let's say, opening a doorknob with your right because you're holding a sandwhich with your left. The questions I present to you may sound silly and obvious, but please indulge my curiousity.
1. Which way do you wear a sling bag? Do you wear the bag facing your right side or does the bag face your left side?
2. Which pocket do you put your phone in? Your left or right pocket? Does the nearest hand reach out to the pocket where it's near or do you just use your left?
3. When you hold out your phone, which hand grabs more space behind the phone?
4. When you scroll reels, do you scroll with your left or right? And when you want to check the comments, do you reach out to the other side of your phone using your left to touch the comment section or do you just do it with your right?
5. For the people who wear glasses, which hand do you take your glasses off? And when you wipe to clean your glasses, do you use your left or right?
6. When applying perfume, do you spray with your left or right?
7. When waving hello to someone, do you use your left or right? Let's say you're holding something with your left, do you use your right and vice versa?
8. Which hand do you wipe off snot with?(I'm particularly curious with this one because though I may be right-handed, I use my left to wipe. I don't know if that's how right-handed people usually do that, but how about you left-handed people?).
That's all. Thank you.
Comment by AlphaRebus at 09/03/2025 at 04:57 UTC
45 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I'm right-handed and I'm trying to be ambidextrous.
You can't, no one can. Devote yourself to more important pursuits.
The answer to all of your questions are "it depends".
We live in a right-handed world. No matter how strongly dominant left-handedness is for a particular task, often there are necessities to bend to the way the world is.
Comment by j0hnnyf3ver at 09/03/2025 at 15:31 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think you are over thinking things, lol
Comment by waniluapp at 09/03/2025 at 03:06 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. Left side always.
2. Left pocket. I did not understand the second part - you mean if we grab phone with left hand from right pocket?
3. Right hand grabs more space and left hand is operating more on the screen.
4. I do not scroll reels, but for other scrolling (pages, etc.) no preference.
5. Left for both questions.
6. Left.
7. Left, but right when holding something with left.
8. Both.
Comment by Sinnistrall at 09/03/2025 at 10:10 UTC
12 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I'll be honest, this all sounds like a colossal waste of time
Comment by HippCelt at 09/03/2025 at 11:45 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Sounds like we've reached peak cos play.....
Comment by Aggressive_Street_56 at 09/03/2025 at 06:59 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. I like my bags under my left side- so a Cross body would be right shoulder for left side
2. You know weirdly front and back pocket I do right
3. Left hand for phone
4. Right for scroll
5. I take off right right and wipe with left
6. Hm haven’t thought about this - both?
7. Both
8. Right
I write and eat with left hand but used to this right hand world so both come naturally
Comment by meanttosay at 09/03/2025 at 12:59 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think you missed some pain points for lefties, opening doors, using a knife, tying shoe laces esp when learning, writing in books with wire spines, using a mouse. When i turn from a counter, I turn to my left etc. Learning a new thing like golf, crafts like knitting. I think it's an interesting idea to learn to be ambidextrous. Usually one is or isn't by nature. Happy learning 🙂
Comment by Kastnerd at 09/03/2025 at 14:10 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. Na
2, right 3 right 4, right only use one hand 5 left 6 left 7 left 8 both
The hard part of being left handed is using things designed to be right handed, most scissors, the alphabet, keyboard, power tools. If you want a truer experience, put a glove on your right hand for a week.
Comment by maismione at 09/03/2025 at 15:23 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Who are you trying to convince? O__o
Comment by TheGeegster at 09/03/2025 at 07:43 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. I wear my crossbody bag over my left shoulder with the bag over my right hip.
2. Usually, but not always, front left pocket of pants or inside right pocket of jacket. Always use my left to grab my phone.
3. If you mean when taking a selfie, always left hand.
4. I scroll using my right thumb while holding phone with right hand. Left hand to touch screen.
5. Left and Left.
6. I don’t wear perfume. I apply makeup, including spritzers, with my left hand.
7. Left to wave. I will transfer things I may be holding into my right in order to wave with left.
8. Snot “wipeage” is an immediate imperative and therefore handled ambidextrously.
Good luck with your ambition.
Comment by craze4ble at 09/03/2025 at 12:05 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I have no idea why everyone is sitting on you for wanting to learn to do things with both hands. It's a little weird to think that this is in some way "tricking" others, but you do you.
I'm left-handed, but due to an injury in my teens my left arm was useless for about 3 months. I learned to do most things with my right during that period, and I didn't let my dexterity with it drop back down after. Since my left shoulder is unfortunately permanently damaged, I even play sports at pro level with my right hand now, and my right arm is significantly stronger.
Being good with fine motor skills with both hands is something I use literally every day. Even my right-hand handwriting is very legible, although nowhere near as neat as with my left. Powertools I still prefer to use left handed but I can get by with the "non-dangerous" ones right handed too. Hand tools I can easily switch between hands instead of repositioning either myself or what I'm working on. I can catch and throw well with both hands, which is a huge plus in sports.
