"If you know your car creates danger by blocking visibility for others, have the sense and consideration to park it far away from smaller vehicles."

Far away?
Come on.

I don't have one of those honkin' huge pickups, but as far as I am concerned, they have as much right to any space.as any other vehicle.
Segregation unnecessary.
If someone is scared of larger vehicles, perhaps they should park "far away", or get someone to drive them.

I am really surprised by this conversation. I don't believe I have EVER backed into a parking space. (I am not including parallel parking in that statement - yes, I can and do parallel park.)

But I don't back into a parking space, at a Walmart, for instance. I don't see others doing it either.

I live in a rural area.

DH drives a Club Cab 4x4 pickup, and he complains about parking lots that have "straight and square" parking spots, rather than angled spots. It's really really hard to get his truck in a spot like that, when there are cars already on both sides. I don't feel sorry for him. He should park farther away and walk.

Arcy - I can't even think of a parking lot in my area that has yellow lines to delineate where cars should be parked.
And I live in a densely populated suburb. Many of the parking lots do have yellow lines to show the pedestrian walkway and of course blue lines for the disabled. And it seems that most of the lots with cement curbs have them for parking spots in front of large windows.

Marie, all of our stores and parking lots have yellow lines. It's often commented how much closer the lines are; making the parking space narrower. Driving in, or backing in, I stay within my designated yellow lines.

I'm with Susan_on, I can back in quick and easy. I see so many people driving in, then backing up to straighten out their cars.

This conversation reminds me of the time I took a friend downtown, and parallel parked on the street. She was in absolute awe that I was able to do that.......and with a stick-shift.

I agree with arcy about doing what is EXPECTED. Don't be 'cute'. Just pull into a space and back out -- slowly -- like the majority.

Don't surprise me with hot shot backing-in. Don't surprise me with pulling out from a row of cars where all the others are displaying their rear ends. Especially don't pull out from angled parking, which puts you going the wrong way or crossing the right of way in the aisle.

IMO, if there isn't a law about this, there should be. The UNEXPECTED leads to accidents. Lack of AWARENESS leads to accidents. (Uh-oh, I'm getting into "Hang Up And Drive" mode.) Confine your backing-in parking to your garage if you must do it.

There is a reason your vehicle has a 'reverse' mode, and it's not just for parallel parking.

Rose, I missed your comment about turning circle performance. Here's some info, in feet

Lexus IS - 33.5
Prius (most popular car in my state) - 34.2
Subaru Impreza - 34.8
Buick Verano - 35.4
Cadillac ATS - 36
Suburban (recent models) - 43
Ford F250 - 47.7
Ford with Crew cab - 54

With the average street lane about 12 feet, even with help from the intersection, anything much over 36 feet isn't going to make that U turn on a 4 lane (2 in each direction) street.

Cute?? Hot shot??? Chisue, this thread is about safety. Not one person here has indicated that their goal is to be cute.

And putting a vehicle in a position where it can be easily backed into a parking space is not hot-shot driving. Zipping around the parking lot way too fast, with sub-woofer thumping and glasspack muffler rumbling: That's hot-shot driving. And it's one of the things I do my best to avoid.

Where I live, there's nothing unexpected about driving through to a spot with an easy exit. If you're envisioning some renegade going around startling other drivers by not doing "the done thing," you couldn't be more wrong.

My pet peeve is when large vans or trucks park in the spaces in front of the stores and their rear ends, lots of times with boat hitches, stick out in the driving lane in shopping centers. It is very hard to back out and still be able to see the cars coming from the direction that the big vehicle is parked on. Plus the fact that the trailer or boat hitches take up driving space. I saw one elderly lady hit one that was very much out in the way. Luckily she was going very slowly and her car was an older caddy so it didn't do much to either vehicle.

In the shopping center where our Publix is, there is also a LA Fitness Center. I am amazed to see these big muscular men wait for a space to open up in front of the center so they don't have to walk the extra distance, and of course, they get out of those big monster trucks!

>>"Backing in" is popular with young men in Hawaii. It's annoying to wait for someone to do it and annoying to be startled by someone zipping out of a space into which he had backed. I'd find it inconvenient for loading contents of a shopping cart into the car trunk. I'd be expecting cart scratches on the side of a car parked beside a backed-in car at a grocery store.Why is it annoying to wait for someone to back in (and presumably not annoying to wait for someone to back out)? I can back into a space a lot quicker than backing out and I generally don't have the added disadvantage (when backing in) of old men with canes or young children or other cars or any of the other hazards mentioned here trying to go behind me as they can when trying to back out of a space it's hard to see out of. And if I'm sitting waiting while someone inches their way out of a parking space backing out very slowly, I find that a lot more annoying.

