A ? on parking lot ettiquette/right of way

[FINFAN]

O.K. This was a BAD day for me to be on the road...but an incident (almost a *dent*) at the grocery store has brought this to my attention:
If a car is backing out of a space, and you are 1/2 way out or more, who has the right of way, the car backing out, or a car that has started driving down the aisle AFTER car#1 has begun backing out? To me, if you look B4 moving in reverse and do not see a car in the aisle you begin to back up and any car entering the aisle should wait for you to finish. Around here, it seems like just the opposite...like, how fast can I speed up and dodge the car backing up! I know drivers will do what they want to do, but who has an opinion on this or better yet, the actual *rule of the road* answer?

 

[monarchsfan16]

I don't know if there's an actual rule, but everyone, including my driver's ed teacher has always told me to stop in the lot if there's someone backing up. It's that whole drive with courtesy thing that's all over the NH roadsigns. A lot of people will stop in NH, mostly because they want your spot so they can have the shortest walk in the cold air possible, but there are the exceptions. When I'm behind the wheel I stop. And I rarely park in a space I'll have to back out of because I'm paranoid of being hit while backing out. But that's me.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I would definately say the person that is half way backed out already.
Oh, that made me think of this. I hate those people that are waiting for the space that you are pulling out of and they don't give you but an inch to pull out. I have literally had to pull back into my space before and wait for that car to pass before I could attempt to pull out.

 

[helenabear]

Not sure of the law here, but I was also told that if they are halfway out they have the right away and to wait for them.

 

[DocRafiki]

I think if you had to pull back in every time someone drove up the lane, you would never get out.

 

[Manda1219]

If someone has started backing out either before I enter the lane, or if it is a long lane and I am back pretty far, I stop, no matter how far out the car is...
I sometimes wonder if I'm too nice though, as it is all too common that very few people seem to do the same for me! Then again, I'm the kind of person who waves people on at four-way stops instead of hitting the gas to make it to the stop sign before other approaching cars...I also let people who need to get over actually get over instead of speeding up and blocking their paths....And I really don't see a point in riding so far up someones bumper, that if they hit the brakes, you'll be going through THEIR windsheild...but that's just me! Haha...sorry for the rant, just pulled out of the mall parking lot, got on the highway to come home, and had to stop at a 4-way

 

[lucky_bunni]

Proper ettiquette is for the person 'racing' down the aisle to stop and wait for the person to pull out. However, as you've noted, you always have to watch for those losers who are devoid of any manners! They obviously have more important things to do in their lives than wait 15 seconds for you to back out.

 

[Manda1219]

Might I add that I LOVE the people who are sitting on their horn the second the light turns green...ya know...as your moving your foot from the brake the the accellorator...

 

[lucky_bunni]

Originally posted by Manda1219
Might I add that I LOVE the people who are sitting on their horn the second the light turns green...ya know...as your moving your foot from the brake the the accellorator...

It just makes me start off slower...

 

[Manda1219]

Originally posted by lucky_bunni
It just makes me start off slower...

Oh I had fun with a guy in an Escalade last week... I was waiting to make a left hand turn-there was a line of cars in the opposite direction...The guy went halfway onto the wrong side of the road to try and cut around me on the left!!!!!
Well he did this as traffic cleared, so I went before he hit me. Then I stopped up ahead at a stop sign. I waited for a car and he honked...So I saw a car a couple thousand feet away and decided maybe I should wait for him to pass too....

 

[FINFAN]

Thanks guys...DocRafiki...that is it exactly! I cannot tell you how many times I have nbeen trapped while trying to back out as other cars from BOTH directions are doing the shark swim through the parking lot...One time I put my car in park, got out and stood in the middle of the aisle to tell the other driver I was backing out. The creep peeled out around me and shared his colorful vocabulary very loudly out his window. Yeah, some real charming drivers out there. At least I feel like I am in the majority of politeness if nothing else, but wanted to know the proper rule.
I called the police station once I arrived home to explain the near miss situation and to ask them what the correct maneuver is, and they didn't know other than to tell me if we had actually collided, no one would have been ticketed as it is a parking lot and that is to be worked out between the drivers and their insurance. What if someone mows you down? I t was raining today and thank gosh for shopping carts as they are a barrier between you and a car...people are nuts!

 

[DocRafiki]

There's no rule? Weird. It's just not safe to try to make it past someone backing out. A lot of the time, you're completely blinded and have to back out really slowly and trust that people will stop. It's always worked for me; I can't imagine the person in the lane winning that one unless the parked person bolts out. I can't imagine hitting someone in a parking lot. How fast do you have to be going to do that? There was this chick here who flipped her SUV in a parking lot and killed her daughter. How fast do you have to be going to flip your suv?

 

[FINFAN]

I think there is a rule, they just didn't know it offhand, or so they said. As far as being able to to win, they said it is a no-ticket type accident. Something about being in a private lot, even tho the public uses it? That if there was an injury/damage what have you, a police report can be filed for insurance/laew suit purposes, but no ticket will be issued.
Bizarre, I know. How awful about that poor little girl!

 

[lucky_bunni]

FINFAN - Perhaps there is no ruling on it because like you said it is one private property. It would be equal to running into someone in your driveway. Both insurance companies would probably be responsible for their policy holder, unless one person admitted being in the wrong.

 

[Kermit]

Yes, it's because parking lots are considered private property, so technically, there are no driving laws. You pay for whatever happens to your car.

And yes, people should wait for people backing up. Failing to do so is self-centered and stupid, since you're the one with your view compromised.

 

[browneyes]

How fast do you have to be going to flip your suv?

There are some SUV's, you don't have to hardly be moving and they'd flip over. That's awful about the woman's dd.

 

[peg2001]

May vary by state:

• Parking

Driver must look, signal and yield the right of way when coming out of a parking place.

• Backing

Avoid opening the door and sticking your head out to see
— this is dangerous. Move slowly. Before backing, look to
the front, sides and rear and continue to look to the rear while
backing.

A driver must take care when backing to see that such
movements can be done with reasonable safety and are not
interfering with other traffic.

----------
So, while I agree with the other posters that POLITENESS would dictate that the aisle driver stop and wait for a parked car to back up, the RIGHT OF WAY actually belongs to the one already in the aisle.

Peggy

 

[phorsenuf]

Not to highjack but this thread reminds me of a funny story. I was in a parking lot driving down an aisle and some old man...and I mean OLD pulled out of a space while I was directly behind him. He just backed up without looking and plowed into my car. He got out and started yelling at me that I hit him (I didn't realize my car went sideways....boy that would make parrallel parking so much easier!) And that I should've sounded the alarm! My husband and I were dying laughing. Anyways, I had to call the police because since it was my fault (according to him) he was leaving. It was determined to be his fault.

To this day my DH and I always joke about "sounding the alarm"! LOL

 

[FINFAN]

I agree that if another car is already driving down the aisle you do not back up, it is when you are already 1/2 way our, or more and the other driver does not stop, that is the part that I am questioning. So I guess a person must wait until there is no one even beginning to turn down the aisle before backing out...I am going to need a MUCH BIGGER review mirror, maybe a surveillance camera as well!LOL!
Pam