Incredibly important yet extremely trivial question...

[Shodan]

Last night, I was at class (karate) and a Heated Debate occurred. Four of us were there, opinion was divided exactly halfway (so two each, basically). Each sided absolutely convinced that they were right.

So I'm turning it over to the Mumsnet jury (who I may or may not reference, depending on the answer . Here's the burning question:

In the diagram shown, imagining that the fists are yours and you were describing how the fists were placed, would you say that:
A) The left fist is in front or
B) The right fist is in front ?

L

I mean, A) left.

Left.

Left is in front. I don't see how it could be any other way.

Clearly left, the right fist is behind. You describe your right and left. If describing someone else's it would be the other way around as you'd be looking at it from the opposite direction.

If they're my fists and I'm looking at them as the picture shows, the right fist is front surely? Because it's infront of both myself and my left fist

Left

But nobody else agrees with me... Oh dear

Upside down have you confused your right and left?

These are your hands held up in front of your face?

If so, the right is in front. in front, to me, means the most outwardly from your body. Which is the right hand in the photo.

A

No, hang on....it really could be either way depending on how you mean it.

My mind is blown at the moment.

*Iworkatthecheesecakefactory that's exactly my thinking. If I hold my hands in front of me as per the picture, my right is at the front!

Am I being really dim here?

Oh I see the confusion,

What's the front. Is it the fist closest to your body, or is it the fist furthest away,

Those who thing it's the fist closest to your body say left, those who think it means the fist furthers away from your body, ie on the outside, say it's the right,

Both are correct, it's what's the "front".

@IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory Yes the fists are held up in front of your face.

Right. They’re nearer the person who is in front of me.

Well...

It depends.

From the viewer’s perspective straight on, left is in front. From an imaginary audience’s perspective, one could say right is in front (for example if the arms to belong to the viewer, who is facing them). Or if the viewer is looking at it this way: viewer at the back, left arm in the middle, right arm foremost. It’s just a matter of perspective.

But the simple answer is L.

*It is nearer.

If someone were to tell me to put my right fist in front of my left that drawing is how I would do it. So I'm going with 'B'

It depends for me! If they were held up, in front of my face, I'd say right in front. If they were held parallel to the floor I'd say left in front.

So I am no help.

To make it as clear as mud clearer, half the class said that the left fist was in front because it is, as you look at it. The other half said no, the right is in front because it's at the front.

Bodies were moved around in an effort to prove points

right

If someone were to tell me to put my right fist in front of my left that drawing is how I would do it. So I'm going with 'B'

Ah but what if someone asked "Which fist is in front?" and the other replied "The left"?

Definitely right

Which one do you think OP?