PSA - Why you should BACK IN to your driveway

[soccerdad72]

Oh goody, we haven’t had a good parking debate in a while.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Seems to me the parents should have been paying attention to their 2 year old. We have always made sure any kids playing outside are clear of the driveway when anybody, including ourselves, are backing out. Our granddaughters are 8, 10, and 12 and to this day when I’m backing out of their driveway they stand off to the side where I can see them as I’m backing out

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh goody, we haven’t had a good parking debate in a while.

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[monsterkitty]

If we back into our garage we can't open the hatch or get into the trunk.

With back-up cameras and sensors plus looking around backing up is safer than it used to be.

 

[sam_gordon]

With back-up cameras and sensors plus looking around backing up is safer than it used to be.

I agree it's safer than it used to be. I'm not convinced it's safer than driving forward.

 

[kdonnel]

Pedestrian deaths reached an all time high in the US in 2022. Pedestrian deaths as a function of miles driven are much higher in the US than Europe.

7485 deaths

It is very unlikely that a driver will face any charges in a pedestrian death. There is a stunning gap in our knowledge of what happens prior to a crash. In the case of a pedestrian that was killed, they can not tell their side of the story. The driver generally faults the pedestrian.

One reason for all the deaths is US citizens demand high speed on the roads. Car's take precedent. We want to get to where we are going as quickly as possible. The 85th percentile rule in the M.U.T.C.D contributes to the speed. It says that the speed limit on a road can be changed if 85 percent of the drivers are driving a certain speed. In effect it actually allows a law, the speed limit for a particular road, to be rewritten by the law-breakers.

Another reason for the steady increase in deaths is the move towards SUV. As a pedestrian if you are hit by a sedan, you get hit in the legs and are thrown into the windshield. Your legs are broken. If you are hit by an SUV, you get hit in the chest and are likely pulled under the vehicle.

Another reason is people are moving away from urban areas to suburban areas. Those urban areas still have a focus on cars and getting them from place to place as fast as possible but they do have sidewalks and generally narrower streets that encourage slower speeds. Suburban areas are all about speed. Wide multi lane new streets, that may or may not have crosswalks and sidewalks.

Another reason is increased distractions in the car. Cell phones are a distraction even if used hands free. Car entertainment systems are not regulated in any way to encourage ease of use and reduction in distractions. Voice controlled systems have been shown to actually increase the distraction level of drivers. Drivers are frustrated by how long voice control systems take to accomplish the requested task and the significant distraction that occurs while the person decides exactly how to articulate the request. Using voice control has been measured as twice as distracting as just pushing a button in studies.

 

[_19disnA]

Similar to the last time the parking topic was discussed, do what works best for you.

 

[sam_gordon]

Pedestrian deaths reached an all time high in the US in 2022. Pedestrian deaths as a function of miles driven are much higher in the US than Europe.

7485 deaths

It is very unlikely that a driver will face any charges in a pedestrian death. There is a stunning gap in our knowledge of what happens prior to a crash. In the case of a pedestrian that was killed, they can not tell their side of the story. The driver generally faults the pedestrian.

One reason for all the deaths is US citizens demand high speed on the roads. Car's take precedent. We want to get to where we are going as quickly as possible. The 85th percentile rule in the M.U.T.C.D contributes to the speed. It says that the speed limit on a road can be changed if 85 percent of the drivers are driving a certain speed. In effect it actually allows a law, the speed limit for a particular road, to be rewritten by the law-breakers.

Another reason for the steady increase in deaths is the move towards SUV. As a pedestrian if you are hit by a sedan, you get hit in the legs and are thrown into the windshield. Your legs are broken. If you are hit by an SUV, you get hit in the chest and are likely pulled under the vehicle.

Another reason is people are moving away from urban areas to suburban areas. Those urban areas still have a focus on cars and getting them from place to place as fast as possible but they do have sidewalks and generally narrower streets that encourage slower speeds. Suburban areas are all about speed. Wide multi lane new streets, that may or may not have crosswalks and sidewalks.

Another reason is increased distractions in the car. Cell phones are a distraction even if used hands free. Car entertainment systems are not regulated in any way to encourage ease of use and reduction in distractions. Voice controlled systems have been shown to actually increase the distraction level of drivers. Drivers are frustrated by how long voice control systems take to accomplish the requested task and the significant distraction that occurs while the person decides exactly how to articulate the request. Using voice control has been measured as twice as distracting as just pushing a button in studies.

Actually it was 7508 deaths in 2022. There were 7485 deaths in 2021.
https://www.ghsa.org/resources/Pedestrians23

According to the report in 2021, 35% of pedestrian fatalities were involving a car. 24% SUV and 15% pickups.


Which you would think makes sense, there's more cars on the road, right? BUT, trucks and SUV sales/leases have been outpacing car sales/leases for over a decade...

 

[dioxide45]

One reason for all the deaths is US citizens demand high speed on the roads. Car's take precedent. We want to get to where we are going as quickly as possible.

