Pulling into a parking space backwards....

[5lilfish]

Of course it's frustrating, but I don't see how people will let you out any quicker just because you're facing them than they will because you're backing out.

Really? If you are pulling out, you have eye contact with the other driver. Also, you can pull out and move right into the flow of traffic. You also have better vision to judge if there is an opening to pull out when you are facing forward.

I've been to hundreds of Sabres games parked in the ramp. Believe me, if you have to back out, you are screwed.

Jess

 

[SingingMUA]

1. I have to contort myself to get around your rear view mirror to the front of my car.

2. I can't open my back door adequately as it is impeded by your rear view mirror.

Are parking spaces where you live so tiny that you can't open your door when a car is parked well within its space? I'm "pooh-sized" as people like to say around here, and I have not had to "contort" myself around anyone's mirror, unless it was a parking lot where the spaces were particularly small. Instances like that are the exception, not the rule, in my neck of the woods.

 

[Arielle22]

I back in every day at the train parking lot. At night it is very dark and crowded. It is easier to take the time in the morning and back in rather than try to back out at night in the dark when people are walking to their cars.

Also I back in depending on the parking lot due to weather.In the train parking lot if I back in the wind is at my passenger side. Pulling in the wind (and snow/sleet) is at my driver's door which causes my lock to not only freeze but not keep the door closed when I am in it.

My DH backs in all the time. He can do it as quickly as I can pull into a spot.

I really don't understand the fuss about people backing in. My annoyance is when people go to their cars, get in their driver's seat and take forever to pull out. Obviously this is only annoying when I am waiting for the spot.

 

[OK!]

OMG, multiple minutes how can you ever go about the rest of your day

I guess my definition of valuable time and yours just differ.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

This is proof that people actually LOOK for things to get wadded up about. Who has the energy to care how someone else chooses to park?? People are different. Same is boring. Park sideways, I don't care. Just save 1 space for me.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I let my fair share out. Not everyone but that is just silly. But if everyone let one person out, imagine how much more smoothly things would go.

So there are times you are indeed inconsiderate, and you have justifications for this.

Got it. You have proven your point. It is okay for others to be inconvenienced, so long as it isn't you. For anyone to inconvenience you--menas they are ALWAYS being inconsiderate.

 

[Geoff_M]

I've been to hundreds of Sabres games parked in the ramp. Believe me, if you have to back out, you are screwed.
Jess

Ditto for Wings games at The Joe!

I let my fair share out. Not everyone but that is just silly. But if everyone let one person out, imagine how much more smoothly things would go.

1) Yeah, it'd be nice... in a perfect world. But that's not was reality shows.

2) The time to let some one back-out is much longer than the time it holds up the exit line to let someone pull forward into the line. In a parking structure you either back into a spot, or you back out of it. When you're pulling in you may have to hold up a car or two behind you, but when you have to back out after a game or concert has ended, you're effectively holding up the entire line.

 

[Mommee]

But backing into a space is no different then backing out of a space -you still have to back up at some point .

it is different. when backing into a space, you have driven by and verified the space is empty. by the time you get into your car and get ready to back up, enough time has passed that the situation may have changed.

I have noticed.....something odd.

People with cars tend to pull in, people with trucks tend to back in.

This is because a truck has a longer back. That truck needs to back up blindly a lot farther than a car before being able to see if traffic is actually clear. So, more truck drivers than car drivers understand how much safer it is.

=========================
Don't believe me? Measure how much of your car is in the aisle before you have a clear view of whether there are cars or pedestrians coming. Then back into the spot, and see how much car you need to blindly pull into the aisle before you can see.

When i was a city letter carrier, there were two parking rules: one-never pull forward into a space that requires later backing out of. two-pull through whenever you can to avoid any backing up altogether.
we were taught to back in to spaces when necessary due to the above safety reasons.

 

[Iri920]

Well I guess you learn something new everyday. I never knew that backing up into a space would bother some people so much. I don't see the big deal but whatever. I guess I'm weird though since I also wait for people to back out instead of weaving pass them because my time is so much more valuable. There are times were backing up is easier for me, usually when I'm trying to park on the right, because I don't have enough room to the left of me to get the right angle to get in and would have to do the back and forth thing a couple of times. I can back up in one shot and I don't go over the lines specially now that I have a backup camera.

One thing that really annoys me is the people that park so close to you that you can barely get your door opened. This really made me mad when I had kids though and had to find a door I could open and climb all over the seats to get them in their carseats. Now that I have a minivan it's not really a problem anymore.

 

[luvmy3]

On your response to point 2 - not correct. Think about it. If two vehicles are parked next to each other, both facing the same direction, then the rear view mirrors are in front of the front doors, more in line with the fender, and not impeding the opening of the front door.

If two vehicles are parked next to each other, facing different directions, the rear view mirrors of one vehicle are in line with the rear door of the other vehicle. It is also giving my person less room to maneuver at the door to the back seat.

Also, as another poster pointed out, unless you pull through, you are either backing up going in or backing in coming out. You are definitely backing up at some point and the same risk of "running anyone over" exists regardless of how you pull into the spot.
How about you just pay attention regardless of the direction in which you are going instead of making things difficult for someone else.

I already stated why, there aren't people constantly passing in the empty spot but there are in the roadway part of the lot. If I am driving my van and backing out of a spot then my view of people, and cars is limited. When I am dh's car, not so much. Being able to pull straight out allows me to see anything clearly that is about to pass on the roadway.

I guess my definition of valuable time and yours just differ.

No, my time is valuable but a couple minutes out of my 24 hour day isn't really the end of the world. I guess I just have more patience.

 

[DizBelle]

So there are times you are indeed inconsiderate, and you have justifications for this.

