Backing into parking spots

[sam_gordon]

No here. The City or County in approving the parking lot dictates how many parking spots are allowed, and specified how many "compact" and "standard" size. The store certainly can propose ratio of compact to standard, but they don't have the final say.

True or false... parking space width varies.

Granted, it's not a lot, but it definitely varies.

And didn't you say earlier a car's length determines if it's "compact"? Arent most (not all) cars the same (or nearly te same) width?

 

[tvguy]

True or false... parking space width varies.

Granted, it's not a lot, but it definitely varies.

And didn't you say earlier a car's length determines if it's "compact"? Arent most (not all) cars the same (or nearly te same) width?

Just a casual check my Flex is 75.9 inches wide. Camry is 72.4. Mustang is 68. My old Focus was 66.9 wide. So pretty close.

 

[dez1978]

I don't think that's a fair comment. I think yes there are people who are in a rush when they don't have to be, they are the same people who can tailgate you all the way only to end up at the same light as you lol.

Sometimes, and I do mean sometimes, you have cars coming in both directions and/or you're on a main pathway and then someone decides to back into a spot. It's a situation that may not take much time for you (although I know we're all just exaggerating that really it only takes 10 seconds longer because to be fair I don't think many of us have actually timed ourselves on the regular to see how long it takes us to park the point you're trying to say and others is subjectively it doesn't take all that much longer) but it can cause a ripple congestion factor.

Backing in isn't really an issue, but I think situationally speaking there are times where it's best not to and if someone is deciding to not care about their surroundings and do it anyways well that is often the situation you'll see people complaining about.

Even though most people said in Costco it doesn't make sense to do it I'm going to use their parking lot to give a better visual.

Here's the closest Costco that we go to. I marked the main pathway into the parking lot that people use to get to the other side of the parking lot. Both directions I marked are problematic for someone to decide to back into a spot. It would cause congestion problems and it would be an issue there not about someone not being able to take 10 seconds but because the condition of the area it's not conducive to do so. And again I'm only using Costco's parking lot, despite that people said they wouldn't back into spots there (I agree you need access to your trunk more) and Costco's parking spaces are wider anyhow but it's just to illustrate what I was talking about
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The same can be said for our mall, when it's really busy and people are just trying to find a spot any spot that backing in has a tendency to create problems.

Fair, but couldn't the same issue be caused by people trying to back out of parking spots? Along with the line of cars that will be stopped bc one car is waiting to take that spot. So if someone pulled in "normally" but then is trying to back out, that takes just as long, if not longer, than backing in to the spot.

No here. The City or County in approving the parking lot dictates how many parking spots are allowed, and specified how many "compact" and "standard" size. The store certainly can propose ratio of compact to standard, but they don't have the final say.

Here I think it's a mix. All businesses have to comply with ADA rules on the number and size of handicapped spots. But some cities/counties may have regulations on it, and others do not. Mostly in larger cities, there are rules about on street parking sizes and the number of spots and if they are angled or parallel. But from what I can find it seems to be that there must be 1 spot per 100-300 sq ft of floor space (stores/offices) and 1 spot per every 3-4 seats (restaurants) as a general rule.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Fair, but couldn't the same issue be caused by people trying to back out of parking spots? Along with the line of cars that will be stopped bc one car is waiting to take that spot. So if someone pulled in "normally" but then is trying to back out, that takes just as long, if not longer, than backing in to the spot.

It sure can. And that's precisely why I commented. Because if the line of thinking is "backing is is superior, backing in doesn't take much longer, if you can't wait it's a you problem, if you don't know xyz, etc" then you (general you) have to concede when there are situations in which it's not better (meaning one option isn't better than the other) and which it can cause problems too.

I think people like to think they are always straight perfect drivers who don't cause problems, who can back in by being perfect in the lines just as they can pulling it. But we're all capable of not being that way, 360 cameras or not (our car has that as well). Not all spots, not all parking lots, not all lanes, not all weather conditions, etc allow for true perfect 100% straight in the lines without the need to readjust the car (just like someone pulling straight in might need to do). I haven't driven or been in a car that has parking assist but you would hope in that case the car could do a better job than a human could lol.

 

[kdonnel]

I haven't driven or been in a car that has parking assist but you would hope in that case the car could do a better job than a human could lol.

The answer is not likely.

Parking assist in my car is much slower than me for parallel and perpendicular parking.

And it will only back in, never pulls forward into a perpendicular spot.

I equate it to parking like a 17 year old who just got their drivers license. They know the mechanics because they had to learn them for the test but are very cautious while performing the motions.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The answer is not likely.

Parking assist in my car is much slower than me for parallel and perpendicular parking.

And it will only back in, never pulls forward into a perpendicular spot.

I equate it to parking like a 17 year old who just got their drivers license. They know the mechanics because they had to learn them for the test but are very cautious while performing the motions.

Are they better as in they get into the middle of the spot? not too close to one side or the other?

 

[kdonnel]

Are they better as in they get into the middle of the spot? not too close to one side or the other?

My cars implantation greatly prefers backing in between two cars and will get centered in the spot.

It next prefers a spot with at least one car next to the empty spot.

Finally it will park in a spot with no cars on either side, sometimes, the lines have to be very well painted or it will not recognize the spot as available.

The end result is I have only ever used the feature the first couple weeks I had the car just to see it work. During the chip shortages during and after Covid, the feature got quitely discontinued in subsequent model years. I think their telemetry showed that the feature was not used very often.

I never tried the parallel parking option but assume it has some similar limitations that would result in me being able to park much faster without the assistance.