Backing into parking spots

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People are idiots. They should always expect it. I had a woman who was racing around the corner, talking on her phone, and doing make up, try to pull into my spot. Never mind that I had my blinker on, my reverse lights were on, there was a spot 2 cars closer, and I was 3/4 through the turn and 1/4 in the spot already. And then she gave me the stink eye and layed on the horn the whole time I was backing in. Someone else got the other spot while she tryed to argue with me. Last I saw as I walked into the store was that she was getting huffy with whoever was on the phone and had a why me look on her face. what an arse

But yeah when I worked for an ambulance company we had to back them in sometimes three deep. It was not that hard we had a 5'4" 19yo legally blind girl doing it almost literally in her sleep( Over nights were slow and she worked two jobs)
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I like to pull through but never back in. People are not expecting it and I think it could cause accidents.


Right you are. I almost always back in.

The other day, as I was backing in, I pull past my target spot and look to see the car adjacent to my target spot, which is adjacent to my drivers door, is backing toward me. I managed to get the five speed into reverse and lit up the tires to get out of his way before he hit me. Very close call.
 
I look for a pull through spot first if the lot contains the space. If pull through isn't available I prefer to back in. My silverado can make a sharper turn into spaces in reverse. Pulling in in some small lots can be a real pain.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
At places like the grocery store I'll just pull through so I don't need to back at all. At other places where that's not an option (such as a small strip mall) I'll always back in and pull out. I always park at the far end of the lot even if it's fairly empty-I like the extra exercise the walk gives me and it keeps me away from the vultures who circle around looking for the closest parking spot. At home I always back into the garage, and when I drive the pickup I usually back it into the shop.

Years ago when I was on the farm I'd always back the trucks and equipment into the shed. It made it far easier the next time it was used to just pull out, and when pulling up it was easier to scan the area that you were going to back into rather than backing out somewhat blind through the barn doors.

I've always been surprised at the number of people who can't back with just their mirrors, and who can't do simple maneuvers such as parallel park. In my humble opinion, if one can't handle the basics like that one has no business getting a license.



I do those for the same reasons, but I also do it to keep my car in decent shape....
 
For many years I delivered welding and lab gasses in a 26' Bobtail. I would always back into tight spaces to make deliveries. It's actually safer than pulling into a spot and trying to back out. You pass the space and get a good look at what is in it before backing in. Pulling out forward will always give better visibility.
 
I back 70 feet of tractor / trailer into spots every day. Backing my personal ride into a spot is peaches and cream. I occasionally back into parallel parking spots at some rest areas with the semi. Try that one at 2 in the morning under minimal rest area lighting. Over 5 million documented miles behind me, and I have yet to bash into someone else.

Now I have to admit, even though I am quite comfortable doing this, I take advantage of technology also. The backup camera on my 2015 2500HD is a nice feature. I don't rely on it. It only compliments what I already know how to do. Just a nice little tool to make life a little easier.
 
I nearly always back in. I do it for two reasons:

(1) I'd much MUCH rather back into an area with NO moving parts (a parking space) than back out into a travelway with people walking by and cars moving about. I see so many near misses with people trying to back out of a space...craning their heads back and forth, trying to wait for cross traffic, etc. One guy at work was backing his little Tiburon out of a space...couldn't see beyond the pickup truck to his side, and this woman was flying down the parking lane and totalled his Tiburon (significant rear quarter/unibody damage). To me, it's just not worth the risk. Unless you can pull through, you're going to have to back up anyway...why not do it without having to worry about cross traffic?

(2) This comes from my first car, a 1984 Olds Cutlass. It had a very weak TH-200 transmission, and the reverse gear went out on it. Common problem. I made the connection at the time that putting it in reverse during high idle puts an unnecessary load on the reverse gear. True or not true...that was the connection I made in my head. So I got into the habit early of backing in, so I could put it straight into drive on a cold start.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: mtndew_dad
The company I work for is very safety oriented so they really push the idea of backing into a parking space whenever it is practical to do so. Of course pulling through is recommended when possible. However, another section of our corporate policy states to avoid backing your vehicle unless absolutely necessary, and to seek help from a spotter or place traffic cones before backing. Typical Corp [censored]. Personally, I think backing into a parking space between two parked vehicles is less safe than just pulling straight in as is typically done. When you back out you are going into a wide isle and people aren't surprised by this activity, whereas stopping to back into a spot can catch other drivers by surprise as it is not commonly done.


The company I work for is safety conscious as well. They said it's safer to back in as after you pass the space you know its clear since you just went past it. Then pulling out you have 100% visibility of what is in front of you vs that small rear window and limited visibility.

