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AIBU?

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Original poster

Can you tell your left from your right?

267 replies

TeaAndCakeMakeThingsBetter · 07/09/2025 10:11

Had a random conversation yesterday where a friend and I discovered that neither of us instinctively knew our left from our right. It was part of a conversation around neurodiversity and it got me wondering whether it’s just a random blip in our brains or part of something wider. So - do you just KNOW left from right or does it not come automatically? I also struggled at school with random bits of timetables (6/7/8s - could never remember the ones where the answers were somewhere between 40 and 50, but had absolutely no problem with maths overall and got straight As st GCSE. That’s not a boast, more just that it wasn’t linked to academic intelligence!). Am also left handed if that’s relevant (but still have to consciously think about which hand I write with if asked 🙈).

YABU- duh, obviously I can tell left from right 🙄
YANBU - No! I have to really think about which is which 🙈

OP posts:
Wiglio · 07/09/2025 10:25

I’ve never been able to tell my left from right automatically, I have to think about it. 2 sisters the same. Neither of our parents had this, no neurodivergence or ADHD in any of us.

DidntHaveTheLatin · 07/09/2025 10:24

That's so weird OP - I've always had that problem with left and right (and just marked it down to one of those things) but I have a similar problem with "middle" times tables which I've never really thought about before. It's almost like I have a tiny brain panic whenever I get to those ones and feel like I have no way of working then out. I do know 7 x 7 = 49 though! (FWIW I also got A or A* Maths at GCSE, can't remember, and I'm quite good at mental Maths generally.)

Ineedanewsofa · 07/09/2025 10:22

No problem with L & R but the times table thing definitely resonates, certain ones would not stick no matter how much I tried. Same with some spellings, ‘necessary’ (thank you auto correct!) is one that I could not get right even if my life depended on it. No idea why…

Helena2000 · 07/09/2025 10:22

@TeaAndCakeMakeThingsBetter
Hello OP - did you know this is one of the classic symptoms of Dyslexia?
And Dyslexia isn't all about difficulties with reading - that's only 1 of a list of symptoms, and it's possible to have Dyslexia yet still have learnt to read easily as a child.

CoffeeChocolateWine · 07/09/2025 10:21

I still have to think about it and if I’m in the car navigating for DH I often get left and right muddled! Fortunately he’s mostly good humoured about it 😬 I’m left handed and ADHD but never linked it!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/09/2025 10:21

I don’t know it instinctively either - I have to check my hands.

From what I’ understand, I think the majority of people do know it, but there are enough of us who don’t to make it not weird iyswim

anappleadaykeeps · 07/09/2025 10:20

I played the piano as a child, and that is one of the ways I remember Left. I have to visualise myself playing at a keyboard and practicing “the Left Hand part” …

Arlanymor · 07/09/2025 10:20

TeaAndCakeMakeThingsBetter · 07/09/2025 10:17

That wasn’t really the question, was it? Maybe you could start another thread if you want to talk politics?

Show quote history

I think the comment was in reference to being left handed/right handed which you also mentioned in your OP.

It’s utter claptrap of course - there is no scientific evidence that left handers are more emotionally intelligent, creative, etc. But I’m ambidextrous so what do I know?!

Worriedmrs · 07/09/2025 10:19

Same here. I remember when I gave my driving test I told my examiner I had this issue and he was quite supportive. He also signalled with his hands along with telling me right and left.

mumonthehill · 07/09/2025 10:19

I cannot and never have bern able to. I have to really think about it!

CosyMintFish · 07/09/2025 10:18

I can’t.

When it’s mattered, I’ve written it on the backs of my hands. Also East and West.

Original poster
TeaAndCakeMakeThingsBetter · 07/09/2025 10:18

SomethingFun · 07/09/2025 10:16

Yanbu. I do talk about this with people and it’s more common than you would think but people are embarrassed to admit it if I don’t go first. It’s nothing to do with intelligence. What I’ve found helps is making a right angle with your thumb and forefinger - your left hand makes a ‘L’ 😁

Yes agree - I have a small scar on my right wrist that I check! But if I’m under pressure, for example when giving directions, I quite often get it wrong 🙈 My husband is used to me now and just says ‘did you mean the other left?’ 😂

OP posts:
60andcounting · 07/09/2025 10:18

No I don't. I have to think about it.

anappleadaykeeps · 07/09/2025 10:17

I’m not diagnosed myself, but definitely have neurodiverse traits.

I have always struggled with remembering Left vs Right. I used to (and still do) use a range of tricks to try to remember which was which, but still always had to stop to think & check.

Randomly I also always confused the words Green and Orange. I absolutely can tell the difference (so not colour blind), but literally I would find myself saying “Orange” when I was trying to find the word “Green”.

Original poster
TeaAndCakeMakeThingsBetter · 07/09/2025 10:17

Obsesetits · 07/09/2025 10:12

Yes; the left are usually quite normal, emotionally intelligent people.
The right, not so much.

That wasn’t really the question, was it? Maybe you could start another thread if you want to talk politics?

OP posts:
SomethingFun · 07/09/2025 10:16

Yanbu. I do talk about this with people and it’s more common than you would think but people are embarrassed to admit it if I don’t go first. It’s nothing to do with intelligence. What I’ve found helps is making a right angle with your thumb and forefinger - your left hand makes a ‘L’ 😁

Obsesetits · 07/09/2025 10:12

Yes; the left are usually quite normal, emotionally intelligent people.
The right, not so much.