I've been lucky enough to never to have been in an accident. I drive very defensively and I've been able to avoid a number of idiots that otherwise would have hit me.

Is it normal for new drivers to hit things? I don't remember many friends having accidents. I wonder what the statistics are.

I'm a terrible backer upper, hopelessly inept. I can parallel park but haven't had to in many years.

I have a car that will parallel park itself at the push of a button. It does best when there are cars both in front and behind the open spot and when the curb is straight. It's lazy to use but fun.

I get so annoyed by the folks who are driving large trucks or SUVs and back into the spaces at work -- and unfortunately, more often than not, they do protrude into the space behind (spaces are at a premium and not roomy), which then forces the vehicle parking there to stick out into the driving lane. Kudos to those of you who can back in without doing this.

always,

Has there been a decision? How's it being handled? Is HOA insurance involved yet?

Nothing yet. I feel like I need to check in with them so they don't think I'm blowing them off but then I think maybe since I had seen what I assumed was an adjuster out on Monday morning, maybe they were told not to contact me and maybe that is why I have heardn't from them directly...??

Our town has back-in angle parking only along "main" street. I'm baffled by the number of people that seem to find it difficult. I prefer it to when we had pull in parking, because now, the traffic has to stop while you are backing in, rather than you trying to find a break in the traffic to back out. My recommendation to people uncomfortable with backing in is to find a lonely parking lot and practice, practice, practice. In most situations, it is much safer to pull out of a parking place.

ok...just got a phone call from the Property Mgmt company for our condos. Because everything has to be uniform, the damage will be fixed by their maintenance crew. They should have a price for me tomorrow. They do not take care of the garage doors so that is between me and neighbor separately.

ETA: Since I have heard from the property mgt company, I feel confident going over to talk to neighbor since I do have some info at this point.

My town has plenty of these.

Glad that this is on its way to being resolved. There's nothing like waiting and wondering to make one stressed. Best of luck.

always, that's the best way to handle the settlement.

A year from now this will only be a blip in your rear-view mirror.

"It's very poor judgement for a new driver to try to back into a parking space. This isn't a very good start to his driving career."

Backing into a space is part of the driving test where I was first licensed (as well as parallel parking.) As a result, everyone practiced it and was good at it from the beginning of their driving career. It should be required everywhere since it's a necessary driving skill. (No back up cameras here- my current daily driver is 64 years old.)

Glad to hear the ball is rolling on the repair, Always. Maybe this will be a bonding moment with the neighbors and you'll end up with some new friends out of this adventure.

I don't have back-up cameras on my car, it's just my personal preference to back in.

The hospital parking spots are narrow, in the parking garage. Yesterday it took me a couple of times to try and back in between a big pick up and a car. No one was waiting for me to park. I finally gave up and drove in. I had to do a wide berth to get situated in to drive in straight. If I'm on an angle at all when backing in I correct it. I don't leave it like that. But I see many, many people parked crooked and over the line who drove in.

Backing up must have been before my time. I remember having to do a 3 point turn..I think that is what it is called. I don't know if I had to back up some but whatever it was I didn't put it back in gear...and that is where I failed.

Currently on the driving test, they have to pull over to a curb and back up so many feet. Then at the very end of the test there are 4 or 5 parking spots designated in the DMV parking lot where they need to pull in to.

I know this is super old, but I'm reading it now because of course I googled what to do when you're neighbor hits your garage, and after reading some of the comments I just have to add for anyone reading now like myself, if you think backing into a space isn't necessary, clearly you've never driven a very large SUV or truck. I have a very narrow strip that has parking spaces on one side and garages on the other - the very end garage, which so happens to be mine, sticks out further than the rest, I drive a very large Lincoln Navigator with third row seating, I cannot get in and out of my garage without backing in, it just cannot be done - to even be able to get to my garage to back in is to reverse all the way down the narrow strip... its parking spaces, enough spaces for an average size car and a half MAYBE to drive through and garages on the other side of those spaces, of course at my garage there is JUST enough space to fit my large SUV between my garage and the car parked across from it, then where my garage ends the curb begins, so even if I somehow did magic and got in front facing I'd still have to reverse out and all the way down the narrow strip in reverse to get out as there is no way to exit turning right, it is a very stupid design. But, my new neighbors have two large SUV'S, which they keep parking across from my garage, but they are too stupid to reverse into those spaces or lack the common sense not to park in the hardest spaces to get in and out of when they aren't skilled enough drivers to reverse their SUVs in... They have backed into my garage door AT LEAST 4 times now, nothing major YET, but I'm waiting for tomorrow morning to come and them to hit my garage yet again trying to reverse out of the narrow space they so idiotcally pulled into front end first. So I'm just preemptively looking into what I should do when they finally do serious damage. Reversing is an important driving skill!!!!! Learn how to do it. And if you choose to drive an extra large vehicle, know how to actually drive that vehicle or get a smaller vehicle if you're too stupid to figure out how to properly drive it. How the hell do people get their license not knowing how to reverse!?!?!

