Left or Right; Yours or Mine? How do you know?

Question

I have a friend who I've been arguing with over this issue. He has trouble knowing what exactly I mean when I refer to the right or the left in conversation. For instance, he believes that the right side of a car is the right of a person sitting in it. Yet, when talking of the car standing outside of it, he thinks the right side is the other side (left side when sitting in it). I think the right side of a car is always the right of a person sitting in it, regardless of where the conversation is taking place.

Other situations: while looking at things in a mirror; buildings; rooms; doors and windows; turning a key, screw, etc.; keys on a key-chain; "the girl on the right," and many more.

Is there a universal rule to knowing which side is the left and which side is the right, or does it all depend on where you are speaking from when you refer to them?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Your question is a philosical one. Really it depends on the persons perspective. You can almost relate it to if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound? It all depends on how you interpret it.

Answer 2

This is a common problem, which is why certain situations have special words to describe. For example, with cars, there is the "driver's side" and the "passenger side". With boats there is "port" and "starboard". And theater people talk about "stage right" and "stage left" (that is, they use the terms always from the perspective of the people who are on the stage). I guess these special terms have developed because people can't agree.

Answer 3

This has also been confusing to me as far as the car thing goes. So, I've stopped referring to the right or left side of a car and I now illiminate the confusion by referring to it as either the driver's side or the passenger's side. Perhaps when referring to the other things you mentioned you could replace 'right' and 'left' with 'Clockwise' and 'counterclockwise' You may also consider using fighter pilot lingo, using 9 O'clock for left and 3 O'clock for right as on a clock face. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 4

You can try to use

"my right" or "your right"
or
The "right-hand person" or "left hand" person.

The navy solves the dilemma in one of two ways:

1) In a vehicle, port is the left-hand side relative to the driver facing forward. Starboard is the right-hand side.

2) When we talk about two objects relative to each other, we use compass headings, as in "identify the southern bogey" or "target the western building"

Answer 5

Left and right depends on perspective. As far as with a car, use driver side and passenger side :)

Answer 6

Einstein said all motion is relative. I would guess that also applies to direction too.