Is knowing which way is left or right as automatic as up and down?

[Dramatic]

Saw a video online about this, apparently for some people knowing their left and right is as automatic as knowing up and down. Is this you?

I struggle so much, I can be confidently saying left and pointing right or vice versa and when someone gives a direction it takes me a good few seconds to know which way they mean. Whereas if someone said up or down it would be instant.

YABU left and right are as easy as up & down
YANBU left and right takes a few more seconds to think about/I quite often get it wrong

Im 52 and still have to do this. In my yoga class im normally the one facing a different direction to the rest of the class.

I get them mixed up now and again.

My lovely chiropractor told me it's really quite common and more so in women than men.

I struggle to instantly say which is which but I do know after a brief split second when I think about my hands (left is L)

weirdly I’m a great driver and great at directions

I think it’s to do with us being bilaterally symmetrical, and people who are more strongly left- or right-handed find it easier to tell left from right.

This is so interesting. Don’t you all know which is which by, for example, knowing that you’re right handed or left handed? So you know instinctively which hand you write with…? And if that’s the right hand, you’ll know which is the right turning and so by extension, which is the left?

Sorry didn’t see @DadJoke post just before mine!

We are a bit similar. To me it is instinctive but DH occasionally gets them muddled when giving directions. If you asked him which is his left hand and which is his right he would get it correct every time but that doesn't stop him saying the wrong thing sometimes in the heat of the moment.

Numerous times he will be describing which way to go, for example "We go down here to the end then turn left" and I do a double take and say "Left?" He will then do "Oh, OK right then" but in the exasperated tone of voice that suggests I am being nitpicking!

We don’t get mixed up with what hand we write with as that is muscle memory and we don’t have to think about it.

it’s hard to describe, but the best example is when you have put your keys down somewhere and you can’t quite remember where you put them and need a few seconds to think - that complete confusion goes through my mind for a couple of seconds until I can ‘sort’ through my thoughts and remember which is which.

No it isn't the same. I write with my right hand, which makes it easier for me but it isn't as close as up and down for me. Sometimes it is automatic... other times it takes a few seconds

I do know that I'm right handed but for some reason my brain will be so so confident that I want my OH to turn right in the car when I actually mean left. I can't really explain it other than I just get it wrong all the time!

Yes it could be, I do a lot of things with my non dominant hand like pouring milk for example. So I'm not completely right handed

I’m really quite ambidextrous and I’ve always put my confusion down to this. Wearing a ring or a watch is a helpful hint for me but I am known to sit on my hand (left one) if writing a shopping list as I can be confused all day if I start off lefty 🤣

I was a good fielder in rounders etc.

When I think of directions, I think of my handedness which helps me.

It's as easy as up and down for me BUT I was brought up a practising Catholic. I bless myself, always with my right hand, every time I enter or leave church, say a prayer etc so always know which is right 🤣🤣🤣

My husband has no concept of left or right but my failing is go north or south etc.....or measuring things so we muddle along. Only time it annoys me is when I am driving and he can't quite decide which way I am going until too late!

I've always struggled with this and still do as an adult. I suck at giving directions, end up saying no the other right/left regularly.

As simple as up/down for me
But my partner really struggles with left and right

How can ANYONE really know the direction of things by the compass - north, south, east etc without looking at the sun or stars?
Dh and dm both do this, 'oh so it's a North facing aspect' or 'well this ways north so such and such village must be up here somewhere ' and it still seems like basically witchcraft to me. What, you have an inbuilt compass? Are you a monarch butterfly??

I know, for instance, my house or X street is south of the station, and the station is THAT way so that way is north.

I wouldn't know in a random place unless I'd been looking at a map of it.

It’s a thing! Agnosia. If you write with your right hand maybe thinking of that will help.

This is so crazy to me because left and right is as easy as up and down to me. But my mum and husband both hesitate/get it wrong at times so I know some adults do struggle with it. Wonder why?

Interesting. For me it’s hard-wired, left and right are like up and down.

I am rubbish at it.
With in car directions we learnt that turning my side or your side worked for me.
If I have time to think,as in someone asks me for directions,I can do it.
But put on the spot I go blind to it.

Left handed if that makes any difference.

When I'm in a car, 'up' is towards the driver (so right), and 'down' is towards the passenger (left) - regardless of whether there is a hill involved- makes perfect sense to me and easier for me than left and right which I don't remember when I'm concentrating. My family understand the stupid rationale and go with it- otherwise I will also confidently say Left when meaning right.

You need to know which side of the road to drive on any which way to go around a roundabout.