Jerry- You do not straddle the fault but stand on 1 side and see the oth=
er side go Left or Right; Left lateral fault & Right lateral fault.  You=
 step on the other side and the directions are reversed, so Left is alwa=
ys Left, etc, regardless of the strike direction of the fault. =

See http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch2/sld003.htm
We are talking about Strike slip faults which are mostly horizontal move=
ment like the San Andreas fault. Actually, faults usually have both comp=
onents Horizontal & Vertical movement.
Normal Faults have mostly vertical movement, so you can be on the Up sid=
e or Down side.  More damage seems to occur on the Down side.

Jerry- Can you write me off line so I can hear more about your archeolog=
y digs....Jim

                  Jim O'Donnell     =

        Geological/Geophysical Consultant
           GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
702.293.5664    geophysics@..........
702.281.9081 cell   jimo17@........

-- "Jerry Payton"  wrote:

Since it is rather slow now, let me throw out a question that I have nev=
er had satisfactorily answered to me; directly or reading. Differentiati=
ng between a Left Lateral or Right Lateral Slip Fault's movement, the US=
GS Visual Glossary states: "If you were to stand on the fault and look a=
long its length, this is a type of strike-slip fault where the left bloc=
k moves toward you and the right block moves away" IF I were to turn aro=
und looking the opposite direction the description would change.  It is =
all relative to the direction you are facing.  If I assumed that I was a=
lways looking North, the answer would work.  BUT, not all faults run gen=
erally North-South.  So, when describing a Right or Left Lateral Slip Fa=
ult, how does one know what is being described to them?  There must be s=
ome "standard" or "point of view" that explains this.  Or, does it matte=
r, as long as you realize it IS a slip fault. I have spent some time on =
archaeological digs near the Dead Sea in Israel. The Dead Sea Rift trans=
verses through there and is described as moving southward on the Israel =
side and northward on the Jordan side.  If I were able to straddle the f=
ault and face North, I could call it a Right Lateral, but the reverse is=
Jerry- You do not straddle the fault but stand on 1 side and se=
e the other side go Left or Right; Left lateral fault & Right latera=
l fault.  You step on the other side and the directions are reverse=
d, so Left is always Left, etc, regardless of the strike direction =
of the fault. 
See http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch2/sld=
003.htm
We are talking about Strike slip faults which are mostly horizontal m=
ovement like the San Andreas fault. Actually, faults usually have b=
oth components Horizontal & Vertical movement.
Normal Faults=
 have mostly vertical movement, so you can be on the Up side or Down sid=
e.  More damage seems to occur on the Down side.

Jerry- Can =
you write me off line so I can hear more about your archeology digs....J=
im

          &n=
bsp;       Jim O'Donnell   =
  
        Geologic=
al/Geophysical Consultant
       &=
nbsp;   GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
702.293.5664  &=
nbsp; geophysics@..........
702.281.9081 cell   jimo17=
@........

-- "Jerry Payton" <gpayton880@.......> wrote:
=

Since it is rather slow now, let me throw out a question that I hav=
e never had satisfactorily answered to me; directly or reading.
 
Differentiating between a Left Lateral or Right Lateral Slip F=
ault's movement, the USGS Visual Glossary states: "If you were to stand =
on the fault and look along its length, this is a type of strike-slip fa=
ult where the left block moves toward you and the right block moves away=
"
 
IF I were to turn around looking the opposite direction the descrip=
tion would change.  It is all relative to the direction you are fac=
ing.  If I assumed that I was always looking North, the answer woul=
d work.  BUT, not all faults run generally North-South.  So, w=
hen describing a Right or Left Lateral Slip Fault, how does one know wha=
t is being described to them?  There must be some "standard" or "po=
int of view" that explains this.  Or, does it matter, as long as yo=
u realize it IS a slip fault.
 
I have spent some time on archaeological digs near the Dead Se=
a in Israel. The Dead Sea Rift transverses through there and is des=
cribed as moving southward on the Israel side and northward on the Jorda=
n side.  If I were able to straddle the fault and face North, I cou=
ld call it a Right Lateral, but the reverse is true if I faced South.&nb=
sp; 
 
Signed: Confused, but not Lost,
Jerry