This may sound crazy but this ain't no lie
By killahclaire
@killahclaire (3665)
June 13, 2007 9:52am CST
I can't tell my left form right. I have to think about it and even then I sometimes get this wrong. It is not something that comes naturally to me and I am 23.
With this problem I also find I have absolutely no sense of direction.
I have been told many things like if you point you fingers to the sky with the back of the hand facing you and stink out your thumb then the left with be an L. None of these things help.
In a few weeks I will be learning to drive and just know that I am going to seize up the mo ment the instructor asks me to turn a certain way or go in a certain lane.
I don't know what to do.
Any advice?
3 people like this
17 responses
@freesoul (3021)
• Egypt
14 Jun 07
This sound funny but of course it can't be funny for you, you should have developed some system by now, like wearing a ring with the letter L (or R) on one hand so it will be a clear sign all of the time, I guess if you do so long enough you will be able to do even without it.
I had a somewhat similar problem; up to my 20s I had to wear a watch that has numbers not just dashes, any watch or a clock with dashes I get confused with the right and left sides of its face, like I may read 10 o'clock as 2 o'clock! I look stupid when I have to stare into the watch for a while to tell the time :))
strange thing it was just with clocks, I had no problem with right and left in any other way.. somehow I got over it with time although I may still hesitate for seconds before telling the time..
1 person likes this
@freesoul (3021)
• Egypt
14 Jun 07
So at least you can get the two sides of the clock right lol
yes I still struggle with TV guides to convert 24 hours system to normal time but I think this is a common problem with many people I talk with,
As for jewelery I advice you to get a wedding ring so you will always wear it and know which hand its at ;) Marriage solves many of your problems they say, but unfortunately it creates a lot more problems for you to solve :))
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
I cant even keep a man for 5 mins mind marry him.
But hey, I can lie on either side of a man cos my right is as strong as my left hand shake if you know what I mean. ;)
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
Lol it osunds funny to me that you struggle to tell the time. Lol.
What about if someone tells you in 24hour time, do you know whawt it is in normal time?
I never have been one for jewellery but have been told that I often put stuff on what would be considered the "gay" side. Now I know that is a load of crap but generally girl things are one side and boys are the others....like the way zips join up, and what hand you wear your watch but as I am totally unaware of which is left and which is right I never know what side.
If I have to direct someone driving then I am a pointer. I just point which ways and normally they tell me what that way is so I can tell them and they can keep their eyes on the road but after a few corners I start getting it wrong.
If asked for directions by a stranger I guess which is left and which is right and have sometimes have them sent the wrong way.
1 person likes this
@CarlyLaine (759)
• United States
14 Jun 07
Killahclaire
I had that left right issue issue when I was your age. Now I'm over twice your age and my problem now is 'Should I wear depends tonight or hope for a 'dry' night?' Anyway, I digress.
This is what I did to help me remember which was which. I took SQUARE DANCING lessons. When I grabbed people with the wrong hand and messed up the square because of it I learned left from right real fast.
1 person likes this
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
15 Jun 07
To help get a DRIVERS license, take square dancing? Well it's original I suppose.
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
MMmmmm....whats special about square dancing. Iused to latin american and I just used to remember that you do it "this" way.
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
What the hell is alemand. What you just said made no sense to me. Maybe its a local thing for you.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
14 Jun 07
Tie a ribbon to your right or left (easiest is if your right handed tie it to your right hand) I've known people who did this and it really did help - or maybe a particular braclet but has to be something you will notice alot.
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
I know that will help when I am driving but what about the rest of the time. Hwo come I literally can not learn this. Is it a common thing?
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
14 Jun 07
No, not just when your driving - all the time. One of my younger sisters was 'dislexic' have no idea how to spell it but basically had her left and right mixed up and couldn't keep frontwards and backwards straight. I've heard of other people doing this as adults - by having the constint reminder of say your 'right' it helps your brain to actually retrain itself to learn 'this is the right'.
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
Yeah maybe ill think about it but I know i will ned up going...
"I wear the bracelet on right, no left, no right, no left" and then illl not know.
Look at what the first repsonse to this said about dyslexia.