1. (Messenger bag) Right shoulder, bag under left arm
2. Left
3. Not sure I get the question? 90% of the time I hold my phone in my left hand, so I assume left?
4. Can't tell you anything about reels or comments, but everything is always with the hand I'm holding the phone with
5. Left, hold it with the left and wipe it with the right
6. Left
7. No preference
8. No preference
Comment by H4ckerxx44 at 09/03/2025 at 02:41 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
1. Neither, do not use a sling back. Backpack only.
2. Left pocket, Left hand gets it out.
3. Usually right hand, I type with right thumb and left index, that might be why.
4. I do not watch any short form content, fuck that, only degrades your head, lol. Comments, right thumb.
5. Only sunglasses, but left hand.
6. Right.
7. Left hand, even when I have something in my hand.
8. Both, no preference really.
Comment by bravehamster at 09/03/2025 at 03:21 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. Don't wear one often, but on the left when I do.
2. Right pocket. Always did it this way because my keys go in the left pocket and I don't want to scratch the screen.
3. Right
4. Right holds phone, left operates it. Sometimes right thumb gets involved
5. No glasses
6. No perfume, but spray deodorant is applied with left
7. Left, unless left is occupied
8. Equal opportunity snot wiper.
Comment by Frowny575 at 09/03/2025 at 04:20 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. Rarely as I don't use one, but I'd favor my left
2. It tends to be my right pocket as my left has my knife and wallet, but I go for it with my left hand
The rest it is my left as that's just how I've done things for 30yrs.
There is a point we do end up inverting. I remember when being taught how to tie a necktie, it never clicked. As soon as my stepdad did it in the mirror it clicked as the movements suddenly made sense and I could copy it. This is partially why I struggle with even cutting vegetables as I try to mimic being taught right handed but it just doesn't compute for me.
Comment by MelzMaggie at 09/03/2025 at 04:21 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. I used to use a sling bag which I wore on my left shoulder facing my right side. I've switched to backpacks now.
2. I keep my mobile in my left pocket and other stuff (keys, airpods etc) in my right pocket. I mostly only regularly take out my phone, so this is easier for me.
3. I almost always hold my phone with my left hand if I'm using it one-handed. My right hand feels too weird to be holding a phone.
4. I don't watch many reels, but I do scroll with my left thumb. Same goes for comments.
5. There's no preference for taking glasses off, but I do clean my glasses using my right hand because I feel my left hand is better at holding it still.
6. I definitely spray perfume with my left.
7. Waving hello is generally my left, but if it's occupied I may use my right hand.
8. Left, actually. Oh God, that does seem gross now.
Comment by misch_mash at 09/03/2025 at 05:43 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Unlike scissors or something like that, where you're actually forced to use your right hand
I tend to be stubborn and use my left anyways for low precision cuts; they will work if they're good scissors or you do a bit of a pinch.
1. Don't own a sling bag, but when I've worn messenger bags I like them on the left shoulder/right hip.
2. Phone in right pocket, I tend to hold it in my right hand and operate it with my left.
3. Right hand, see above.
4. Right hand, because of how the controls favour it.
5. Remove my glasses with the left, clean with the right.
6. Left.
7. Prefer the left, but will use a free hand rather than shuffle my grip.
8. It's a two handed job in my head, not sure why.
Comment by hwolfe326 at 09/03/2025 at 07:26 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. I don’t wear sling bags
2. Either
3. Right
4. Left
5. Taking off - Either; Wiping off - Left
6. Left
7. Left
8. Both, lol
Comment by kremlingrasso at 09/03/2025 at 09:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1-4 right, 5-8 left, or both in some cases. (you really need to learn to create a survey).
I'm not ambidextrous but pretty close to what you can get to with learned skills. A lifetime of origami, scale models, lego, video games (I use the mouse with the right) and table football gave me pretty strong fine motoric skills and hands-eye coordination in general with both hands despite being strongly left dominant. I usually semi-consciously switch tools, utensils and whatever between hands back and forth to be optimal. Plus obviously 40 years of living here in opposite-land.
Upon reflection I often use my right hand for things to keep my dominant left hand free as a "quick reaction force" - for holding myself on the bus/boat/car, catching myself if I fall, grab after my kid if he falls, open/close doors as I carry things, push things out of the way, etc. So I learned to do a lot of things right handed to keep the left free.
Comment by Outofwlrds at 09/03/2025 at 14:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. I wear a bag on my left side.
2. Phone always goes in front of back left pocket. If it's in my right pocket for some reason, I've awkwardly reached across with my left hand to get it at times.
3. I can scroll with my right hand if I'm doing something else at the same time. Making tea for breakfast, as an example. I'll scroll through a few posts with my right hand while making tea with my left. But if I'm just sitting there doing nothing else, that's usually a lefty task too. I'll reach across the screen with my left hand to touch buttons on the right side, if needed.
