Backing in to parking spots - Does it irk anyone else?

[steelyeye 0]

Sorry for something so trivial, but people who back into parking spots are really starting to irk me. They seem to do it more over here in Hawaii than anywhere else I have ever lived!

I guess my first question is "WHY"? What possible benefit, assuming you are not robbing a store and need a quick get-away, could there be to backing in? And why is it that the vast majority of people I see attempting to back into a parking spot take two or three tries to get the line-up correct? If you can't do it, don't try it! And if you own a huge "duelie", don't even think about it!

There is nothing worse than following someone through a parking lot, watching them pass an open space, then see those back-up lights pop on...causing everyone behind them to have to slam on the brakes and/or back up.

Grrrrrrr..... venting complete, thank you for listening.

I know... I need to go get some air between myself and the ground!

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[Broke 0]

I used to back into parking spots all the time with my truck. If it is a tight parking lot for some reasion it is easier to back in than it is to back out. Also When you back in as you pull out you have better visibility with cross traffic. I used to rent a house that had a convieniance store at the end of the street, so people would speed down the street all the time. If I had to back out I would have had a lot more near misses.

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[karenmeal 0]

I don't get it either. Are they trying to show off?

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[shermanator 3]

because it is so fun! don't be jealous. ... but if it takes them a few tries, then they should not do it.

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[Broke 0]

Fuck yeah brother. I can back an Ambulance into a parking spot on the first shot. It is all about technique.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[akjmpplt 0]

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I guess my first question is "WHY"?

Sometimes it's to shield the cab from the sun.

Sometimes it's because it will be easier to come forward out of the parking spot...less risk to me and others.

SmugMug

[Johnsisland 0]

I back into parking spots for one simple reason. I can see better when leaving the parking spot.

Many moons ago I had more than one at fault accident where I was backing out of a parking spot. Haven't had one since I started backing in. These days my neck range of motion is a bit limited, and backing in is even more important.

I don't have to jockey into place, and can see people becoming frustrated at people who do jockey. However, I think it's time to slow down, and quit worrying about an extra 60 seconds. Park farther out and get the exercise. Or just slow down and maybe lower your blood pressure.

JMNERHO,

Jeff

Arch? I can arch just fine with my back to the ground.

[crotalus01 0]

strange strange strange...i live in the south and mostly the only people i see backing in to park are black. In the south many black people have a propensity towards big wide cars (cadillacs and the sort). i wonder if that has anything to do with it?

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[niolosoiale 0]

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Sorry for something so trivial, but people who back into parking spots are really starting to irk me. They seem to do it more over here in Hawaii than anywhere else I have ever lived!

I guess my first question is "WHY"? What possible benefit, assuming you are not robbing a store and need a quick get-away, could there be to backing in? And why is it that the vast majority of people I see attempting to back into a parking spot take two or three tries to get the line-up correct? If you can't do it, don't try it! And if you own a huge "duelie", don't even think about it!

There is nothing worse than following someone through a parking lot, watching them pass an open space, then see those back-up lights pop on...causing everyone behind them to have to slam on the brakes and/or back up.

Grrrrrrr..... venting complete, thank you for listening.

I know... I need to go get some air between myself and the ground!

Everything about backing in to park is superior, except of course, the problems it causes the people behind them.

Inherently, being steered by the front wheels, cars can be parked with more precision while backing up.

Being able to see better when pulling out of a parking spot is invaluable considering most of the times, if you are backing out and someone hits you, you are at fault.

Of course, if you're a woman, statistically, for biological reasons you will likely have trouble with backing up, so you may see things differently. Seriously.

Either way, I do it based on situation. If the parking is diagonally oriented and each row is a one way, that's about the only time it's never worthwhile to back in.

[eeneR 1]

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Of course, if you're a woman, statistically, for biological reasons you will likely have trouble with backing up, so you may see things differently. Seriously.

Sorry I have to call bullshit. That is the biggest bunch of stereotypical crap. Women have issues with it because they over the generations have been told over and over that men were superior and women just cant do things as well.

