Stupid timing chip question

Never heard of that, usually it's best to put it on the left ankle since your drive train is on the right.  Maybe they had a volunteer setup on the right or something.

It has something to do with the magnetic charge on the left side of your body. No, just kidding. I've had volunteers tell me the same thing. They probably heard it from someone else.

The machine attached to the timing mat are always on the right side. When people run towards the mat, they will slightly lean more to the left to avoid hitting the machine causing some people with timing chips on the left, to miss the mat altogether.

And the answer is.... (my opinion)

By having everyone wear it on the same ankle, then tne volunteers can watch for just one ankle to see if anyone is missing a chip.

One of my completely illogical tri quirks is that I like everything on the left. Maybe because I'm left handed. I don't know. I warned you it was illogical. Regardless, I've worn my chip on the left for multiple half-marys, full marys, and sprint and olympic tris, both on the chip strap and on the shoelaces, and not once have I missed a chip checkpoint in a single one of them. Which side they asked for it on is probably more about the volunteers spotting it and getting it off of you than it is about the chip mats. Just make sure you're solidly on the mat for every checkpoint and you should be fine whichever leg you wear it on.