Brianna - Yes, large SUV and truck should always be facing out of a parking space with the exception of angled parking. Otherwise, it's impossible for other drivers to see around the back end of those vehicles for them to pull out. Also, many business required all trucks to be backed in, it's a safety thing. On many pipe yards I've seen signs stating that "Employees that don't back into their parking place will be fired".

Brianna - make sure you are photographing the damage to that door. I would also try to put something on or before the door to help make if more visible to the bad drivers.

Not sure why backing in first is safer than backing out later. When I took Driver's ed half century ago I was taught to always walk around the vehicle, looking behind for obstacles before backing out of anywhere. Today my car has a back up camera. Backing up is "the most dangerous" part of driving we were taught. Seems like caution is the need.

Backing in a large vehicle gives the vehicles parked around it more ability to see on-coming traffic as they are backed out.

There's more lag time in backing out in a parking lot than in backing into a space. While you're getting into the car, putting up packages, fastening your seatbelt, etc, children, bicycles and such have time to get behind the vehicle where they can't be seen by the driver. Not all vehicles have a backup camera yet.

I had a single width long driveway at my former house - for many years. I always backed in, or did after just one dead battery and no way to conveniently get to the front of the car with jumper cables ;0) It was a lesson quickly learned, although it didn't take backing into or damaging anything.

I think that was the only time I've ever had a car battery fail, but still a memorable event.

I think I did end up updating on a new thread last year when all this happened. But NO I did not end up finding new friends with these neighbors...I never really see them out. But I do get annoyed when I see the husbands car parked out in the parking lot instead of in his garage with the new door I paid for!! LOL

If you can't pull into your own parking space, maybe you are the one too "stupid" to drive and should get into a smaller vehicle.

Backing in is safer for a lot of reasons, particularly in car parks. When you're backing in, you're unlikely to have other vehicles or pedestrians going behind you as can happen when you're backing out. Plus, when you back in, you're at the open end of the space so you can better see other vehicles and pedestrians before you pull out of the space. When you go in front first, you're effectively down a hole (especially if larger vehicles such as vans are parked on either side of you) and it's harder to see if it's safe to pull out.

This past fall my car starter and battery both died, and I had to get it towed. I happened to have pulled into the parking spot at the plaza. The tow truck driver said that I should always back in to parking spots, in case of events like this......car failure.

I assured her I do, 99% of the time, which is true.

I'm with Angela. I can only chuckle when someone suffering from a deflated macho needs to drive an over-sized vehicle. And then parks in a space intended for passenger cars. Right next to me such that I have trouble getting into my car.

If your vehicle is so big it doesn't fit in a parking space, or if you can't back out and leave without going back and forth 3 times. leave your oversized vehicle parked at home and take something more reasonable to public parking lots. Or park at the far end, away from everyone.

backing into a spot for a dead battery won't work for a Miata!

;)

Battery is in the trunk, vented to the outside. Weirdest battery ever.

The battery of a Mercedes I had not too long ago was under the rear seat.

I guess one would not jump start a rear seat battery Mercedes.

The problem for me with backing into a parking space is that frequently, the vehicle behind me pulls so close to my SUV that I can't open the lift gate to load my groceries!

"I guess one would not jump start a rear seat battery Mercedes."

I think it happened a number of times, at least 3. Each time from someone leaving a door open (interior light) or headlights on. And drat, bad luck that each time it happened was the day off for both my chauffeur and my butler, so I had to get involved.

Back to reality, the first time, the tow truck driver shows up, opens the hood and says "Hey, there's no battery here". A few moments with the manual answered the question but it was surprising all the same.

I drive a large truck, I find backing it into a parking space quite easy. One of the things that I usually do is to park slightly angled with the front closer to the passenger side line and the back closer to the driver side line. It adds just a little more room for me to get in/out and a little more room for the driver beside me to get in/out. It probably gives the other driver more room than it gives me. It also makes it easier for me to load groceries onto the passenger seat.

My truck isn't for "pretty", it has to haul wood, tree debris, gravel and so on.

If you back in crooked AND the left side of your vehicle is closer to the line than is the right, you're giving the driver side parked next to you less room , not more. Glad it makes it easier for you, the heck with anyone else.

You haul large loads every day?

In my current car, I hate backing in. No, I do NOT have one of those rear cameras (my car is a 2014 model). It also has a serious blind spot for dealing with a car I might be backing in next to. Pull in, back out Very Carefully. If I have the option when parking, I pull in all the way through, and pull out forward. Not always possible but that's my preference. In my garage, I pull in and back out. I can better gauge the mirror and the garage door that way -- since when I pull in, I want the driver side mirror to be only a couple inches from the edge of the door. Were I to back in, I'd have to gauge the passenger mirror to that edge of the door, a lot less practical.

