parking.....

[FireDancer]

Fire Dancer--thanks for that explanation which actually makes sense but no one has ever given me

I'm just glad it made sense. I know in my head what I wanted to say but wasn't sure if I articulated it in a way that made sense.

 

[bettymae1121]

I find it easier to park further away and just "pull through" to the other side. That way I don't have to back up while parking or when leaving.

I will back into my driveway when I have a lot of stuff to unload, but if there is a car behind me as I approach my driveway, I'll pull over and let them pass before backing in.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

I back in if there's no other cars around and I can't pull through somewhere. It never takes me more than 1 try anyway. However, if there are other cars around, I'll just pull in regular.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

If you mean parallel park, I don't care who is behind me, they can do around, because I only parallel park on a street that's wide enough for people to move around me.

if you mean a parking space in a parking lot, I don't back in, and I don't understand why people back in.

 

[disfan07]

I can't back into parking spots. I also can't parallel park...but thats a whole other issue

I dont mind if people do it when they know what they are doing. But the ones who bug me are the ones who try to back into the spots in those massive SUVs who really dont know how to drive those cars in the first place! Seriously...if you can't park the car without taking up more than 1 spot, get a different car! Seriously, at the hospital, the reason it is always so hard to find a spot is because of the people who take up two parking spots with those massive SUVs...if you insist on driving one of those...please learn how to park it!

 

[mtemm]

backing into a parking spot takes very little time if you know what you are doing, certainly shouldn't be an issue of holding anyone up for more than 5 or 10 seconds.

 

[marmalade]

I never back in because I seem to always be loading my trunk with purchase, and I don't want another car right on my rear-end. I always park far away, so I can hopefully just pull out. Plus my kids are not the most delicate with their doors so I try to avoid any and all damages if I can.

 

[Hoodie]

Obviously they are talking about people who have no idea how to back into a parking space. I would guess it would take MAYBE 10 extra seconds... but my money would be on more like 5.

A lot longer than that.

People who back into spots annoy me so I always note how much longer it takes them to get in. I am ALWAYS parked, have my stuff, out of the car and 9 times out of 10 at the entrance to the store before the person backing in (in front of me, so they have already started) has turned off their car.

I have a co-worker who backs in and I tried pointing out how much longer she takes (and she's good - one move and done). She didn't believe it until I followed her in every day for a week and was at my desk, with my water and computer on before she got in the door. Now she rather reluctantly admits that it takes a lot longer than she ever thought.

 

[DizBelle]

The consensus seems to be that it doesn't take that long if you know what you are doing. My experience is that most drivers have no clue what they are doing.

 

[Mermaid02]

A lot longer than that.

People who back into spots annoy me so I always note how much longer it takes them to get in. I am ALWAYS parked, have my stuff, out of the car and 9 times out of 10 at the entrance to the store before the person backing in (in front of me, so they have already started) has turned off their car.

I have a co-worker who backs in and I tried pointing out how much longer she takes (and she's good - one move and done). She didn't believe it until I followed her in every day for a week and was at my desk, with my water and computer on before she got in the door. Now she rather reluctantly admits that it takes a lot longer than she ever thought.

If this is the case- you are either Mrs. Inredible, they have NO idea how to back into a parking space or they frig around in the car before they get out.

 

[disney_mommy]

I always back in. It takes seconds to do and is much more convenient for me. I don't understand why it bugs people so much.

 

[tlbwriter]

ETA: If you do buy into the you have to reverse at some point anyway argument than it goes both ways. You will have to wait for someone to back into or out of a spot at some point anyway so does it matter which it is?

People get less angry waiting for you to back out of a spot because they want your spot. If they're waiting for you to back into a spot, there's nothing in it for them.

 

[kamik86]

I never back in... not because I find it rude or anything... mostly because I can't do it.

I know I back up at some point anyway... but honestly I have no problem backing out but can not reverse park. When I took my drivers test I did really bad at this, I honestly could parallel park much better then I can reverse park. 3 point turns are easy, do those frequently on some of the little side streets around here (when you miss a turn on a main road its often easiest to pull on a side street that is empty do a 3 point turn and go back).

Now in my defense I haven't tried this since we discovered I have a bad astigmatism in both eyes... my driving and especially parking of all types got much better after I got glasses for this, so I might be able to do it now.

 

[DizBelle]

I always back in. It takes seconds to do and is much more convenient for me. I don't understand why it bugs people so much.

Because people have to wait for you to get backed in before they can move on and park themselves.

Because if you pass a spot because you are going to back in, the person behind you (as well as everyone behind them) will have to back up to accomodate your backing in.

Inconvenience to other people should be considered.

 

[Mermaid02]

Becasue people have to wait for you to get backed in before they can move on and park themselves.

Because if you pass a spot because you are going to back in, the person behind you (as well as everyone behind them) will have to back up to accomodate your backing in.

Inconvenience to other people should be considered.

