I have NEVER heard of anyone wiping while standing. If kids in pre-school stand up before cleaning themselves (or being cleaned by an adult), they're immediately told to sit back down until the job is complete.
This is why the bidet exists. It looks like a comode except it squirts warm water out to wash the shit away. It's pretty obvious that soap and water is going to clean better than dry paper. Nevertheless, I have never heard of anyone standing above a bidet -- that is why it is a seated device, just like the toilet.
Edit: And all women must wipe front to back lest they be risking UTI's and yeast infections and other such lovely things.
Yeah we had a thread about this previously. The normal protocol for guys is to lean forward. This allows us two things: (a) the arse cheeks naturally spread allowing for easier acess, and (b) one hand goes behind you and wipes BACKWARDS (away from the balls).
Some dude here admitted to wiping forwards, implying that, over time, a slow accumulation of shit membrane collects just behind the scrotum until washed (depending on whether they wash well enough).
I understand lots of girls are able to put their hand down between their legs from the front and wipe away, essentially because you don't have a knob getting in the way. Either way, it's the same direction -- away from the front and towards the back (spine).
One last thing about J's comment of your hand touching the water -- and this is quite remarkable -- there are certain parts of the USA where the toilet bowl water level actually differs. In particular, Florida has a water level which almost reaches the TOP of the comode. Once when staying in a hotel in Florida, I had to call for the plumber to come fix the toilet because it was obviously blocked. He confirmed that was indeed the correct level. I presume the water level in Texas is also very high. I can confirm that the water levels in toilets in the NE usa are way too low for your hand to get even close, unless you purposely reached down to dip your fingers into the caramelized eau de toillete.