Thanks for the advice.

I have been working an my Jaywalkers (all I have to show is a ball of yarn that's getting raggedy since I have ripped them 4 times already) and have tried the left on top, right on bottom. I still prefer to have both ends on top but it's just ridiculous to adjust each needle each time. I am getting some ladders.

But I'm getting more comfortable with the new arrangement.
I have been ripping because of the gauge though, not the ladders. I am going to post about that in the General forum. ARGH!