Safety should be considered- and as FireDancer pointed out- it's safer to back into a place than it is to back out of a place.

 

[ICF]

The consensus seems to be that it doesn't take that long if you know what you are doing. My experience is that most drivers have no clue what they are doing.

100% agree.....

 

[DizBelle]

Safety should be considered- and as FireDancer pointed out- it's safer to back into a place than it is to back out of a place.

I read what FireDancer wrote but I still don't see how it is safer to back in than to back out.

At least if you are backing out, a person out there has lots of places to go to get out of your way in case you didn't see them. If you are backing in and there is a car left, right, and behind, a person in there has no where to go to avoid getting run over by you.

 

[U2_rocks!]

It is easier and safer to back into a parking spot than out of it which is why many companies have this policy with work trucks. What is usually ignored with the "you have to reverse at some point regardless" argument is that when you back in you are reversing from the open isle into the enclosed space (enclosed by vehicles) which allows you a greater field of vision than the other way around.

When you are reversing out of a parking spot you usually have a car on either side blocking your vision and in the case of smaller cars you are often next to a much larger vehicle. You can pull straight out if you have reversed in. At the same time while reversing in you are in the wide open isle and have a clear vision on all sides while you are backing into the space.

This is assuming you are a good driver and can pull straight back into the space without having to pull forward, then backward, than forward, and so on to actually get yourself between the lines.

ETA: If you do buy into the you have to reverse at some point anyway argument than it goes both ways. You will have to wait for someone to back into or out of a spot at some point anyway so does it matter which it is?

I completely agree with this.

As a matter of fact, the very first part of the driving test where I live requires you to back into a parking space outlined by poles, and you have to back into it one time from both directions, and you can't go back and forth and straighten up etc. They will actually measure to make sure you reversed in dead centre. And if you are not successful, you don't even get out on the road - you fail right away and you're done until you reschedule. That's how seriously the ability to reverse is taken here. It's also very common for businesses to have signs requesting patrons to back into parking spaces, including at our school - it is very difficult to see children when you are backing out of a space.

 

[pixiewings71]

I find a spot where I can pull through. No matter what you think, backing into a spot takes more time then pulling forward into a spot. I saw a woman that pulled past a spot preparing to back into it and someone behind her took the spot. I just laughed. It did appear she was not taking the spot. She was giving the person that "took" her spot a talking to as I walked by and I just said "looked to me too that you didn't want the spot" and kept walking .

She should have used her blinker, indicating that she was planning to take that spot. If she didn't then she has no reason to be upset at the person who "took" her spot. lol

I find it easier to park further away and just "pull through" to the other side. That way I don't have to back up while parking or when leaving.

I will back into my driveway when I have a lot of stuff to unload, but if there is a car behind me as I approach my driveway, I'll pull over and let them pass before backing in.

This is my thinking, I'd rather pull thru then back in and when I do back into my driveway I have plenty of space to get in with one try. Our street is very small and slow so it's rare that someone is behind me when I'm planning to back in but when it happens I just pull over and let them pass and then back in.

I always back in. It takes seconds to do and is much more convenient for me. I don't understand why it bugs people so much.

It doesn't bug me at all, unless it's someone who takes forever to get into the spot. But then again I wouldn't wait, if they need to "fix" their parking I normally just wait until they are in the spot enough for me to get by and then I go around them, it's rare that I'm sitting and waiting for a long time while someone parks.

Because people have to wait for you to get backed in before they can move on and park themselves.

Because if you pass a spot because you are going to back in, the person behind you (as well as everyone behind them) will have to back up to accomodate your backing in.

Inconvenience to other people should be considered.

Again, someone who is backing in should use a blinker to indicate they are taking that spot, and they should be experienced enough to not have to pull in and out multiple times. You should be leaving enough room between you and the car ahead of you that if they do decide to back in they have room to do so. Also, no one should have to wait, parking lots should be large enough to accommodate the person backing in and the person behind them having room to go around.....

DBF will back in sometimes but we normally just pull into our spots or pull thru. I have drive a minivan, it's not easy to back it into a spot, it's much easier to back it out of a spot. He has a sedan, it's very easy to back into a spot but we rarely do it.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I read what FireDancer wrote but I still don't see how it is safer to back in than to back out.

At least if you are backing out, a person out there has lots of places to go to get out of your way in case you didn't see them. If you are backing in and there is a car left, right, and behind, a person in there has no where to go to avoid getting run over by you.

But how often are people standing in parking spaces? It is much more common for people to be walking back and forth along the edges of parking spaces as they try to get from the parking lot to the store or business. Yes people do sometimes cut through the parking lots, through empty spaces, and you do have to watch for them, but it's just not as common. Plus, when I'm backing into a spot, I have a very narrow area to view, and I can view it thoroughly. Backing out, I have 2 directions I must scan, in case cars are coming fast. I back in whenever I can, which is maybe about half the time, and I can tell you it's a lot more stressful to back out than it is to back in - I've had way more "near misses" with backing out.