I find when I'm driving the truck I will almost always back in. In the car, not so much.


This is the case in much of the world. Especially in Construction and Mining industries. In most countries I have worked the vehicles are required to reverse park for safety reasons. These are almost always rules set by the companies or work safety authorities. Not part of the general road rules, unless sign posted for the specific parking space(s)

For example, a proper truck (not a utility vehicle that people from the USA call trucks) and some earth moving machinery have very limited visibility to the rear.
You pull past the parking spot and it is empty and safe to reverse into. The chance of someone or something entering that space while you are reversing is very small.
When you leave the parking space you are facing forward and can see what is on the road or pathway that you are entering.
If you were to pull in forward this would be safe. But when you need to leave you are entering a road or pathway in reverse. Because this is a traffic way you are reversing onto there is now a high chance of someone or something entering the zone behind you, which you cannot see due to poor visibility of these machines.
 
I either back into a spot or drive through so that the front of my car is facing forward. I don't like backing out of spots, especially if the vehicles next to me are bigger or higher than mine.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
I don't know why anyone would find it hard to do.

The vast majority of people are bad driver. A lot of them are really bad.
 
Around here parking lots are tight for trucks so its always a good idea to back in if you want to be able to get out later.

Some parking lots are so tight I back my truck into the parking lot!

I'm always amazed at other areas of the country with their generous parking lot sizes compared to the Northeast where many things where laid out before cars.

One of my favorite places to eat lacks a parking lot and is a few feet off the road with posts for horses probably buried under the sidewalk somewhere.
 
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I drive part time for a nursing home/hospital, ferrying patients to doctor visits etc...

I was driving one of the company's E 350 vans on one trip and after dropping the patient and CNA off, I went off to park the behemoth. I found a spot close by and backed the van in.

A woman who just got out of a car next to where I parked, watched me with a really frightened look. I mentioned this to her after parking the van and she said "I just bought that car. You did an excellent job backing that van in."

I back in parking spots......just depends on how much room there is to back out if I pull straight in.
 
I started backing into parking spaces shortly after my first job driving a standup forklift with the steering tires on the rear. It just made sense after 8-12 hours of basically backing the forklift into every space that it would be easier to back my car into spaces and have the steering wheels at the outer portion of the space.

Now I just do it to show up my wife who cannot back out of a spot without the mirrors and backup camera. She's not a very good driver.
 
In my crew cab truck I do a lot of backing in because it turns sharper and I can hang the bed over the flower bed or concrete past the curb. In normal size cars I always pull in front first for a few reasons. I want to get out of the car faster. I can load the rear of the car much easier. I like to let the car settle into a slow idle while I look around when I leave instead of being able to drive away fast.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

I've always been surprised at the number of people who can't back with just their mirrors, and who can't do simple maneuvers such as parallel park. In my humble opinion, if one can't handle the basics like that one has no business getting a license.


It is pretty interesting how poor many peoples' skills are. Its amazing actually that they should be allowed to drive. Like doing math longhand or other skills that technology can overcome, there's still reason to do it and understand the mechanics. Same thing with MT. Its not rocket science, but there is a different understanding for the phsyics of driving and the use of inertia and engine conditions that makes one appreciate the mechanical system a bit more.

I personally dont mind backing out of a situation. We have a long driveway, but one section is very narrow and on a slope. Ive typically found it better to pull in, up the slope, and back out, down the slope, from a control perspective. I dont know that there is a right answer though in terms of backing in or out, so long as you maintain proper situational awareness around your vehicle prior to departing.
 
It is something I do whenever possible. It is certainly no more difficult than backing a trailer or boat into a parking place.
 
I think it really depends on practice and to some extent what vehicle you're driving. I can back into spots but I rarely do it, so I'm not nearly as good at it as I am heading in. In cars with good rear and side visibility, it's easier.

It is often safer and due to the angles involved, you can sometimes get into tighter spots without having to adjust if you back in as well.
 
Even If can back my 30 foot travel trailer in to any space-I love it on BITOG about this forum bashes the other 95%!
 
Originally Posted By: shadow7
Originally Posted By: LotI
I do it for efficiency pretty much everywhere I go. It's about fuel economy.

Bonus points for pointing the nose downhill..."potential parking"


I am curious what does backing into the sport have anything to do with fuel economy?


Manoeuvring with a hot engine requires less fuel than with acold engine (when you get out again).
 
It's one of the reasons why I set my side view mirrors inwards to see the rear part of my truck. It makes it much easier to glance the spacing left and right as I back in then head check the rear (or use a spotter through the side mirrors when driving a box truck) when backing in.

Diagonal lane and Costco are the only parking lots I park straight in.
 
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