I found evidence today that left-handed people have 50% more accidents than right-handers, and about 40% more serious accidents. The reason: equipment designed for right-handed people (particularly industrial and manufacturing equipment) is not safe or appropriate to use for lefties. Critical stop buttons and isolation points may be on the righthand side of a machine, making them awkward to reach or inoperable by a leftie; cutting blades are on the wrong side so we can't see what's going on.
I remember as a child being enormously frustrated with art and craft stuff, because I could never cut a straight line - because I could not see the cutting blades. The same goes with knives. Below is a leftie cutting bread with a right-hand breadknife (ground with the blade to the right):
This a leftie cutting bread using a left-hand ground breadknife:
The knife cutting blade is shaped differently so it cuts straight for a leftie. And we won't get into pens, scissors, potato peelers, doorhandles, can openers etc etc etc.
I am waiting with bated breath to find out which hand the rugrat prefers. At least I'll be able to help her adapt if she's a leftie too.
Pachyderm
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