I couldn't live without my rear camera. I didn't really think I needed one as I didn't have one until I bought my new car in 2015 but I love it! You can see so much better than looking over your shoulder. I'm so much more confident backing out, though I always look first and verify with camera.

No Elmer, read it again, the other drivers door next to me has MORE space to open their door because my front end is angled away from their car.

If the other car is in headfirst and is on the driver side of your vehicle in butt first, and your front end is angled away, then the butt of your car (and the next however many feet) are closer to the car to your left's front than if you were straight. And how about the car to your right? Click to view

Our new Subaru has a siren going off if you're backing up and a car is approaching from either direction. Of course, it has a backup camera too with the lane now marked in yellow which is different from the last Subaru.

In your diagram the curb end of the parking spaces is at the bottom, thus the drivers side door of the car has MORE room to swing open. It makes it easier for both the car and myself to open our doors wider before touching the other vehicle.

One thing wrong with your diagram is my truck would be further into the parking space. The rear tires are further in than the front tires so I can go deeper into the space before the tires rest against the curbing. That's one of the reasons that you see most front bumper in parked trucks sticking out into the lane of traffic.

Those of you who back into parking spaces that have another space behind-- some have mentioned backing in until the wheels are at the curb or the line -- but doesn't that leave your rear crossing into the other space? and if the driver parking behind wants to pull all the way in so that their car isn't dangling out into the drive lane, doesn't that automatically put the cars too close to access the rear of yours? Is that the fault of the driver who is trying to park in a space that you have partly backed into?

This is the problem that I run into frequently at work. Person has backed into the space and the rear of their truck is taking up part of the space behind.

I've seen a lot of trucks effectively taking up two parking spaces by backing so far in that they're making it impossible for someone to park in the space behind them. Very frustrating when parking is at a premium. Also seen trucks hanging over and blocking sidewalks, forcing pedestrians off the sidewalk and into the parking lot traffic, which doesn't really make anything safer. It would be great if parking lots could include some truck-sized spaces to help with this, although getting people to use them consistently would be a challenge!

Most of the place I park, grocery store, drug store and such have at the back of the parking spaces a curb and then dirt & further back bushes. They are single lines of parking on either side of the lot. There are no other vehicles or pedestrian lanes behind the truck. If there are such things I typically chose the perimeter parking spaces that don't effect that.

I rarely notice vehicles of any kind backed into spaces so I paid attention while we were out running errands today. We were at Costco, Home Depot, the grocery stores, a large medical complex and went out to dinner before heading home. All total, I saw four vehicles backed into spaces and all were full size pickups, which is pretty much what I observe anytime I'm out.

It makes me wonder if backing into a space is a regional practice not seen in my area or if most people tend to pull forward into a space when parking.

Now, what really gets my goat is someone with a large full size pickup or SUV pulling a long trailer who takes up two+ spaces when they park due to the combined length of the vehicle/trailer. It's not the two+ spaces that bugs me; it's that they generally insist on parking near the store entrance and taking up two+ spaces with the butt end of their trailer blocking most of the lane between rows of spaces making it impossible for anyone trying to find a space to drive down the lane. These people are being rude and need to use the rarely used spaces at the edges of the parking lot so that they don't cause parking lot jams. Grrrrrrr...

Edit to add that we own a full size 4x4 pickup, but always try to be polite about where and how we park. Hubby is good at backing into tight spaces, but I am a complete and dismal failure especially if any distance is involved.

I'm careful to ensure that my vehicle is entirely within its own space, but not all drivers are. However, I think this is less to do with whether the vehicle has been backed in or not (as this complaint equally applies to drivers who pull in front first) and more to do with the attitude of the driver.

What I have observed is that most truck people generally know how to park better in all circumstances. My pet peeve is it's the small hybrid (look at me I am saving the environment) type vehicle owner who seems unable to get the vehicle in between the lines. The smaller the car the more apt they will be straddling the lines.

I agree Watch, I would say that 90% of the vehicles I see here parked over their lines a compact cars. I would also guess that as far as the kind of vehicles I see around 40% are pickups, 30% are SUVs and 30% are cars.

It drives me crazy if someone is parked on an angle in a spot. I often see wheels over the line and it makes it tighter for me to back in. I would never think it was done deliberately as a courtesy.

I see people trying over and over to drive in, or they pull in, it's on an angle and they don't care, they leave it like that.

If mine is on an angle, and I always check, I fix it.

I've had situations where I've had cars on either side of me on an angle and it's the only parking spot in town and I've had to angle in.

Jasdip - the tires aren't over the line, they're nearer to the line but not over it so the vehicle is fully in one and only one parking space. Here's more info for parking backwards with pickups/SUV's. The front end is curved and the bumper protrudes less so I have more ability to angle without going into the other space then Elmer's diagram shows.