My dad's 65 stang 4 speed has "R" up and to the left and then slightly up and left is 1st. I don't think I've ever mistakenly put it into R before. My car is down and to the right for "R".
Yea that's true, that's the way it is on my VW. You'd have to be an idiot to put it in reverse though, you have to give it a push down and then into gear, not just push it left and forward like you would for first.