This is certainly true on highways. Lots of cars trying to go fast to go nowhere. I find that off ramps and stoplights are the great equalizing factor. Several times I see some car beside me at the stop[light at the top of an off ramp that zipped past me on the highway. They really didn't get anywhere any faster by weaving in and out of traffic. Speed really only helps you get somewhere faster on long trips. For daily commute, it might save you a minute or two. Is is really worth it?

 

[sam_gordon]

This is certainly true on highways. Lots of cars trying to go fast to go nowhere. I find that off ramps and stoplights are the great equalizing factor. Several times I see some car beside me at the stop[light at the top of an off ramp that zipped past me on the highway. They really didn't get anywhere any faster by weaving in and out of traffic. Speed really only helps you get somewhere faster on long trips. For daily commute, it might save you a minute or two. Is is really worth it?

BUT, if they would have gone just a little faster, they may have "made" the light and you wouldn't have seen them.

George Carlin - "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

 

[dioxide45]

I wonder how many people preaching about backing into parking spaces actually have their rear view mirrors even adjusted correctly? If you can see the side of your car in your side mirrors, they are simply adjusted wrong. Your car should have no blind spots when driving on the highway or even surface streets. The excuse of "the car was in my blind spot" should never really be something put on an accident report. Adjusting mirrors correctly should also make blind spot warning systems unnecessary;
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/

 

[sam_gordon]

I wonder how many people preaching about backing into parking spaces actually have their rear view mirrors even adjusted correctly? If you can see the side of your car in your side mirrors, they are simply adjusted wrong. Your car should have no blind spots when driving on the highway or even surface streets. The excuse of "the car was in my blind spot" should never really be something put on an accident report. Adjusting mirrors correctly should also make blind spot warning systems unnecessary;
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/

A) My side rear view mirrors show a sliver of my car for reference. I use them for more than changing lanes. I also turn my head when changing lanes.
B) Rear view mirrors don't help much when backing out of parking spot if a car is parked next to you. THAT'S why I back in/pull through. My sight is blocked by the cars next to me. Rear view mirrors being adjusted don't help fix that.

 

[dioxide45]

A) My side rear view mirrors show a sliver of my car for reference. I use them for more than changing lanes. I also turn my head when changing lanes.

By having a sliver of your car in the mirror, you have a blind spot. By turning your head, you are unnecessarily taking your eyes off the road ahead of you. That said, many people have a hard time adjusting to how the rear view mirrors on a car should be adjusted, mainly because they have driven their entire lives with them adjusted incorrectly.

 

[sam_gordon]

By having a sliver of your car in the mirror, you have a blind spot. By turning your head, you are unnecessarily taking your eyes off the road ahead of you. That said, many people have a hard time adjusting to how the rear view mirrors on a car should be adjusted, mainly because they have driven their entire lives with them adjusted incorrectly.

It's habit for me. You don't address how I use the rear view mirrors in other situations (usually while parking) where having that reference helps me.

AND, you don't talk about having "properly" adjusted mirrors does absolutely NOTHING to help see what's happening when backing out of a parking spot with a car behind you... the subject of the thread.

 

[georgina]

I pull through almost all the time in parking spaces.

I saw something on the news about this in the past few months. Lots of larger cars have huge blind spots directly in front - if a kid was within like 5 feet of the front of the car you couldn't see them.

https://www.news9.com/story/6361650...ts-growing-as-american-suvs-trucks-get-larger

I have seen that on my local station. It's very dramatic. They sat 10-12 kids in front of the SUV and the driver couldn't see them.

 

[sam_gordon]

I pull through almost all the time in parking spaces.


I have seen that on my local station. It's very dramatic. They sat 10-12 kids in front of the SUV and the driver couldn't see them.

I would hope someone looks around before getting in their vehicle and notices kids SITTING in front of the vehicle. As much as I defend the media, this sounds like one of those "this is in your house right now and it could KILL you! Story at 11!".

 

[Uncle Coaster]

I am getting better at backing in to spaces but still not comfortable doing it. I will pull through (generally) whenever possible even if it means a worse spot.

 

[Moliphino]

I would hope someone looks around before getting in their vehicle and notices kids SITTING in front of the vehicle. As much as I defend the media, this sounds like one of those "this is in your house right now and it could KILL you! Story at 11!".

The article also had the case where a mother hit and killed her 4 year old when pulling into her own driveway. He ran in front and she never saw him.

 

[georgina]

I would hope someone looks around before getting in their vehicle and notices kids SITTING in front of the vehicle.

Yet kids have been run over and killed in front. Ditto for looking behind your vehicle. At least most cars have backup cameras now. Most do not have front facing cameras.

 

[sam_gordon]

The article also had the case where a mother hit and killed her 4 year old when pulling into her own driveway. He ran in front and she never saw him.

And that would have been a better example... showing a child walking/running in front of the SUV. It's the "sitting" that bothered me. To me, it's not a realistic example.