I think tyrion got it right a few posts back. Assuming the chances of falling on either side are equal, I would definitely consider the fact that most "hits" by automobiles would be on the left side (in right-side-driving countries). But if you DO get hit this way, chances are anything in your right pannier is going to get damaged anyway, so there's not much that packing your camera in either side is going to do to protect it.

One other thing I would consider is, if you use a kickstand that protrudes to one side (usually the left), the chances of your bike falling to that side from a parked position are greater than the chances of it falling to the right.

Unfortunately I seem to be adding data on an all too frequent basis. The last good one was when I was racing in a time trial 2 years ago, I took a turn too hot and there was loose gravel where it shouldn't have been, destroyed my bike, cracked my helmet (thank goodness it wasn't my head) and shredded clothing and skin AND of course it was my left side.

My guess is that the likelihood of falling on one side or the other is more luck than anything else. I don't fall often, but when I have taken a tumble, the circumstances were unique: Wiped out on a gravel path: right. Wiped out of a rain-slick road: left. Couldn't unclip in time: left. Front brake failure while cycling downhill: over the handlebars. Sideswiped by a pickup truck driver who turned sharply into the bike lane: managed not to fall. Sideswiped by a passing motorist who didn't bother to stop: kept my balance.

Falls I've experienced and seen have been all to the left. Couldn't say why.

now there's a smart man.

While I am not an expert on Murphy's Law, my understanding is that the law predicts that a fall will occur in a manner that maximizes damage to the most valued item a cyclist is carrying, or owns. I don't travel with an expensive camera, but a seemingly inconsequential fall resulted in a big dent in my custom-made bicycle frame!

All of my "falls" (assuming that means no speed topple overs) are to the right. Why? That's the foot I normally put down and lean towards, and if I am falling, it means something went wrong with my foot and the bike is already going that way naturally. I tend to pack clothes and soft stuff in the right pannier as such.

Crashes? Crapshoot, depends on what is going on when I crash.

interesting STAT. I mount from the left & my falls are to my left hmmm ...

I was thinking only of moving falls. Stationary falls, that makes sense that it would be to the side you put the foot down.

Another reason for left-side falls occurred to me. When you fall into a rut, that rut is reasonably on the right side of our riding path. Gutter area, or off the edge of a paved path. If you try to bounce back out - towards your left - you will fall to the left when that doesn't work.

Practice, practice, practice!

If in doubt, don't fall into the lane, go for the ditch!
I always try to laugh after a fall ... at myself ... which 99% of the time is the cause of the fall.

I walked in to my bike shop recently and before I got 10 feet the owner was scolding me for my right forearm and knee being all scabbed up, telling me to try falling on the cheap (left) side next time. The right side has all the expensive stuff on it.