"Jay Honeck" wrote:

IMHO,
saying "left downwind" is clear, concise, and -- most importantly --
clarifies which side of the airport you're on. To assume that everyone
knows whether the pattern is left (or right) is, in my experience,
naive.


I agree completely. I've seen many instances of an aircraft entering the
pattern on the "wrong" side of the runway. One more word on the radio will
clarify the situation completely.

Mike