They make "right handed" tape measures. In truth, it's not real hard to read a tape upside down, but I usually measure from left to right anyway. I don't know if that a function of my mother being left handed or just that it makes sense to my "abby-normal" brain.Yep, use one everyday.
Us lefties have learned to adapt in a wrong-handed world. Case in point: scissors. Some years ago, my wife happened upon a left-handed-only store and bought me a pair of left-handed scissors. They feel odd, when using them with my left hand. I keep them above the bench and use them right-handed, but have to remember they cut on the right side (wrong side) of the blades. You righties ought to try scissoring with your left hand and you'll see what I mean.
Now, consider a tape measure. Purely by accident it is perfect for leftie usage, but righties have to use it backwards. Us lefties can read and make a mark while reading left-to-right -- the natural way -- but righties have to do the opposite with the numbers are inside-down. Hmmm . . . wonder if that left-handed-only store sells
right-handed tape measures.
While in that store, my wife also bought me a left-handed spiral-bound table. Spiffy, man.
I am a lefty but shoot pool right handed. I'm also left eye dominate. When shooting pool I use my right eye mainly and if also drinking my left eye begins to assert itself and my game then begins to go down hill. I was a left handed writer until third grade. We had recently moved and in the new school were just begun to learn writing in cursive. My new teacher decided to correct all the worlds problems by making me write as a righty. Got a ruler whack more than a few times in public school. Now no one can read my writing. I can still print with my left hand though. When I was a kid archery bows were right handed, so I shoot a bow as a righty but I shoot a sling shot as a lefty. Same basic actions but different sides.I am right-handed, yet shoot a long gun and pool left-handed. I think I need an operation or shock treatements. But at 70, it's probably too late now.
The reel handle issue is interesting. I wonder if the originals go back to spinning reels coming to the U.S.from France after the War? Or does it have to do more with the mechanics of the rod? I know for me I have more control fighting a fish with the rod in my left hand palming a bait casting reel. Different muscles come into play when you think about how one grips a bait caster vs. spinning rig. I have always felt a spinning rod and reel was more attuned to finesse, but that simply may be by virtue of the fact that they can handle lighter lures than most bait casters.Could bat from either side as a kid. I swing a hammer with my right.
What I could never understand was why baitcasting reels always had the crank in the right side, yet spinning reels are set up on the left. As a southpaw, all my spinning reel cranks are changed over to the right side. Spinning reels outnumber baitcasters, three to one.
I need to revisit my strong hand strong eye weak hand non dominant eye shooting. I used to practice it with open sights, and receiver sights on a carbine and a shotgun for room clearing. I drove my range master nuts. We had a shoot house with life ammo and reactive targets. I'd room clear on the left side of a hallway right handed and eyed and right side rooms left handed and left eyed. I don't even know how I did it frankly. But that was a long time ago now and I should see if I can summon that gift up.Between the time the Swede detached my right eye's retina (left-handed, right eye dominate) and the ophthalmologist zapped it, I was forced to shoot left-handed. Handguns didn't present any oddities other than a short initial awkwardness of doing everything the wrong way round. Rifles were quite another matter, because my dominate right eye kept overriding the left's attempt to sight iron sights (no scoped centerfire rifle at that time). The solution was to put a blinder on the right eyeglass lens, and it worked well enough till the retinal zapping. I've no desire to revisit shooting rifles left-handed, but should for defensive handgun practice.