Feeling left out in the classroom

CBC News: University 'Left-olution' seeks more left-handed desks

IMO, we have the same problem at UVic. If I don't get to class right as the previous class is leaving, I probably won't get a left-handed desk. And yes, they're usually at the far left of the room as mentioned in the story, but since this term my classrooms aren't too big (no auditoriums or lecture halls), that's not a big problem.

I always sit in the front row since my hearing isn't 100%, and I can't see as well from the middle or back of the class (and I hate having to look around other students heads to see the bottom of the blackboards). So if I get to class and find there are no left-handed desks in the front row, I'll re-arrange the desks to make it so. I often get funny looks, but I don't care. :-)

I was surprised to read that left-handed people only make up 10-13% of the population. I wonder if the figure cited is accurate. I remember in grade 9 biology we were taught taught that the gene for being left-handed was recessive and there was a 1 in 4 chance of being born left-handed. (I guess it was one configuration out of 4 using two genes or something like that... sorry if I'm sounding ignorant, I know zilch about biology). So I've always thought left-handed people made up approximately 25% of the population. There are a *lot* of left-handed people in my family (including both of my parents) so that figure didn't seem too high to me.

Update: Apparently this show answers the question...

Written on February 3, 2005