Parking cars - drive in or reverse in?

[TheRealTMA]

WCHO AGAIN today some stupid person backing into a tight car park at small suburban shopping centre and holding up all the traffic.

DRIVE in to small spaces and back out of small space into much larger road space. It's simple, quicker and more considerate of other drivers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

WCHO AGAIN today some stupid person backing into a tight car park at small suburban shopping centre and holding up all the traffic.

DRIVE in to small spaces and back out of small space into much larger road space. It's simple, quicker and more considerate of other drivers.

Out of interest, where was this?

I find in Melbourne, most people drive into parking spaces, reversing out. In Sydney it’s the other way around! An obsession with backing in to spaces!

Personally I don’t understand the backing in… at the supermarket you can’t get your trolley to the boot to unload!?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Out of interest, where was this?

I find in Melbourne, most people drive into parking spaces, reversing out. In Sydney it’s the other way around! An obsession with backing in to spaces!

Personally I don’t understand the backing in… at the supermarket you can’t get your trolley to the boot to unload!?

Backing into car park is a mental aberration that is increasing. Should be drummed out of their head when they get a driving licence.

it happened at Zone Fresh Newmarket Brisbane

 

[TheRealTMA]

Disagree, backing in is preferable as much quicker and safer to drive out when leaving. Plus when loading groceries/shopping into the boot you aren't stepping into the traffic.

Most cars these days have reversing cameras that make backing in quick, should not take any longer than driving in.

I suspect the driver you observed was like coughe at parking either way. Always find it funny when people insist in taking first spot on the main entry row slowing traffic when one row over there are heaps of open spots.

Disagree. Driving into car space is instant no stuffing around with slow multiple reversing. Backing out into much larger space is far quicker.

 

[Lynda2475]

Personally I don’t understand the backing in… at the supermarket you can’t get your trolley to the boot to unload!?

Only an issue if you choose a spot against the wall (and park too close to said wall). Most rows have cars back to back, if you park within the space (not over the line my pet peeve selfish cough who do this) then plenty of room to take trolley to the boot and unload, and not be in the oncoming traffic.

Backing out into traffic, you have less visibility than driving out. Whereas backing into a spot, well your not worried about people or cars behind you.

If you cant back into a spot you should not pass your driving test.

Tele-health has largely solved this problem.

I see no evidence of telehealth consults meaning GPs run on time more often; and it wasnt an option for me as I needed a physical consult.

Given Medicare rebate is less than 50% of a consult and they only open during business hours so you are missing paid work whilst you wait, they should be more mindful of peoples time. Anyone who is late should void their appointment.

no stuffing around with slow multiple reversing

So again its an incompetent driver not the method, a good driver can back into a spot in one go. A bad driver needs to have multiple attempts (which I've also witnessed with people driving in) And driving out is always quicker than backing out due to improved visibility of oncoming traffic.

 

[serfty]

Backing out into much larger space is far quicker.

Depends on the size of your vehicle. With the pseudo off road size vehicles prevalent these days it can be much more difficult to back out safely.

 

[Pushka]

Depends on the size of your vehicle. With the pseudo off road size vehicles prevalent these days it can be much more difficult to back out safely.

Well on that matter. These American style huge beasties cause drivers with small cars considerable issues. Even seeing to be able to get out of car parks. Then if you are turning left and they pull up to turn right, they completely cut off vision to do so. They don't give a squat.

 

[blackcat20]

I often reverse in as it puts the boot and therefore the pram near the footpath at my local shops. Much safer for my kids. And much easier to see traffic when pulling out forward. However, my car does have cross traffic cameras so it does warn me of oncoming cars if trying to back out of a spot, which is necessary given how hard it is to see around SUVs.

 

[TheRealTMA]

G.

Depends on the size of your vehicle. With the pseudo off road size vehicles prevalent these days it can be much more difficult to back out safely.

Absolutely no sympathy. buy a normal vehicle not a tank or take the consequences is MHO.

plus they all have reversing cameras and sensors these days.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I often reverse in as it puts the boot and therefore the pram near the footpath at my local shops. Much safer for my kids. And much easier to see traffic when pulling out forward. However, my car does have cross traffic cameras so it does warn me of oncoming cars if trying to back out of a spot, which is necessary given how hard it is to see around SUVs.

