I'm assuming you mean to the left of the hihat?
I wouldn't say 'radically different' although people like Travis Orbin (search YouTube for 'numbers interpretation' it's great) have an original playing style as a result. But he a talented freak of nature anyway! I wouldn't normally say ergonomics, except in the situation of setting up a symmetrical kit (Bill and the Speedy Hat comes to mind), but I guess some people may disagree with me in regards to with a standard righty kit. It depends on the music you play mostly imo, and playing style closely behind that.
Someone said it the other day here, other instruments can only be played in one or two ways, but the drums are great because they're infinitely modifiable to the drummer's style and personality. I remember when I first saw drummers with secondary hihats (on their right), it was a radical thing for me then (I had been playing for maybe 3 or 4 years).