I don't think it's smoother to drive in front wise as I've seen too many other drivers take many, many bites at that particular cherry.

And while I almost invariably back in, getting groceries into the boot/trunk is generally as straightforward as there is usually enough room to carefully get the cart between vehicles. If not, it's only a couple of extra steps. And I've never had cart scratches on the car or given them to others.

As to wantoretiredid's husband being hit by a driver pulling straight out of the parking bay, I'd suggest that had less to do with being able to pull straight out and more to do with the other driver simply being an idiot who didn't look.

This post was edited by colleenoz on Sun, Jan 11, 15 at 21:23

I was really surprised to see the comment about backing in being "cute" or the driver being a "hot shot!" Like someone already posted, what's the difference between waiting for someone to back out or to back in? Sometimes the angle is better for backing in, actually.

And when it comes to pulling out.. I don't see how that surprises anyone in a parking lot either. A car is going to exit the spot and actually, the driver has MUCH better visibility pulling out instead of backing out. I always make sure I make eye contact with pedestrians in the area (who aren't even in my direct path), and if I can't make eye contact, I just wait for them to pass.

The whole reason I back in is because it seems safer to me. I have a better "snapshot" of the area when I back into a parking spot, and definitely better visibility pulling out. It's not like those of us who pull out of spots (whether we've backed in or pulled up into a double spot) just drive out without looking to see if the path is clear! We still wait until the way is clear.. just as often as people who back out do, maybe more often- since in my case I DO it primarily it for safety reasons. If I pull out of a spot in a parking lot you're in I won't surprise you because you will have passed already before I pull out.

Nicely explained, Susan--thanks!

It may be a better shot, if you're good at backing. Susan, you're one of the few who finds it as easy. It takes longer to wait on someone to back because they don't "just" back in. They typically stop, pull ahead of the space (and the cars behind typicall had no idea they were going to back in, and so have gotten too far ahead and everyone behind them has to back up (here's where the biggest problem lies. I work in place with a parking garage and there MUST be a line every morning. These folks shouldn't back in), back in, pull back out almost as much as they backed in, and then straighten out. People pulling in, stop, pull in and straighten out. It doesn't matter at the grocery store, as there's no line, but at work it's a headache to be behind someone doing this.

I wish people backed in as quickly as you and other experienced backers susan, but they don't seem to? Maybe I am just stuck with all the people who are learning how to back in!

On a different note, this past weekend I talked about this with my son and he saw it like I did... we don't see the problem with pedestrians. Of course there are people walking around in parking lots, they're going to their cars or inside! In a parking lot you have to look for everyone, moving cars and moving people. No one is any more or less alert regardless of what they're doing (I won't say which directions. I think it's both more and less attentive than they should be. They're people!).

Pedestrians shouldn't be the ones to beware, it's fully the responsibilty of the person who is pulling out. That includes me, when I am backing out. But, it's merely our opinions!

peace

>> back in, pull back out almost as much as they backed in, and then straighten out. People pulling in, stop, pull in and straighten out.People do that just as much IME when going in forwards.

Like I said, I just must have the poor luck

;)

Pull in, pull through or back in ---- I don't think it matters. As long as the driver is courteous and careful. Watch out for pedestrians especially those who aren't paying attention. Keep alert for other cars. It's the golden rule of driving.

I should also add that the same rules apply to pedestrians- look both ways before stepping into the crosswalk, be cautious when navigating the parking lot, pause before popping out between 2 parked cars. Watch where you're walking.

This post was edited by maire_cate on Mon, Jan 12, 15 at 12:48

What is wrong with backing INTO a parking spot? I do it all the time. It rarely takes longer than if you had to wait while someone backed out (blind). I prefer to pull out of the space front first into the lot rather than back out blindly where I can see neither pedestrians or other vehicles.

Seriously, I was so surprised to read that those of us who back in are thought to be "hot shots", that I knocked my knitting over lol.

maire_cate......your right!

Pedestrians have the right of way in a cross walk with a walk signal. Otherwise they "can" be found at fault too....

A problem with back first approach in parking lots is judging whether one is far enough back. Parking spots can use concrete stops or curbs to tell drivers when to stop, but those are placed expecting front tire contact. Because most cars (and trucks) have more more distance from back wheel to bumper than from front wheel to bumpter, if you back up far enough for a rear tire to encounter the stop guide, you may hit the car on the other side.