I can take and either back in park or for that matter parrellel park anything you put me behind the wheel of (with the exception of a semi, as I havent tried that with a trailer, but I think after a couple trys I could do it). I used to parrellel park my GMC Yukon down in the city of chicago with no problems one try with about a foot in front and a foot in back...and that was a good sized spot. Can do the same with my aunts full size pick up truck, with out blinking.

So do not give me this line of shit that women because they are women cannot back up. It is because they choose to let that stereotype be the guide they follow.

[/rant]

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[matt1215 0]

It's all about visibility. It's far easier to see someone walk across a parking spot I just passed while backing into it than it is to see someone coming while I'm backing out.

I also enjoy pissing ppl off by backing my small, short Mazda hatchback as far as I can into the stall, particularly between 2 large pickups. Ppl come along thinking 'Oh, an open spot', then they see my car .

[niolosoiale 0]

Quote

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Of course, if you're a woman, statistically, for biological reasons you will likely have trouble with backing up, so you may see things differently. Seriously.

Sorry I have to call bullshit. That is the biggest bunch of stereotypical crap. Women have issues with it because they over the generations have been told over and over that men were superior and women just cant do things as well.

I can take and either back in park or for that matter parrellel park anything you put me behind the wheel of (with the exception of a semi, as I havent tried that with a trailer, but I think after a couple trys I could do it). I used to parrellel park my GMC Yukon down in the city of chicago with no problems one try with about a foot in front and a foot in back...and that was a good sized spot. Can do the same with my aunts full size pick up truck, with out blinking.

So do not give me this line of shit that women because they are women cannot back up. It is because they choose to let that stereotype be the guide they follow.

[/rant]

It's stereotypical, but it's based in reality (note I allowed room for exceptions by using the clause "it's statistically likely".

If you drop hundreds of dollar bills on a group of guys, then do the same on a group of girls... the men will catch more money on average than the women.

Driving, like this experiment, is all about processing large amounts of information and extrapolation. The ways male and female brains process information are very different. This isn't to say one is better than the other, but they each have things they are more predisposed to doing well in compared to the other.

Simple. Biological. Facts.

Admittedly, I did add that in because it's good bait. Primarily because it's true.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Inherently, being steered by the front wheels, cars can be parked with more precision while backing up.

Come on. Inherently you have better vision in front of you. It's certainly easier to see what you're doing going into the space. And backing out, you have a lot more latitude to be off, short of running over something.

Anyone that has 'precision' issues driving forward into a perpendicular or angled parking space needs to be given a moped.

[The111 1]

I'm not going to comment on the advantages of backing in, since everybody else has already. But I will add something.

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causing everyone behind them to have to slam on the brakes and/or back up.

Not if the people behind them aren't tailgating them.
I do everything I can to avoid congestion, I intentionally park near the back of parking lots everywhere I go. My passengers always laugh at me, but I often get into the store faster (and with less aggravation always) than the guy who drove to the front of the lot, turned and drove in front of the store, stopped at the crosswalk for pedrestrians, and then looked up and down 3 more aisles for a close spot.

If I ever am stuck behind someone in a parking lot (or anywhere), I always leave a couple car lengths. It will not gain you anything by being close to them... in many cases you are at a disadvantage, be it in slow or fast moving traffic. With a few car lengths in front of you, you sacrifice those precious 1/100 seconds for much more manueverability.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[The111 1]

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Inherently, being steered by the front wheels, cars can be parked with more precision while backing up.

Come on. Inherently you have better vision in front of you. It's certainly easier to see what you're doing going into the space. And backing out, you have a lot more latitude to be off, short of running over something.

Anyone that has 'precision' issues driving forward into a perpendicular or angled parking space needs to be given a moped.

Perhaps precision was the wrong word... but there are spaces small enough that they require a 3 point turn to pull forward into, where backing up is only a 2 point turn. A car can be manuevered into TIGHTER spots in reverse because of the front wheel steering. This may be what he meant when he said "precision".

