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even experienced bike mechanics not remembering which side is which and having to offer it up to see
Bike mechanic for nearly 20 years and I couldn’t tell you which thread is left and which is right handed without really thinking about it. I know bottom brackets undo the way the pedals go round and pedals thread in if you spin the cranks backwards, that’s about as much understanding as I need.
M_V
yafe
You need to bear in mind a couple of things:
1) A lot of people can't remember which way does things up and which way loosens. They try both ways and it usually starts to tighten for them or breaks it loose.
2) People that do know, probably don't know one side is left handed. Probably also don't even know a left-handed thread is a thing. Probably don't know that left-handed threads should be marked with slots or lines on the head, though to be fair a lot of left-handed bike stuff isn't marked. What does that mean to a poor left-handed pedal thread when someone really starts to lean on it anticlockwise, trying to get it to break loose, convinced it's just a bit on the tight side...
3) Fine thread which is already difficult to catch the first thread without a bit of care + throw in an unexpected left-handed thread into the mix + (be honest now!) even experienced bike mechanics not remembering which side is which and having to offer it up to see anyway = recipe for disaster.