Click on the link for an article in my local paper this morning about experiments with on-street back-in parking.

Here is a link that might be useful: Back in parking

snidely, you're so right. I park cars for my son's marching band fund raiser, and I spend a lot of time guiding those huge trailer things into spaces, but "ordinary" vehicles that are backing in need guidance too. Sorry backers, it's true.

This may have something to do with what is 'the norm' where you live. In my suburb and in the city (Chicago), other drivers are not going to sit back and wait for you to maneuver your car into a space backwards. They are going to lay on their horns. They are going to roll their eyes at 'the hick' who pulls forward out of a space too. It's Not Expected, and it's Not Accepted. (If that's not the case where you live...no harm, no foul.)

The pace is slower in Hawaii, but the backing-in thing is still not the norm. I used the terms I did because the drivers who back in here ARE 'hot shots', and they DO think they are 'cute'. As I said, they are almost always young men, seeking to convey some image of being vitally important -- on call at a moment's notice. ("Help! We're running out of grease to cook the fries!")

Wow.

Anyway, people should park as they see fit as long as it's legal, neither method says anything about class, character or personal character. I have to say that I have done work in my life that some consider to be "low level employment", and I don't think it's nice to take a "swipe" at people who do that type of work.

Having said that, I do think of you as a kind person, I just think this discussion has taken an awkward turn.

They are going to roll their eyes at 'the hick' who pulls forward out of a space too. It's Not Expected, and it's Not Accepted.

The hick? Why should anyone (anywhere!) object if a person pulls forward out of a parking space? What a nasty bunch of people! (Verified by your remark about people who work in fast-food restaurants.)

Snidely, I haven't read your link yet, but I think this is one very good use for back-up cameras. I don't use mine very often, but it's great at telling me precisely how close I am to another car IF I am already fairly close. If I look at the back-up camera before parallel parking, for instance, it gives the impression that the car in back of me is far away. Not a good thing! But as I get close to that car I can tell exactly where I'm situated.

Wow chisue, could you be any more judgmental? You've made all sorts of assumptions, generalizations, stereotypes, assertions and downright insults of all sorts of people for the sole reason that they do things differently than you. And we aren't even talking illegal things - just habits that you deem unacceptable!

FWIW, regionally or not, I think it is safer to back in and pull out front first. I don't really care if someone is impatient with my choice. I am not now, nor have I ever been a hot shot. I have been driving for over 40 years...

At the grocery at lunch time today, I pulled through ... slowly, as is my wont ... into the far space, as I much prefer to drive out, my opinion being that it's substantially safer for all concerned. The vehicle to my left, beside the driver's door, had parked a foot or so into my space.

I thought of writing a note, "If the driver who overhangs the parking space ends up with a dinged side of the vehicle ...

... would you say that s/he was more sinned against than sinning?"

o j

I am probably the least confrontational person around - but I have to admit that those comments floored me " hicks - hot shots?" How can a young man backing into a parking space convey the image of being vitally self important? That's the image that you - as the observer have assigned to their action. I never would have imagined that this topic would invoke such comments.

Guess you have to see the whole swaggering 'attitude' on these guys. It's laughable that they would be called to any true 'emergency'. The cliche of the underemployed asking, "Do you want fries with that," seemed appropriate. Honest work is always fine. Just spare me the self important attitude -- and the backing in.

A 'hick' is generally thought of as someone unused to city ways. He sticks out *because* he doesn't follow the expected, accepted norm. In my world, backing in is not the accepted norm, and you would be subject to derision if you did it. Just a fact.

I've *been* the 'hick' from time to time. Once I wondered why I was served "Christmas" bell cookies at a wedding shower in The South. I had to have it explained to me that the 'clapper' was in two different locations on Christmas cookies and Wedding cookies. (We don't serve bell-shaped cookies at showers at home, but they DO serve them THERE -- it's their 'norm'.)

People make 'judgments' all the time -- without being judgmental. People in one area don't all follow the same 'norms' as people somewhere else. That is my point. Didn't I just say that this whole parking thing is evidently regional, and to go ahead, follow the norm where you live? (Maybe look around to see what's the parking 'norm' when you travel elsewhere.)

I am glad that I don't live in Chicago! WOW!

I pull through when it's available and back out in inches when a big old truck or SUV are next to me. I'm always hoping that anyone coming will not be texting and as a result not see me while I'm backing out blindly. I always chant, 'please don't hit me' as I inch out.

