While Dave is right, leaving it in position 1 is not nessesary. The plunger does not slide into it's extended position until you take the key OUT. You can HEAR it move when you do that.

When you turn the key to start the car, the plunger is pulled back in - but again, if you do NOT remove the key, the plunger does NOT extend. Leaving the key in there is all that you need to do to avoid the lockup, IF you have successfully turned the key to on/start and then turned it back.