Left Hand Free?

[BaaLocks]

16 hours ago, reverendo de duivel said:

I didn't know that.

I've read before that the King of France was left handed, so ordered his army to use their swords left handed. 

Which was a disadvantage when raiding English castles with spiral staircases!

Although I'm reaching the age where I think 'Did I read that, or did I dream it'?

It's also the reason we drive on the left, dates back from times when we all rode horses. If someone approached you on the right it's harder for them to draw their sword and attack you if they are right handed. Apparently, on the continent, Napoleon simply said 'I want to do it differently to the English' so one to relate to any Frence friends you still have post-Brexit (well, it's not post at all, we're only in the transition phase, but that's one for another thread).

There was a suggestion that the reason there are more right handed people than left was because a right handed person will naturally cover their heart holding a shield in their left hand so more likely to survive a battle and then pass on their right handed genes. Nice story but utter BS, which brings me back to Brexit (no, I'm joking....)

It's also the reason women's clothes have buttons going the other way as they needed it like that for their maids to dress them (with or without Brexit)

It's also why a King (or Queen) would have their second in command as their right hand (suggestion being that this is the person you trust most and would be less likely to stab you using their right hand).

Oh, and the Latin word for right is dexter, where dextruous comes from, as opposed to the afore mentioned sinister.

[SaintRam]

11 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

It's also the reason we drive on the left, dates back from times when we all rode horses. If someone approached you on the right it's harder for them to draw their sword and attack you if they are right handed. Apparently, on the continent, Napoleon simply said 'I want to do it differently to the English' so one to relate to any Frence friends you still have post-Brexit (well, it's not post at all, we're only in the transition phase, but that's one for another thread).

There was a suggestion that the reason there are more right handed people than left was because a right handed person will naturally cover their heart holding a shield in their left hand so more likely to survive a battle and then pass on their right handed genes. Nice story but utter BS, which brings me back to Brexit (no, I'm joking....)

It's also the reason women's clothes have buttons going the other way as they needed it like that for their maids to dress them (with or without Brexit)

It dates back to the Romans - but there are a bunch of different reasons throughout history we drive on the left. 

To prevent this slog of off-topic conversation (that I am a major component of) however, despite how interesting it is, I direct any interested people to this fairly useful article on the topic https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Why-do-the-British-drive-on-the-left/

It's fairly accurate if not completely.