I also back into parking when it seems safe to do so. Parking lots are dangerous places.

I do like to stop cold when someone lays on the horn and just smile like an idiot, I get a big kick out of seeing that vein pulse on their forehead when they realize that I won't be intimidated!

Pam in big, friendly Texas

Since I seem to be a low-life, a hot-shot, hot or whatever adjective has been used because I prefer to back in, so be it. I've never once had a finger pointed or raised at me, or been yelled at, or impatiently sworn at by a waiting driver.

Here's a map of one of our Walmarts. Note the yellow parking lines.....we have them retail parking lots.

More important note the number of vehicles who obviously pulled through (they are in a front parking spot) or backed in. Trucks, vans and cars. There's a pickup truck all by itself by the cart-thingy and he's in the front spot.

Where Chisue and others live I guess there maps would show "every" car with it's butt facing the aisle.

Well that's fine and dandy but I do and will prefer driving out of a spot over backing out, every time. And I back in straight. I've seen many a driver have to back out and re-position their car when driving in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Walmart parking lot map

I think what people are finding objectionable is that you are assigning all these very insulting lifestyle traits (underemployed, self-important, country hick, etc.) based on how they park a car. Have you ever spoken to them? Do you know a thing about these people other than deciding they must be fast food workers because they back their car in?

As for the regional thing, I've lived and driven in Chicago (yes!), California, Boston, Utah and Florida, and I've driven through and parked in almost all the states and I have never been honked at for my parking style. I don't really think it's a regional thing but maybe a reap-what-you-sow kinda thing?

To chisue's point, I have also seen many young men with swagger and seemingly overactive macho attitudes conduct themselves as she describes. I've witnessed it in the area of Hawaii she's talking about, which I've visited many times. I also see it sometimes around my home area too. Like it or don't like it, it's not everyone but it's there to see.

I happened to be at grocery store this morning. As I was leaving, I passed an older (mid-70s) woman standing by the back of a car and weeping. The problem was clear, an overly large pickup truck had pulled into the "compact" spot to the left of her car and made it impossible for her to open her door. I took down the license plate and vehicle description and walked into the store for them to make an announcement.

Sweet revenge on parking hogs

I work for the government, have to recertify my defensive driving course every three years. The course teaches backing into a spot, or pulling through, whenever possible. Driving straight out is the safest way in MOST situations, as you can easily see traffic and pedestrians from both directions.

At work we are expected to back into the assigned spaces for our vehicles, as well as into our work sites whenever possible. We are also expected to walk around and check everything, tires, obstacles, etc, around our vehicles before we start out. I follow the same protocol when in a parking lot as a private citizen, whenever I can. At home, where I have acres to maneuver, I back into the shop or garage most of the time. If that makes me a hick or hot shot, so be it.

And yes, I live in a rural area, follow the same rules when I go to the city.

Jasdip, that is hilarious!

Hmmmm . . . . . . parking lot rage???!!!!

From Colleenoz "I don't think it's smoother to drive in front wise as I've seen too many other drivers take many, many bites at that particular cherry."

That's the funniest comment I've seen on this topic!!! LOL

edited to correct a typo.

Hey, is this going to reach 150 posts?!

This post was edited by jasdip on Mon, Jan 12, 15 at 21:04

Good, sensible advice, Prairie Rose. Thanks!

I found out yesterday that you also have to be careful when you are idling in the drive-through at a fast food restaurant. The car at the front of the line was slow getting their order so they brought out the food for the second car, a Dodge Durango which was right in front of me. He took his food and paid for it and slammed his Durango into reverse and accelerated backwards into my front bumper, driving his square tow hitch right through my beautiful dark blue bumper. I was blocked in so there was nothing I could do about it except honk my horn. Calls to his insurance company are on the agenda for today.

I will always pull through at a parking lot to park facing out when I can. Of course you have to be careful and make sure no one is getting ready to turn into that spot, but that's just common sense. And you have to be careful when pulling out of it, especially if it is an angled spot, because someone might not see you as easily if it was a perpendicular spot.

As for backing into parking spots, I just don't see the point in doing that unless you are a doctor or a firefighter. It takes more skill to back into a small parking spot than it does to back out of it into the lane in the parking lot. Most of the parking lots around here have angled parking and backing into one of those is just ridiculous and I don't think I've ever seen anyone do it. He would have to be driving the wrong way in the parking lane in order to be able to accomplish it.

