What is the fascination with backing into a parking space?

[Conjuay]

I'm seeing it more and morè, and to my mind it really makes no sense.
The car behind you has no idea you are about to change direction, often causing them to have to back up as well.
Rarely is the backing in driver able to complete the maneuver without a second, or even third attempt.
Explain the advantage, please.

[2naSalit]

1. Some people...

Don't like backing out of a space.

And then...

If you drive a federal government vehicle, you will be instructed to back it in to parking spaces. The concept being that when leaving it is safer to pull out of a space going forward, I forget the other reasons.

[bottomofthehill]

11. Correct answer.

You are right, you have better visibility backing into and pulling out of a parking space. Just over 20 percent of all car accidents happen in parking lots because people have poor visibility and are often distracted by people walking in and out, store employees moving long lines of carts, looking for the shopping list, phone or other things and yes, talking or texting. You have way better visibility pulling out than backing out. It’s a pain walking the groceries to the back of the car, but it cuts down on the chance you hit a car or worse a pedestrian.

[stopdiggin]

15. the other danger you missed (pet peeve here)

is the people that routinely rocket down parking lanes at 30mph. (and often with the heedless 'I was here first - all yield to me!' disregard)

[sarcasmo]

36. Yep, and once you start, you can't stop.

[2naSalit]

39. I still back in to parking spots...

About half the time.

[Phoenix61]

2. People don't stand in parking spaces but they do walk

down the lanes in parking lots.

[missingthebigdog]

3. The advantage is not having to back OUT of a parking space

I do not have a backup camera, and have a hard time seeing around the huge trucks and suvs that everyone else seems to be driving.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Except you back out into a wide open space

Whereas, backing in, you are often entering a narrow, enclosed space.

When possible, I will pull through to an open space in front of me, but otherwise I don’t back in.

[bottomofthehill]

13. You back out into a wide open space that you can not see into

Kids, carts, cars, …….

[missingthebigdog]

25. But I can see all of the obstacles in the narrow, enclosed space.

It is rare for a car to appear out of nowhere in a parking space, or a cart, or a kid.

[2naSalit]

40. After many years...

In semis, and teaching for a couple years, I can tell you that it is actually easier to back into a limit space than a wide open space.

[Diamond_Dog]

10. +++this. Missingthebigdog

[Abnredleg]

4. Mandating backup cameras has a lot to do with it

Since it’s so much easier and safer to reverse nowadays.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

5. My late husband always backed in

I accused him of being a former getaway driver. I prefer backing out. Even better, is when you find 2 spaces that you can pull in all the way through and drive out.

[kabi knit]

6. Nonsense It Makes :: Anyway

I'm on your side Conjuay

As there's just no way

That anyone can say

That that's a(ay)

Better way

[DURHAM D]

7. My neighbor has been backing into his driveway/garage for at least 20 years.

He is some sort of on call fireman.

[Blue Owl]

8. Are you talking parallel parking on the street or in a parking lot?

On the street, it's almost impossible to parallel park without backing in....

[quaint]

17. I don't know how to parallel park without backing in.

[MiHale]

12. Good question...

Depending on the parking lot I’m in I’ll pull through to the other side so I can pull out instead of backing out. Sometimes it’s safer.

I don’t back into a place I’m extremely bad at parking, I figure if the vehicle is in park…it’s parked.
Not really bad at it honestly I just don’t care if I’m straight or not. I tend to stay away from the busy areas. Most places I go are rural, don’t get into the big city often.

I’ve heard some like the trunk away from the car aisle because they feel less vulnerable between cars when they’re packing up.

[markie]

14. I prefer backing into a parking spot

driver's see me when I get to the spot to maneuver in and may have to wait a sec or two... when coming out I don't have to worry about not seeing a car that may be out of my, or the camera's vision that is traveling (sometimes too fast)
down the road/lane by the parking spot....

[Model35mech]

16. I back my P/U truck into my driveway, here is why

The truck has a small cab, the sort of thing that all trucks had before 'crew cabs' and extended cabs with full size real seats. My truck has no sideview or back view cameras...

The truck's cab has rollover protection built into it that results in the design having a broad column (hidden by the trucks outer body) that's positioned just at the back of the seats and which goes up and over the cabin and down the opposite side. Not being from Krypton I can't see through that part of the cab. The result is when I turn my head to look simultaneously back and to the side, my field of view is much restricted. It's pretty easy to not see oncoming vehicles or pedestrians that are close to the truck. So if I back onto the street I'm doing it with inadequate visibility.

To avoid that I back into my driveway when parking. So, when I pull out, I can look forward perfectly thru the windshield, as well as the driver's and passenger's door windows

No more backing out by braille.

[RamblingRose]

18. Depends on the car. My car & van have a good turn radius so backing out is easy (no back up camera)

The Ridgeline truck has a terrible turn radius so depending on how close the cars are next to you backing out can be hard, especially if it's a narrow lane. At home we always pull in & back out.

