Greetings from The Dark Side.
I drive an ML550 that has paddle shifters on the wheel that work the way you guys say you'd like: right = up, left = down. I find them very easy to use and more intuitive than the push/pull paddles on the X6 I drove. But you guys also have the option of changing gear using the shift stick; I don't, as the Mercedes has a column-mounted shifter like the old 7 series used to have, so the paddles are my only option for manually changing gear. Of course, I do get two big cup holders.
archwerks: I think F1 paddles are mounted to the wheel, because the driver never takes his hands off the 9-and-3 position, even when turning tightly. In a road car with several turns lock-to-lock, it might make more sense to have taller paddles mounted to the column so that they would be easier to find when turning.