Maybe it relates to the "pedestrians on the right" too, when on footpaths? It seems in Perth (Australia) that most cyclist-pedestrian conflicts on shared use paths bring out many letters to the editor from every ex-pat. Brit. suggesting it miraculously wouldn't occur if people walked on the right.
back in the dark ages, before footpaths, you walked on the right-hand side of the road facing oncoming traffic. I'm guessing that Perth and England haven't modenised yet.
Correct Louise, on the road walk facing traffic. On footpaths its the other way around here - but not in the UK.
Swimming can be 3 ways - keep left of centre line (clockwise); keep right of centreline (anti-clockwise); alternating CW and ACW in adjacent lanes - done so you're swimming in parallel with the person immediately over the lane rope to you. That = confusion anywhere except in private squads!