Stoopid question from Noob

[bmccasland]

For those of us who's traditions trace back to Europe...
Horses are (were?) mounted from the left, because all good Knights fought right handed, therefore your sword hung off your left hip. So it's much easier to mount with that leg staying on the ground and swing your right leg over the hind end of the fine steed.

We're culturally geared to mount and dismount from the left.

I'm not so certain about Asian cultures and horse mounted fighters.


My brain won't let me mount my bike from the right, unless I can step-through. Walk around to the left side, swing my right leg over the back wheel. The only way.

[Berrybiker]

For those of us who's traditions trace back to Europe...
Horses are (were?) mounted from the left, because all good Knights fought right handed, therefore your sword hung off your left hip. So it's much easier to mount with that leg staying on the ground and swing your right leg over the hind end of the fine steed.

We're culturally geared to mount and dismount from the left.

I'm not so certain about Asian cultures and horse mounted fighters.


My brain won't let me mount my bike from the right, unless I can step-through. Walk around to the left side, swing my right leg over the back wheel. The only way.

I also grew up riding horses (bikes were only interesting to me as pretend horses to me when I was a kid!) and I always knew you mounted from the left, but I never knew exactly why, or where the tradition came from. Thanks for the explanation. I don't think my brain would let me mount either a horse or a bike from the right, either. In fact, driving on the left side of the road would probably be easier for me.

[marni]

My brain won't let me mount my bike from the right, unless I can step-through. Walk around to the left side, swing my right leg over the back wheel. The only way.

Iknew there was a reason having something to do with weapons but I couldn't remember it. Thanks for the reminder.

I have become so accustomed to swinging my leg back to dismount that I even do it on the step through spin, stationary and recumbent bikes, much to the amusement of those around me.

marni

[OakLeaf]

I only just learned that motor cops dismount right, on the high side. That's so they're not stepping off into traffic when they're pulled over on the shoulder. It sure is one more thing to think about though, even if you're big enough to get your leg over - making sure you don't tip the bike over on the side where the sidestand isn't!