Fair enough where it’s a footpath, and easy to manage pram, kids, etc. But at supermarket car parks where they have multiple rows, and cars close together… can’t even get a trolley between the cars. People still park their trolly on the main road in front of their car and then have to transport all the bags to the rear!

It really is a Sydney (and it seems some other states too!) ‘thing’. We don’t do it in Melbourne

 

[TheRealTMA]

Fair enough where it’s a footpath, and easy to manage pram, kids, etc. But at supermarket car parks where they have multiple rows, and cars close together… can’t even get a trolley between the cars. People still park their trolly on the main road in front of their car and then have to transport all the bags to the rear!

It really is a Sydney (and it seems some other states too!) ‘thing’. We don’t do it in Melbourne

Must be too many sydney refugees in BNE after Covid. Maybe that’s the cause of the idiotic behaviour.

 

[Cossie]

Experienced this at bunnings last weekend, of course the person deciding to reverse in was in an ev. They saw I was trying to reverse out, but couldn’t wait for me to vacate my spot and blocked me. They were reversing into a spot 2 cars away. Even the guy in between us made an audible comment about people not being able to drive into a parking spot forwards.
Inconvenienced me and him. Selfish b…….

 

[TheRealTMA]

Experienced this at bunnings last weekend, of course the person deciding to reverse in was in a ev. They saw I was trying to reverse out, but couldn’t wait for me to vacate my spot and blocked me. They were reversing into a spot 2 cars away. Even the guy in between us made an audible comment about people not being able to drive into a parking spot forwards.
Inconvenienced me and him. Selfish b…….

That’s an interesting point. If using auto park on modern cars, it requires much more space and time since it usually wants to go bum first.

 

[anat0l]

I always drive in because I am pretty bad at reversing overall.

Yeah there, I said it. Dare I also say I'm male - so shoot me or take my licence.... (but I will counter that I have not had a single accident that was my fault since I passed driving)

I can reverse parallel park (slower and with multiple attempts compared to the average). I guess I could put down my hesitation to a lack of practice.

One thing that happens in tight parking lots is people often follow too close so anyone who wants to reverse in often cannot do so unless the tailing car backs off a bit or stops in time to allow space for the reverser. And of course, if you have a slow reverser, no one likes to wait and so frustration sets in. Once you've had to retry for a third go, it's probably a case of finish it off or time to buzz off because you're holding up the place.

I have respect for those that reverse in because it is without doubt inherently the more difficult of the two parking techniques; that effort and skill pays off when exiting.

 

[VPS]

Disagree, backing in is preferable as much quicker and safer to drive out when leaving. Plus when loading groceries/shopping into the boot you aren't stepping into the traffic.

Most cars these days have reversing cameras that make backing in quick, should not take any longer than driving in.

I suspect the driver you observed was like coughe at parking either way. Always find it funny when people insist in taking first spot on the main entry row slowing traffic when one row over there are heaps of open spots.

You're giving opinions on driving - I thought you didn't drive?

 

[mrsterryn]

I have a small two door car, nothing trendy just a car I bought specifically for my father to be able to back into the passenger seat with his walker . The doors opened much wider and so dad would have been able to fit. The only reason I bought this particular car.
However Dad passed shortly after I bought it .
Sooo I have a two door car , very frustrating cause it is difficult to use the back seat. It is small .
My issue with driving into a shopping center spot is the amount of flipping huge 4wd cars.
It is difficult enough when I am able to drive out front first , if I have driven in I just can't see that lane I am going out into
I am fairly proficient at reversing in as since I have had this car , about 9 , years I only reverse into my spot in the parking at home

 

[Quickstatus]

Personally I don’t understand the backing in… at the supermarket you can’t get your trolley to the boot to unload!?

I can when its called a frunk

 

[Quickstatus]

it requires much more space and time since it usually wants to go bum first

and its always slower

 

[anat0l]

I can when its called a frunk

You have a Tesla?

I can remember the Tesla salesperson making quite a deal to note this feature after completing my test drive. I reflected on his words when I later looked through and test drove a BYD. (Unfortunately for him, the BYD is the better candidate so far)

 

[jb747]

The steering geometry of cars is such that backing in to a spot will always be the more accurate way to do it. Assuming, of course, the the driver can actually back a car with any degree of accuracy.