[moose65]

19. To each their own, I guess

Me, I can’t stand backing into a space. I’m not a very good backer-upper anyway, and often end up crooked in the the space, when I’ve tried to back in. Backing out, it doesn’t matter how crooked I am!!

[MOMFUDSKI]

20. I never back in anywhere.

Also haven’t parallel parked since my driver’s test when I was 16. Got my license and never looked back.

[Sibelius Fan]

21. I get a kick out of the Costco shoppers who back into a parking space

then struggle to move their oversized bulk merchandise between their vehicle and the vehicle parked next to them on the way to their trunk. Priceless!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

46. Costco is the one place where I pull in forward into the parking spot.

Everywhere else, I back in. It's just easier when leaving.

[Emile]

22. You would never make it as an 18 wheel truck driver.

[Tetrachloride]

23. A well parked vehicle is as good as a lawnmowing

Tears of joy

[Dave in VA]

24. We back in whenever we can

My wife did a lot of traveling with her former company. She was required to take a driving test with a company instructor and pass it fully in order to be able to rent a car with the companies credit card.

They always instructed her to back into any and all parking spaces.

[kacekwl]

26. It's a skill you like to show off

once in a while. A fading skill I may add.

[tirebiter]

27. Depends

Sometimes it’s a good idea

[doc03]

28. I back in to my garage because if I pull in forwards the drivers door is against

a concrete wall. If I leave enough room to get out of the car there is no room on the passenger side. I back into
parking places because with my rear camera I can judge the clearance on both sides and back better. I think it is safer to pull
out forwards and it pisses some people off.


If I have my bike rack on I pull in forwards because I don't want the car pulling in the other space to damage my $400 bike rack and/or
$3000 bike.

[Tommy Carcetti]

29. I don't get it, either.

The time to back in takes about twice as long as the time to back out. So it never struck me as a time saver.

Only time I do it is if I have to.

[Niagara]

30. I prefer to back into a parking spot and my own driveway.

I drive a much older vehicle that doesn't have a backup camera, so this provides me with more visibility of pedestrians and other vehicles that are generally flying in parking lots instead of being cautious. It doesn't take me hardly any time at all to back up into the parking spot or my driveway. It does take awhile for me to back out of a spot as I'm constantly checking for small children, little old ladies and unnecessary speed demons.



I want to know what's the fascination of zipping through a parking lot that has pedestrians and other vehicles trying to safely maneuver without hitting anyone else.


I would also like to know what's the fascination with tailgating is. If the posted speed limit is 30 mph, I'm going to drive 30 mph. Same with any other number of posted speed limit. This is a constant problem where I live. Get off my ass, I'm not in heat!

[we can do it]

31. Small cars get surrounded by behemoths and it's safer pulling out when you can see.

And you already can see lane when backing in.

[hay rick]

37. This. nt

[Wounded Bear]

33. It's actually mandated in places like National Parks and Forests for quicker egress in emergencies.

[NBachers]

34. I always back in because I have better safety and visibility when I drive out frontwards.

I have decent backing in skills because I have always had good parallel parking skills.

Develop your skill level. It will be safer for other people in your driving environment.

[Paladin]

35. I once worked for a company that REQUIRED such backing-in.

Asshole policy, asshole company.

[LudwigPastorius]

38. I only park heads-out in my home driveway.

I got into the habit because I used to live on a curved street with an obstructed view due to a large hedge next door.

But, it makes sense for me also because I am loading and unloading equipment from the back of my car almost daily.

[Niagara]

47. I would also like to add an additional benefit with backing into the driveway.

It's easier to get a jump if needed with the vehicle facing heads-out compared to heads-in.

[question everything]

41. When you are backing out of the space you are careful inching out. I have seen too many

cases when the other way cars just barging out not checking the lane and, yes, I have seen a car driving through the empty space and straight into a car driving in the lane.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

42. I do not understand the backing into a parking space

[mnhtnbb]

43. I have started driving through the parking space

from the next row at the grocery store so that I'm able to drive forward directly out of the space when ready to leave. I hate parking lots because the risk of someone speeding by-- especially when surrounded by huge SUV's or trucks blocking vision parked on either side--or backing into you from the other direction is so great.

When I used to volunteer as an usher at the University theater, I always backed in to the space in the parking garage so that I could quickly pull directly out when there was a chance to get into the line of cars waiting to exit.

[Hotler]

44. Growing up in Colorado it's a habit for when it snows. I also back in at work if it's going to snow.

And sometimes putting the truck on 4WD. It's easier to pull out and keep on going (momentum) than to back up, stop and turn to get going forward, that's how you get stuck. Neighbor lady down the street backs her car in everyday.

All the cool kids are doing it.

[Aristus]

45. I routinely back into parking spaces. It's a lot easier to pull out of them safely.

My back-up camera helps me get the parking right on the first attempt.

[Marthe48]

48. I try to pull thru so I'm headed out

I've learned that if I'm in the car, I have to wait for pedestrians to cross my path. If I'm walking, I have to wait for the cars to cross my path. And if I'm leaving a parking space, even if I started moving first, I have to wait while another driver does their thing.