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
14 Jun 07
I'm not a therapist or anything so I don't have any real hardcore advice. All I can say is maybe write 'L' on your left hand and 'R' on your right hand with a little arrow pointing left on your left hand, and right on your right hand. Looking at this repeatedly every day may help you to naturally start recognising left and right. If you're worried about it I think you should go see your doctor. He/she will point you in the right direction. Don't be too worried, it's obvious you're an intelligent girl, it's probably more common than you think!
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
Yeah, I suppose I coul djust sort of study left and right and get people to randomly test me instead of avoiding it like the plague as I do.
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
Whats this song? I have never heard of it. Does it have a dance with it or something.
@liztrombley (92)
• United States
14 Jun 07
I am the same way too. My boyfriend hates it when i try to give him directions. it just drives him nuts. i really don't have any advice on how to fix it or make it better, but just no that you're not alone.
1 person likes this
@bronie123 (4587)
• United States
17 Oct 07
hmmmm practice makes perfect :) wow your just now learning how to drive i have been driving since i was 16
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
13 Jun 07
I'm like that too, I have no natural sense of direction. One trick I came up with in Army basic training was, while marching in formation, I would put my left thumb between my index and middle finger. That way when the drill sergeant yelled "Column LEFT" or "RIGHT FACE", I wouldn't be "that guy" who turned the wrong way. ;~D
Just do something different with the fingers on one hand on the steering wheel.
Good Luck!
btw, are you left handed?
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
13 Jun 07
I am right handed but can write pretty comfortably with my left. In school my teacher did not allow us to write with out left cos it was the devil apparently.
@smoke_gun (1243)
• Malaysia
13 Jun 07
do you mean you cant recognize where are left and right?
how about 9 0'clock is left,3 0'clock is right,can you remember direction with clockwise?
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Wear a bracelet on your right wrist. So when the instructor tell you to turn a certain direction just look at the bracelet and you'll know immediately which is right and which is left. Just make sure to always keep both hands on the wheel.. LOL.
1 person likes this
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
17 Oct 07
After reading all of the other suggestions on here, I would recommend that you just learn to wear something on one hand or the other so that you can remember. I have never known anyone who couldn't do the L trick with the hand and learn which was which.
I hope things go well with your driving!
@tredale (1309)
• Australia
14 Jun 07
I know how you feel I had the same problem, what worked for me. was on my right I wrote a big R and on my Left a big L. Then i would 20+ times a day look and say right. I did this for a week and now I have got it. Or wear a watch on your left hand and this is also easy as long as you tell yourself watch on left. This is how my daughter remembered her left then right just follows.
@saiwailaozei (363)
•
5 Dec 07
Hi! dear friend.
it's my first time to see your topic.
even what you tell sounds funny,i feel sorry to hear that and worry about your safe as well when you drive a car.
i think your problem can be solved inch by inch .
you can mark 'L'&'R' on many places of your bedroom.
for instance,mark LR on the both sides of you bed,
firstly you guess which side is left or right without looking the mark,after guessing, then you check it.
do it like this for 10 times every night before you sleep. i think some time later, you can overcome this problem.
wish you all the best!
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
15 Jun 07
This is what you do...The day of your drivers test, on your hand, the upside of it, not the palm, take an ink pen and make a small R on your right hand and a small L on your left. You want it small enough no one notices it but you, but you want to me able to see it when your hands are on the steering wheel. There you go. Now the rest of it is, stay alert and listen carefully to his instructions and follow what he tells you and always, ALWAYS remain calm. 99% of accidents could be avoided everyday if the driver stayed calm rather than panic.
Any way the best of luck to you sweety, this is an exciting time for you.
@Eskimo (2315)
•
16 Sep 07
My wife suffers from the same problem. solves it by remembering her wedding ring is always on her left hand, so she looks at both hands before turning in the correct (I won't say right) direction - try doing that when driving and see where you get to.
Jimmy Crickett (comedian) had L & R on his boots (Problem if he put them on the wrong feet).
On a lighter note George W. Bush has the Presidential seal embossed on his boots so he can remember that he is still President.
