why do people park cars "backwards"?

[crystal]

If the parking space is narrow, I find it much easier backing the car up to that parking space than driving forward.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
How is it more dangerous to back into a spot? If anything it's safer.

Viper GTS

Simple, going backwards you have less control, things are backwards - you have to turn the wheel the opposite direction, and people are idiots. Put the three together and you'll see accidents (especially due to the latter).

Either way you have to leave into heavy traffic - so both exits are dangerous (although yes forward out in many cases is a bit safer than backing out).

How do you figure you need to turn the wheel the opposite direction? That's a new on on me. Must be that new GM Quadra-steer.

If you live on a busier street, and there's no room to turn around in the driveway, how could it be more dangerous to back in and park nose-out. It's going to be so much safer when it's time to leave again.

Backing into a spot in a parking lot often saves me the hassle of doing some kind of three point maneuver if the turn I need to make is too narrow. And if there are big SUVs on either side of me when I return to my car, you can bet I'll be glad that I parked nose-out. Of course in a lot, I just do whichever is more convenient at the moment I'm parking. I can back in quickly though.

In the parking space I rent behind my building, I back in every time because of the way the area is configured. (There's the back wall of the building on one side of me and a utility pole on the other.) I can usually do it in one swift reverse maneuver. Likewise, leaving my parking spot is also one swift maneuver, the exact opposite of backing in. To park nose forward, I would need to use several forward-reverse moves. To leave, I would need to do the same.

EDIT:

Regarding parking lots, what she said:

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
i can back into a spot just as fast as i can pull into a spot, though i only back in normally if a spot opens up after ive passed it or if its a tight turn into the spot.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: DeathByAnts
I pull my car through a parking space so I can be facing outwards as long as it isn't angled parking. I drive a long bed truck and I have been in situations where I can't get out of a parking spot because other people have parked so close.

Yeah, ditto. Except I will pull through angled parking if it's two-way traffic in the parking lot.

 

[AmericasTeam]

Originally posted by: redly1
you are saving a shift on a cold transmission

Cold transmissions shift better than hot transmissions.

btw I usually key the cars that backwards park. It just bugs me.














j/k

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: Bootprint
Safer to pull out, if you back in to a parking spot.

 

[Spamela]

the only people who park cars backwards where i live
have houses with a driveway & no street parking.

 

[Yossarian451]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Makes it far easier & safer to leave the spot.

I hate it when people ride my ass in a parking lot, makes it impossible to do that.

If you're halfway decent at it it doesn't take much longer.

Viper GTS

I agree 100%. I have a truck and I do it; no ricemobile here. The past few years, I've noticeda disturbing trend.

Of course, it happened to coincide with the release of the "Fast and Furious" movies.

People HAUL ASS in parking lots! It's usually the >25 crowd, but I've seen the older set do it too in their Crown Vics/Devilles. In a parking lot, if someone backs out in a hurry, you've got MAYBE two seconds to stop to avoid hitting them. How are you supposed to do that if you're doing 30mph?

I do no more than 5mph in a parking lot for a couple of reasons:

1. Gives me more time to react to the idiots around me
2. WHEN it happens AGAIN that some idiot plows into me in said parking lot, I can say with all truth that I was doing 5mph.

I also go really slow because when I had first gotten my liscense I was driving, about 5mph, in a parking lot and as I was going past a large van a small kid ran out from behind the van. Now even going that slow I came very close to hitting him. Basically I had only 1 foot of space to see him and brake, though I did I always expect a similar situiation and I know that it can happen. Best not to take chances.

 

[SUOrangeman]

Two words: DEAD BATTERY

Just think of how much easier it can be to get a jump when you've backed in. Sure, servcing a dead battery (jump or otherwise) isn't impossible when "forward parked." However, you may quite a few more options when backed in.

I prefer backing in, as long as I don't get in anyone's way while doing so.

-SUO

 

[dethman]

it's easy to back into a spot. and it makes leaving easier.

whoops has that been said 100 times already?

 

[johnjosh]

i do it only if it much easier for me to get in backwards or to make it much easier to get out, otherwise i don't do it. It takes me the same amount of time either way i park so it dont' really matter how i park unless the conditions above exist.