The world has a lot of different standards for a lot of things, but I have never heard of a place with the default screw thread direction being opposite.

So does each language have a fun mnemonic?

Photo credit: https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Giy8OrYJTjw/Tfm9Ne5o5hI/AAAAAAAAAB4/c7uBLwjkl9c/s1600/scan0002.jpg

1 point

I just have it in muscle memory to know which way soda bottle cap tightens

permalink
report
reply
4 points

DROL: Dicht Rechts, Open Links.

I think I just prefer Links Los, which implies that the other way tightens.

Dutch, BTW.

permalink
report
reply
10 points

Gas valves famously use the opposite direction

permalink
report
reply
30 points

The German version as actually survived its original time frame: “So lang das Deutsche Reich besteht, wird Schraube fest nach rechts gedreht” - “As long as the German Reich exists, a screw is tightened by turning right”

permalink
report
reply
32 points

yeah, this one is only for inside voice. I won’t be teaching it to anyone anymore.

permalink
report
parent
reply
24 points

I’m German, and I’ve never heard that before. I’d be seriously weirded out by someone saying that or teaching it to their kids

permalink
report
parent
reply
36 points

I have to admit that this is rather old. So old, in fact, that it does not refer to the Third Reich but the Kaiserreich.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

I don’t think anyone thought it was about the third reich

permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

That’s better but not that by much. A few years ago Germany raided some very rich and very well-armed wackos who wanted to bring back the Kaiserreich.

permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

Never heard of this. We say ‘auf links, rechts zu’ and simply order the words alphabetically

permalink
report
parent
reply
6 points

So … shouldn’t German screws now turn to the left?

permalink
report
parent
reply
7 points

See!!! This is why communism is bad!! Since you’ve started turning everything to the left, it’s all come apart!!

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

Nar. A statement and its converse are not equivalent.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

I can’t think of an equivalent phrase in Bulgarian for that, but it’s known that [most] threads tighten when turning clockwise… and if you don’t know what direction the clock goes, what are you even doing with screws or bolts…

And again there are special cases even outside of threads - for example in plumbing there are some valves that are open when the handle is parallel to the pipe and closed when the handle is perpendicular - and it might just happen that the closing motion happens counterclockwise.

permalink
report
reply
6 points
*

reverse threads are also found on things like bicycles and cars which have parts that spin counter clockwise

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Yep, I’m familiar with those - on almost any bycicle the left pedal would tighten to the crank counterclockwise.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Except for the stupid friggin discount stationary bike my wife bought. That must be the exception you’re referring to…

permalink
report
parent
reply

Asklemmy

!asklemmy@lemmy.ml

Create post

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it’s welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Icon by @Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de

Community stats

  • 11K

    Monthly active users

  • 5.7K

    Posts

  • 310K

    Comments