Quote:
Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy
Notice
Abstract
In 1896, the First Modern Olympic Games was held in Athens, Greece. During this event the athletes were required to run clockwise during the track events. This was met with much complaint from the athletes. It was because of these complaints that the IOC then gathered in 1913 and set the current anticlockwise rule. We run counterclockwise because everything in nature tends towards counterclockwise motion. That spectator will perceive the runners as moving left to right-the same direction our eyes move when we read. The human body is slightly heavier than the right because of the heart and when running anticlockwise, the body would tend to very slightly incline towards the left, which could be an advantage while running anticlockwise most people are right hand/leg dominant. Moving counterclockwise we have a better control and move faster. Position of the center of foot pressure during balance tests was correlated with the turning score.
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Interesting.
A few days ago I read an article about something similar that got me thinking. Aircraft carriers use a lefthanded (counterclockwise) pattern for aircraft landing on them; the reason being that pilots are just more comfortable turning left than right. As a private pilot myself I know that flying a lefthand pattern is far more comfortable for me than for the times I've encountered airports that use a righthanded (clockwise) pattern. Holds true on a motorcycle as well: it is more comfortable to turn left, especially at higher speeds, than right.
But--is it more comfortable because we do it more? Or do we do it more because it is more comfortable?