Yes -- see the example in the PEP and on this list. If you have a known value, and you want to know whether the value at hand is within some error of the known value, then you want an asymmetric test -- and if you have errors on order of 10% -- it does make a difference. Granted, I don't expect this use case to be common, but it was brought up on this list.

 

But which is more simple? I came to the conclusion that the asymmetric was simpler to explain and reason about in any case.