I'll tell you the real reason. I don't know!
But if the cockpit was blacked out or full of smoke my guess would be that the no.1 power lever is on the left and the no.2 on the right unless I'd got so confused or scared that I had to turn my back to the panel in which case I'd also begin to consider an alternative career.
Just to throw another ball into the air. Does it have anything to do with critical engines and the identification of such?
Just an idea though possibly the most plausible so far.