My first road bike was a 1962 Bianchi with the rear cable guide along the lower left side of the top tube and universal sidepulls wired with a short (non-crossover) reach -- hence, right front/left rear. When I bought the Nishiki Competition, which came with centerpull brakes and the rear brake cable guide along the lower right side of the top tube, I rewired it to match the Bianchi. All of this was consistent with the erroneous, but widely held, view that one's dominant hand, left in my case, should control the rear brake.

I eventually came to realize that left front would be marginally better for me, since the front should be the dominant brake, and since everyone else's bike seemed to be wired left-front. I made the switch about 40 years ago and never second-guessed my decision, although I might have made a different choice if I were a motorcyclist.