4. Left hand control the cleaning and application of glasses.
5. Same with perfume.
6. Usually wave with my left hand. If I'm holding something small like my phone (and won't spill like a soda can) I'll still wave with my left hand. But I will wave with my right if my left hand is too full rather than swapping what I'm holding to the other hand.
7. I wipe my nose with my left hand too. I think offhand snot wiping might just be a special trick unique to you.
For the most part, left handed people are just right handed people, but mirrored. Some of us have weird quirks where we might do a random task right handed and aren't sure why, but righties do this too, like you with wiping your nose with your left. I use right handed scissors with my left hand, but I have absolutely no idea how to use a can opener with my left and it's one of the only things I do right handed. Ambidextrous and cross dominate might change hands for whatever task feels more natural or more convenient at the time, which seems to be the sort of answer your expecting to hear for some of these questions.
Comment by zobbyblob at 09/03/2025 at 14:23 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I do precise movements with my left, bigger movements with my right.
All your detailed questions fall into things that are specific person to person.
I'd just try to do big and small movements with your left so you get better.
I journal and try to use a fork or chopsticks with my non-dominate hand. That's enough work as it is lol.
Comment by Izzybee12395 at 09/03/2025 at 17:34 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
1. Depends on the day
2. Right, use right to grab
3. Right
4. Right
5. Left (more control)
6. Left (more control)
7. Mostly left, probably
8. Left
Comment by Sokkas_Instincts_ at 09/03/2025 at 20:16 UTC*
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think you just want some attention, honestly. You want to get noticed. And honestly, this stuff just doesn't get noticed until someone is trying to teach you something, or if you do something exceptionally well.
But then, if you are going to do something exceptionally well, you need to hone those skills over time and you're going to be better at it with your dominant hand anyway.
And then you're going to get noticed for that exceptional skill you're doing more so than what hand you're doing it with.
The most anyone has ever noticed being left handed is when they try to teach me something , then surprise, I need to do it this way instead. Which would then commence the tedious task of acquiring special leftie tools and equipment and teaching methods to accommodate me.
As an adults it's like, "are you doing that right?" Yesssss I know I don't bat at the family reunion ball game often, and I look weird because I never engage in this sport, but I really do need to use the bat with my left hand, now move.
Also, I'm cross dominant. There are small few things that I really need to use my right hand for. That puts a special inconvenient twist on *everything*. I use scissors with my right hand. That really threw my teachers for a loop when it was time to pull out the class scissors, and they already knew I was left handed. Because back in my day, you had to have righty or lefty scissors.
And my most recent caper, i really needed to learn to use rotary cutters in sewing--do I use lefty or righty cutters? Which one feels the most correct to me when I've never done this before? Do do rotary cutters even come right or left handed, or are they neutral? When I failed using them last time, was I using the wrong hand? What if I buy all my equipment for left handed and then it turns out this is one of my right handed things?
Like the attention this garners is usually surrounding the struggle most of the time, to just be comfortable and get what you need to get done done in a right handed world. For something's, like learning to iron clothes and learning to use the computer mouse, I really desperately needed to use my left hand, but that just wasn't possible in my learning days, as computer mouse's didn't switch like that in the 90s, and my moms set up for ironing is set permanently and difficult to move around. I went to school with some gnarly iron burns back in the day when I was learning to iron. I still hate ironing to this day.
Sorry I had to brain dump on you, but I just don't think this is going to yield the attention you're looking for.
Comment by Strubbestition at 10/03/2025 at 01:37 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Why are you trying to be ambidextrous? What do you gain from this?
To answer your questions it’s left hand side everything for me.
Comment by explorthis at 09/03/2025 at 05:43 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Dominant leftie for 63 years (male). My right hand is the "helper hand". It can't write legibly, can't wipe my rear. I'm McGyver type that can fix most anything, but my left hand is the boss, and the right is the extra employee.
Now days, I don't even think about being a leftie. Just a natural thing.
I do still use the "I'm a leftie" when going out to a restaurant with my wife/friends. Allows me to sit wherever I want. Nobody even gives a second thought.
I do hold my phone in my left hand, and scroll with the left thumb.
Interesting, never thought about it, the snot wiping is with my right hand. Phone is always in my right pocket.
Dominant leftie for life.
Comment by wishmobbing at 09/03/2025 at 08:04 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Don't. Using your less dominant hand against your brains schooling fucks with everything. Instead of your hand communicating with the specialized half of your brain the less skilled half of your brain will ask the skilled half for guidance how to do fine motor tasks. This is exhausting. It takes longer. It's the reason why lefties have more workplace accidents. It's a stupid mission and people will not be impressed if they notice at all. Is you truly want to surprise people, bake them a cake or remember their pets birthday.