h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... I _always_ hold the phone to my left ear, even though I am right handed?

Many of the stated reasons for _shifting_ hand/ear are fine by me, so What would be the point in picking it up with the right hand in the first place?

I understand better and I write better with the phone to the left ear, so I agree with most of the entry. Nice job!

Milla

As a former newspaper reporter, I always grab the phone with my left hand and hold it to my left ear (though right-handed) as this enables me to take notes while talking...

I'll look around my office and see if what you're saying holds up - because it sure doesn't for me or my former colleagues.

Right handed male as well. I've always used my left hand and my left ear. Turns out that this also lets me jot down notes, stir the curry, water the plants and work the gear-shift (we drive on the right here) while happily talking on the phone.

The thing I've always watched with amusement is people who's job requires them to answer the phone and write things down as they take the call. Before the advent of various headset arrangements, these people would invariably answer the phone with right hand and right ear, stop in mid call to juggle the phone to the other side or try to squeeze it between shoulder and ear while they got the pen going.

I've never understood why people would be so idiotic.

Or the inconvenience for those who answer with the right, change hands while still holding the phone to the right ear... Get a head set!!!

Milla

I'd forgotten about those ones!

I'm also a right-handed male who normally picks up the phone with his left hand (wing?), at least at work. Though this may be because the phone is to my left, but it does allow me to write, type, gesticulate etc. while continuing the phone conversation. I think I do the same at home, but I'm not sure.

Having said that, this is a really interesting and enjoyable entry!

I am one of those (right-handed) ones who answers with right hand and right ear and switches to left hand but stays with right ear to use a pen. I've never found it particularly inconvenient.

I don't much fancy using a headset since I neither need nor want to wear it all the time and putting it on only when I needed to answer a call would be awkward and would take too long.

If I find that a call needs me to get my hands free, I just excuse myself for the 5 seconds it takes to put my headset on, then carry on the conversation... most calls are quick, and I'm fine with just the right hand free, but sometimes everything goes faster when the headset is on.