Why does it always seem the same few people, with their own, seemingly, "self important" attitudes, seem to turn innocuous threads sideways?

angel, if your comment is directed at me (as they sometimes have been in the past), remember that a forum thread is group conversation. People add whatever their thoughts are to a conversation within the bounds of the Terms of Use. I'm of a different demographic than many who are active here, I often have a different point of view.

Just like a TV channel, you can switch off the thread you're reading if the discussion doesn't interest you. If you disagree with what someone says, you should express your disagreement with the thoughts, not with the person.

I've enjoyed reading this thread. Sometimes when they are very long I lose interest, but this one has been fun to read; I always like to hear about what others do in everyday life in other parts of the country and in rural and small town areas, since I live in a city.

Not if I can help it. However, my car is a small hatchback. No matter where I park I find I am usually surrounded by giant SUVs when I return to the car and have to inch forward to pull out - hoping that another car is speeding through the lot.

Even when I carefully park between two small cars they leave and are replaced with the Suburbans etc.

As you are turning, the arc carved by your front wheels is a lot larger than that described by your back wheels. So you need a good deal more space to get parked in the proper position when driving in than when backing in - let your front wheels describe that larger arc mainly in the area of the driving lane, rather than between two cars. Especially if the space is narrow - if you're dealing with narrow spaces, all the more reason to go to the slight effort of learning how to back up into a precise space, especially when your mirrors can show where you're going.

Whether having driven through a parking space to park facing out in the far space, or having backed into it, I estimate that about 20% of the vehicles in most parking areas around here are parked so that they can drive out, rather than back out.

As for overhanging a sidewalk when having backed into a space ... how much brain power does it take to remember how much difference there is between the overhang at the front or the back wheels? And when you leave the car, check whether you're overhanging a sidewalk ... and if you are, climb back in and move the darn thing! You'll only have to do that once or twice to learn where to stop.

We don`t have angled spots in major parking lots around here, and traffic beside the parking spaces can be in either direction.

As far as I can see, when I`m driving out of a spot, I have a lot more visibility than when backing out, especially if next to a large vehicle. For both oncoming vehicles and pedestrians ... and let`s not forget how many of the walkers are engrossed in those little thingies that seem glued to their hands - that light up on one side, you know? But if you hit one - would they want to admit that they were so engrossed in reading or texting ... that they weren't watching where they were going?

As for putting at risk someone who may be approaching the far space, expecting to park there ...

... you do have eyes, don't you? Haven't you been taught from an early age to watch where you're going? (And hasn't s/he?)

And anyone who hotshots while driving wherever in a parking lot ...

... could be called a jackass?

(Especially when backing up, semi-blindly).

Just my partially/more or less humble opinion.

ole joyful

I always back out because I use handicap parking and there's no pulling through with the sign. Either back in or back out and I choose to back out. The greatest danger I've found is the idiot pedestrians who walk right behind the moving car that is backing up with complete disregard for the danger. They appear out of nowhere after I've started exiting the space. Kind of like the morons who don't look both ways when crossing in parking lots and even streets. I'd say survival of the fittest but nowadays I'm the one who would be sued if I hit someone due to their stupidity.

It's not always pedestrian stupidity. Almost everyone I have met thinks they are an above-average driver and everyone else constitutes the "stupid" ones, even though it's statistically impossible for everyone to be above-average. It's either the pedestrians not paying attention, or the people backing up without looking, or the people backing in unexpectedly, or people pulling forward that are stupid, with the only consistency being it's everyone else!

I've been in a lot of parking lots, and even if you're paying attention, it's often hard to spot a car backing up. Not everyone goes slow, not everyone looks, sometimes their lights are burnt out, sometimes they back out so fast you can't really see reverse lights. Sometimes they sit in reverse for ages without moving and it's a game of chicken to see who is going to go first. Sometimes it's really bright out and lights are hard to see. Sometimes pedestrians assume they have right away and the cars should stop, and sometimes cars think the pedestrians are stupid and should yield to cars backing out. Sometimes you are distracted by a car coming up behind you and you don't see the one next to you reversing out. Sometimes you have a screaming baby in a stroller, or a bag of groceries that is falling apart or your cart wheel stopped rolling and your attention isn't as focused as it should be.

I guess my rambling point is everyone needs to pay more attention and stop blaming everyone else. Park how you're comfortable parking, and how you can see and move about the safest. What's best for one person won't be best for another. We are all human, we all make mistakes and we have all been distracted at one point or another.

Two kinds of pedestrians in a parking lot - the quick ... and the dead!

o j ... I think that this is contribution No. 126 (or so) to this thread ...
... altogether, quite an educational experience