Backing into parking spots

[tvguy]

Is this the norm now? I was in a parking garage watching several people making multiple attempts to back into parking spots. I just don't get it. It is so much more work trying to do this without hitting cars on the other side. Yes, you can pull right out when you leave. But this seems like more effort than just pulling straight in and backing straight out of the spot, carefully.

 

[FreeTime]

I don’t think it is the norm but the preference. I will always back in if given the opportunity. I won’t back in if it is a one way.

 

[ShaneDJ]

Back-in is our preferred style.

In fact, I’d rather drive around to find a good spot to back in to. Just safer when leaving, for us.

 

[WEDWDW]

I much prefer to back in the space.

Makes such an easy exit.

I have noticed some public parking decks are now forbidding the backing into the spaces as it doesn't allow the car tags to be seen.

 

[LuvOrlando]

On a normal day I back in only if I am in a super iffy spot where I'm worried about pedestrians or on a blind turn, I did it tonight for the snow because we have lots of dog walkers and I might not get shoveled early.

On a nice day I assume they are doing it so they don't get towed for not making car payments.

Back in PA plates were only on the back of the car so backing in meant no-one could read the numbers which meant no tickets for overstaying.

 

[kdonnel]

Studies show a large chunk of parking-lot accidents happen while backing out.

It is theorized that people are more alert when arriving than when leaving.

I find backing in much easier to get into tight spots compared to pulling in.

 

[sam_gordon]

The only time I WON'T back in is if the spot is angled. I've been backing into spots for years now. DW & I even back into our garage.
It's MUCH easier to pull out and you have better sight lines. Yes, I know people who have said (because we've had this thread before) "my backup camera takes care of seeing when I back out", yea, unless you have sun glare, or rain, or snow obscuring it. And heaven forbid the snow obscure the backup sensors.

My theory is those who get upset with people who back in don't like waiting on them to get parked. Yes, it might take 10-30 extra seconds (if that once you get used to it). People who back out of parking space however have to wait for the aisle to clear, so it comes down to who's waiting for who.

 

[tvguy]

While example was a parking garage but it happens at the grocery store where the person backing into a parking spot is obstructing passing traffic while they struggle to back in when they could simply pull in if they went front face. And backing out, they could wait for a break in traffic.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I back in every where. I am better at backing in than pulling into a spot. I do it as quickly as someone pulls in. I almost always drive regardless of whose car we are in so I’ll park the car. I also back my friends truck on to the ferry towing their jet skis. You have to back in there is no option to pull on. My friends joke if cars raced in reverse they will always bet on me.

 

[Meriweather]

I don't back in.
But in grocery and store parking, I do drive through so when leaving I can go straight out

 

[Skywalker3]

DH backs his truck in any chance he can, almost all the time. The garage we use in our downtown are though prohibits backing in.
I am terrible at parking. I try and find spots where I can pull through. I have a hard time judging the lines, how far I am from other vehicles, at least when I'm in the van. I try as often as possible to find a spot away from other vehicles. I will back in sometimes if I find an empty area, and can't pull through, and no vehicles on either side. I am much better parking our Civic....love a smaller car for that.

 

[lanejudy]

I usually back in to parking spots unless I anticipate needing to load groceries or large items into the back. I also back in my driveway and garage.

It is so much more work trying to do this without hitting cars on the other side.

they struggle to back in

It’s actually fairly easy.

 

[Mikey15]

I’ll echo that it’s generally safer to back in & pull out than the alternative due to visibility.

Also, as vehicles have gotten larger (and more people driving pickups than ever, for example), it’s much more maneuverable to back a large vehicle into a perpendicular spot than trying to pull it in, due to the steering axle being at the front of the vehicle. This works with just mirrors, not even using backup cameras, but camera actually do make it even easier (most will show you your path based on how your wheels are turned).

As for people claiming backing in takes more time… no it doesn’t! I’ve seen the way most people back out of spots

 

[sam_gordon]

While example was a parking garage but it happens at the grocery store where the person backing into a parking spot is obstructing passing traffic while they struggle to back in when they could simply pull in if they went front face. And backing out, they could wait for a break in traffic.View attachment 1041658

As I suggested, you don't like waiting on others, but them waiting on you is just fine.

 

[5kidsmommy]

I back in, it's super easy especially with backup cameras.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I prefer pull-through spots when shopping, but would generally rather back in than back out, because I can see where everyone is right before I back in. If I'm backing out, I've been putting my bags in the car, fussing with my seatbelt, the radio, whatever... so there is a gap of time where pedestrians could walk up near the car without me seeing them.

This is even more true for school pick-up. We're arriving over a period of around 20 minutes, backing in when it's just cars, but we're all leaving at the same time, with kids walking through the lot, so I feel like it's much safer to be pulling forward.

 

[mylilnikita]

Is this the norm now? I was in a parking garage watching several people making multiple attempts to back into parking spots. I just don't get it. It is so much more work trying to do this without hitting cars on the other side. Yes, you can pull right out when you leave. But this seems like more effort than just pulling straight in and backing straight out of the spot, carefully.

lol the same could be true for people trying to back out of a spot. Vehicles just aren’t one size anymore and some people with bigger vehicles don’t know how to drive them.

I am a back in person . Why? Because I know how to and I can also parallel park. I am also that person who parks way away because people are stupid , but yet there is always someone who will follow my lead and park next to me when there are 5 billion other spots . I want to put a song on a car and go I’m antisocial and so is my car. lol





Q

 

[firefly_ris]

I back in 99% of the time. Way easier in the pickup truck than pulling in forwards and better for leaving. I don't take long to park.

Plenty of people take forty years to back out of their space as well.

 

[Uncle Coaster]

I’m terrible at backing into a parking space so I (almost) never do it. I pull through when possible, even if it means a longer walk to wherever I’m going.

Today I was at an NBA game. Got a great spot with a lot of empty spots around me until a guy who was as bad at backing into a spot as I am backed into the spot directly next to me and just about trapped my mom in the car. She was able to squeeze out fortunately.

 

[barkley]

many places around us prohibit it (and DO tow). I hate parking in general-if I back out i'm worried about people stupid walking into my path (despite multiple cameras/alarms in my car to alert me), if I back in i'm worried about people whose little kids hop out of the back seat with no regard to safety (I can and DO eyeball the cars adjacent to my parking space as I enter nose in for this-my view on the cameras is not such I can do it as well backing in).

This is even more true for school pick-up. We're arriving over a period of around 20 minutes, backing in when it's just cars, but we're all leaving at the same time, with kids walking through the lot, so I feel like it's much safer to be pulling forward.

neither of the schools we ever did pickup at for our kids so much as let the parents near parking places for pickup. one closed off the area with spaces a good 45 minutes to an hour before school ended and as a result there was an insane pickup line of cars that went all the way around the parking lot/school/public streets. kids were not permitted to walk in that lot. the other only had parking spaces WAY across the parking lot and no dedicated pickup area for kids. there was the school bus pickup area, there were a couple of spaces for handicapped parking but otherwise it was park the car and walk to retrieve your kid from the waiting area (YOU had to retrieve if k-8th, 9th-12th they were permitted to walk the long sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot over to the parking area and enter the car). that school had very few parents who did drop off/pick up and NO kids walked or rode bikes to school (absolutely prohibited).