Got it. You have proven your point. It is okay for others to be inconvenienced, so long as it isn't you. For anyone to inconvenience you--menas they are ALWAYS being inconsiderate.

Perhaps you can explain how my letting folks out is inconsiderate? That I just don't get.

I wouldn't think anyone would expect (or think it inconsiderate) to not wait for EVERYONE ahead of you in a parking structure to clear out before you do. Like I said, that is just silly. Why would it be expected to walk the entire parking structure and ensure that the hudrends of parking spaces are empty before you go to your vehicle several floors up to pull out? Again, silly.

All I think is that people should be reasonable and considerate of others. That doesn't mean letting EVERYONE out in front of you. That is not reasonable. Let your fair share out. If everyone did that, like I said, it would be much smoother for everyone.

 

[OK!]

No, my time is valuable but a couple minutes out of my 24 hour day isn't really the end of the world. I guess I just have more patience.

Guess so!



I should add that if someone does this quickly and accurately, then more power to you. If you know how to do it, it takes little more time than pulling in forward. It's the folks who take 4 maneuvers to pull into the spot and then still end up hanging over into the next spot, the one behind it, etc. (thereby wasting time AND taking up two spots) that I have a small issue with.

 

[Nancyg56]

The main point for me is safety. I always back into the parking spots at DD's school because I don't want to be backing out AFTER school lets out with small children running around and all the other vehicles trying to leave at the same time. And this is even more important, IMO, for the bigger vehicles which may have a harder time seeing behind them when they back out.

when I picked my DGD up from school I always got to the parking lot early enought to either find a pull through or back into a spot. I am a good driver but I still cringe when I see those little ones dashing for their cars. I am more comfortable knowing that I am facing forward when i leave that spot.

But backing into a space is no different then backing out of a space -you still have to back up at some point .

Exactly. I guess there may be a second or two more but that depends on who is backin in or out. I have seen some folks trying to get their vehicles out of a spot and believe me......it has taken a long time.

I refuse to get all choked up over this. Pull in, back in, Now those folks who are backing into a horizontal space on a crowded street......that must really frustrate some people!

 

[stsomewhere]

The main point for me is safety. I always back into the parking spots at DD's school because I don't want to be backing out AFTER school lets out with small children running around and all the other vehicles trying to leave at the same time. And this is even more important, IMO, for the bigger vehicles which may have a harder time seeing behind them when they back out.

this

 

[Aneille]

Seriously I do it to get everyone else ticked off. Its exactly why I do it. I hope I am getting everyone so angry and it makes my day. Thats right. I do it to BOTHER YOU! TO RUIN YOUR DAY!!! Yes your are that important to me!

Seriously, isn't there other better things to worry about than this. Are you really all that uptight !

I don't know why everyone thinks the world revolves around them. Who cares if the person is backing in, backs out...it really doesn't matter. They have there reasons and that is enough. Smile and wave and move on with your day!

No wait this is the DIS and obviously we all have nothing better to do than argue over how to park. Arghhhh!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Perhaps you can explain how my letting folks out is inconsiderate? That I just don't get.

I wouldn't think anyone would expect (or think it inconsiderate) to not wait for EVERYONE ahead of you in a parking structure to clear out before you do. Like I said, that is just silly. Why would it be expected to walk the entire parking structure and ensure that the hudrends of parking spaces are empty before you go to your vehicle several floors up to pull out? Again, silly.

All I think is that people should be reasonable and considerate of others. That doesn't mean letting EVERYONE out in front of you. That is not reasonable. Let your fair share out. If everyone did that, like I said, it would be much smoother for everyone.

You stated you do sometimes, not all of the time.

Not everyone here backs into the space (or pulls through) all of the time.

But anytime they do, according to you--they are inconsiderate.

Anytime you don't let anyone out--you are being inconsiderate.

The number of people waiting behind you is irrelevant. If it were, it is less considerate then to back into the space to begin with. It holds up far less people.

 

[jrmasm]

I'm not a fan of backwards parkers but I've learned to no let it bother me. But there is one scerario that still frosts my pumpkin. Empty lot, I pull in maybe two or 3 rows from one end. Just as I am about to open my door here comes a backwards parker backing into the row to my left. This means that I have to wait to open my door because they chose the row next to me in an EMPTY LOT. And these backwards parkers are always the crappy parkers that take about 5 tries before they are in between the lines.

 

[luvmy3]

Guess so!



I should add that if someone does this quickly and accurately, then more power to you. If you know how to do it, it takes little more time than pulling in forward. It's the folks who take 4 maneuvers to pull into the spot and then still end up hanging over into the next spot, the one behind it, etc. (thereby wasting time AND taking up two spots) that I have a small issue with.

I do agree that it is frustrating to see someone try to back into a space and take like 5 tries to do it, but I rarely see that happening. However I have seen my fair share of people who can't pull foward into a spot on the first try either so I guess it all comes down to the individual driver. You can't lump them all up together. I have been driving my van for 6 years, I know how to park it, if I had to do it with someone elses I probably wouldn't attempt to because I wouldn't want to hold up traffic, or risk hitting the car parked in the next spot. Not all people who back in are inconsiderate, that would be like me saying all impatient drivers are

 

[Disnydad]

It's safer to back in. I was taught that way in both my fire and police training days and my buddy who works for the phone company says they stress this also

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

The only time it really aggravates me is when they back in too close to you. At work this guy in a huge truck would back into the parking spot right next to me...always next to me. He'd back in real close and just leave it. I could barely open my door to get in my own vehicle.

I do understand those of you who are wary about backing out. I can't stand the people who will see your reverse lights on and continue to walk in back of your vehicle, and the people who drive behind you when you are halfway out of your parking spot. Really?? You can't wait one and a half more seconds until I'm finished backing out and on my merry way?