There’s an old gamblers’ saying: “The race is not to the swift, nor the victory to the strong…but that’s the way to bet.”
The same applies to handedness. On average, about 90% of the world’s population is right-handed. It varies a bit: higher for women, higher in Canada, lower in Japan, and so forth. But worldwide — that’s the way to bet.
Which means that if a hundred women are drying their hair, more than 90 of them will be holding the brush in their right hand and the hairdryer in their left.
But in more than half of the world’s hotel bathrooms, by my estimate, the hairdryer is mounted on the right-hand wall.
If you’re one of the 90%, that means pulling the dryer around to the other side and wrapping the cord around your body. If the cord is short (which it often is) you may need to pull quite hard.
At best this is awkward, uncomfortable and inconvenient. At worst, the plug may come out of the socket. Repeatedly. And in countries where the electrics are a bit dodgy and the plug is a tight fit, the socket may come right out of the wall. That can really spoil your morning.
We understand that in the real world, most large buildings are designed by male architects — who may have a fine aesthetic sense, but don’t always understand how things work in everyday life.
But do we also have to assume that they’re all left-handed?
Whether you’re a great hotel, a good hotel or a cheap motel: here’s a simple measure that will make your guests’ experience a whole lot better.
Put the sodding thing on the left-hand side.