I asked this question many, many, years ago of an old FAA chap.
He told me that he had also asked this of his instructor when he was u/t.
The reply from the equally ancient instructor was that, because a/c are designed for right hand flying, the natural instinct when things go tits-up is for the right hand to go across the body towards the left. It is far easier and quicker to go left than right. Try it for yourselves (put your stick in your hand...ooo err misses), and see which way is better/quicker.
For me though it would be a real bummer, as I'm sinister...good job I was not on flat tops!