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[niolosoiale 0]

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Inherently, being steered by the front wheels, cars can be parked with more precision while backing up.

Come on. Inherently you have better vision in front of you. It's certainly easier to see what you're doing going into the space. And backing out, you have a lot more latitude to be off, short of running over something.

Anyone that has 'precision' issues driving forward into a perpendicular or angled parking space needs to be given a moped.

I should clarify. When backing a car up, you can more easily fine tune the direction you are putting your car in. This is what I meant by precision. This point is arguable only by personal preference.

[niolosoiale 0]

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If I ever am stuck behind someone in a parking lot (or anywhere), I always leave a couple car lengths. It will not gain you anything by being close to them... in many cases you are at a disadvantage, be it in slow or fast moving traffic. With a few car lengths in front of you, you sacrifice those precious 1/100 seconds for much more manueverability.

Do you play the game in highway traffic jams where you keep enough distance between you and the next guy so you never need to stop? I know I do.

Many people end up staying behind me even though I appear to be going SO MUCH SLOWER than the other lanes of traffic simply because they don't have to worry about me slamming on my brakes. It would seem they like it.

[niolosoiale 0]

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Perhaps precision was the wrong word... but there are spaces small enough that they require a 3 point turn to pull forward into, where backing up is only a 2 point turn. A car can be manuevered into TIGHTER spots in reverse because of the front wheel steering. This may be what he meant when he said "precision".

Exactly More turn with less distance traveled.

[crewkeith 0]

seek profesional help bro.
bsbd
keith

The skies are no longer safe

I'm back

[billvon 2,434]

I usually try to back in. In tight parking lots (and some of the lots out here are VERY tight) you either have to take two passes at the spot or back in - so they take the same amount of time. Your visibility is also much better pulling out, which is the time you are most at risk for hitting someone else.

[boinky 0]

I am guilty of backing into parking spots. I find it easier to back into one than to pull forward into it. I used to work at a car dealership and can squeeze a HUGE vehicle into a TINY spot. I guess I'm one of the weird ones.

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[niolosoiale 0]

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I am guilty of backing into parking spots. I find it easier to back into one than to pull forward into it. I used to work at a car dealership and can squeeze a HUGE vehicle into a TINY spot. I guess I'm one of the weird ones.

Do not mistake weird for superior!

[Froggy 0]

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Sorry I have to call bullshit. That is the biggest bunch of stereotypical crap. Women have issues with it because they over the generations have been told over and over that men were superior and women just cant do things as well.

Of course, there are women out there that can park (and drive, for that matter) much better than most men. I know a few of them myself, and I have all respect for them. Nowever, IMHO, those are exceptions to the rule -- women in general are less capable at anything to do with cars. Now, I would NEVER say that any woman is a crappy driver simply because she is a woman -- it would be a very stupid thing to say. However, I am always on a high alert whenever I see a woman behind the wheel in close proximity. In most situations when you see stupid/erratic/weird/etc., behaviour on the road, the driver turns out to be a woman (my experience, at least). Just as a side note: I also understand very well that women are generally much better at many things than men. It's not about who's better and who's worse -- we are simply different.

As for the reasons for backing into parking spots -- generally, it's easier to get in and out, and it's not only true for large cars. Front steering is a very good explanation, as it was mentioned here before. It's not surprising why people back in when they parallel park, is it? If you have to slam on your brakes if someone is parking in front of you, then keep a distance -- plain and simple.

-- edited for spelling

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We were not born to fly. And all we can do is to try not to fall...

[steelyeye 0]

OK, OK, OK... it's obvious I need to go out and jump more and worry about the way people park less... thanks for helping me get re-centered!

For the record, there are not many vehicles with a larger turning radius than mine, and I can back/parallel park with the best of them, and I do not follow the guy/gal ahead of me too closely (unless it's out the door for a tracking jump!) just tired of watching everyone else do it!

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[Broke 0]

If everyone else were jumping off a bridge would you bitch about it?

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192