When I am in line at a supermarket checkout I think about stuff like this.
For clocks, we have chosen that the hands will move what we now call clockwise, rather than counter-clockwise. But have you ever wondered why we don't have everything else lined up with this?
On maps we put north at the top. But this is just done by convention and there is no reason why any of the other directions couldn't have been at the top. But this causes maps and globes not to line up with our clockwise direction.
ALL IMAGES FROM GOOGLE EARTH
The earth rotates eastward so that, if we look down on it from above the north pole it is rotating counter-clockwise.
But if we look down from above the south pole it is rotating clockwise. Doesn't this mean that south should be at the top on maps and globes, or that the hands of a clock should move in the opposite direction?
About two-thirds of the world's population lives in countries that drive on the right side of the road. But this means that they drive counter-clockwise through a traffic circle, as shown by the red arrow in the following image. Drivers on the left do go clockwise through the traffic circle, as shown by the yellow arrow.
Part of the reason for passing on the left, which brings about the clockwise direction, is a violent history. Most people are right-handed so if accosted by someone passing, it is better to have the right hand forward to more easily use a sword or a pistol. I believe that this is why the clockwise direction was subconsciously chosen for clocks.
I wonder if we will ever get everything all lined up.
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