Backing into Parking Spots - What is the deal and why are so many more people doing it? (2 Viewers)

[the moops]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

But even if this is the case, once the initial butt of the car gets into the space, there is ample room for others to drive around them

Not really. Most parking lots have cars going in both directions and you have one clown backing in and out impeding one way.

Most parking lots have very few cars driving up and down the lanes nevermind multiple cars in both directions. You all act like every lot is a 50,000 person stadium lot

 

[fruity pebbles]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

But even if this is the case, once the initial butt of the car gets into the space, there is ample room for others to drive around them

Not really. Most parking lots have cars going in both directions and you have one clown backing in and out impeding one way.

Most parking lots have very few cars driving up and down the lanes nevermind multiple cars in both directions. You all act like every lot is a 50,000 person stadium

We are pretty obviously talking about a busy parking lot or garage. Nobody cares if you back in with nobody around.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

Don’t you know………their time is more important than your time and if you don’t see it that way you need to be less impatient and chill out. Guess I can just park my car in the middle of the parking lot and play on my phone for 30 seconds because………it’s only 30 seconds, everyone relax.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Good discussion, thanks.
I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.
Agree that big event parking is different.
I'm also surprised that so many people think backing in is easier. I think it's easier to pull in forward, than back in, even with the camera.

I also don't buy the "it's hard to see someone coming when backing out" from the people with the huge SUVs or Pickup trucks. You're above everyone. You can see that lane fine. It would make more sense to me if the back in people were mostly sedans, but it seems like primarily big SUVs and Pickups here. Again, in NC though so maybe more of those type of vehicles.

I still don't like it and will continue to pout about the issue.

FWIW I feel like I do an equal amount of waiting for someone to back out and take forever when I want to leave the lot as when I'm looking for a spot on the way in anyway. I think you're just noticing it on the front end for some reason.

Exactly. You’re either backing in or backing out at some point.

How does everyone not recognize this?

Are the lanes between rows of parking spaces bigger or smaller than the spaces themselves?

Is it easier to back into a larger space?

It's easier to back in to a tighter space than back out of it

People are saying this as if it’s gospel, but it probably depends on the vehicle.

Sedan? It’s easy to pull into and out of most spaces. Backing in adds unnecessary delay.

Big truck/SUV? Yeah, I guess I’ll concede you may be correct here. But those vehicles shouldn’t be shoehorning into tight spots regardless.

 

[Gatorade]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

10 seconds ?
Anything more than 6 and I would be embarrassed.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

nope

So, you are able to pull an entire car length + width of space further than the forward parker, whip it into reverse, and still win the race?

What model McLaren do you drive?

Why are you pulling an entire car length forward? I think y'all are comparing the ideal situation and driver for a forward park to like the dumbest teenage girl backing in to a spot.

Where is your rear bumper when you start backing in, relative to the far edge of the desired parking space?

How does that compare to the front bumper of someone who pulls forward?

Also, I’d say forward parking is a single pass 95% of the time, while backing in is 50:50 for needing readjustment, at best.

I’m not talking about valets, or FBG parking gurus. Typical drivers.

ETA I see you estimated even fewer drivers (20%!) can pull in correctly the first time. That shockingly low, imo. What % do you think stick the landing backing in?

 

[the moops]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

 

[Terminalxylem]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

Don’t you know………their time is more important than your time and if you don’t see it that way you need to be less impatient and chill out. Guess I can just park my car in the middle of the parking lot and play on my phone for 30 seconds because………it’s only 30 seconds, everyone relax.

There are few things more relaxing than someone telling you to chill out, on their time schedule.

 

[Instinctive]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

Don’t you know………their time is more important than your time and if you don’t see it that way you need to be less impatient and chill out. Guess I can just park my car in the middle of the parking lot and play on my phone for 30 seconds because………it’s only 30 seconds, everyone relax.

You're actually comparing your time to some other guy's time when the person leaves. You're valuing your time as the most important here.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

Don’t you know………their time is more important than your time and if you don’t see it that way you need to be less impatient and chill out. Guess I can just park my car in the middle of the parking lot and play on my phone for 30 seconds because………it’s only 30 seconds, everyone relax.

You're actually comparing your time to some other guy's time when the person leaves. You're valuing your time as the most important here.

Not really. I’ll wait until the coast is clear to back out or if someone is waiting for the spot. I won’t delay cars behind me to do my back up routine. I try not to inconvenience anyone if I can avoid it or if they have disregarded my time.

 

[Instinctive]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

nope

So, you are able to pull an entire car length + width of space further than the forward parker, whip it into reverse, and still win the race?

What model McLaren do you drive?

Why are you pulling an entire car length forward? I think y'all are comparing the ideal situation and driver for a forward park to like the dumbest teenage girl backing in to a spot.

Where is your rear bumper when you start backing in, relative to the far edge of the desired parking space?

How does that compare to the front bumper of someone who pulls forward?

Also, I’d say forward parking is a single pass 95% of the time, while backing in is 50:50 for needing readjustment, at best.

I’m not talking about valets, or FBG parking gurus. Typical drivers.

ETA I see you estimated even fewer drivers (20%!) can pull in correctly the first time. That shockingly low, imo. What % do you think stick the landing backing in?

Let's take a step back here.

I think if you pause and re-read, you'll see that I exactly copy pasted the post I responded to about 1/5 for satirical purpose, to illustrate that poster's less-than-on-point remark's silliness.

If I pretend you're asking in good faith, a proper park whether forward or backward, involves swinging as far as you can to one side of the lot and getting the best possible angle into the spot. For a spot on the left hand side, that means:

Forward: go far right to give yourself the best shot at going directly in the middle of the spot on the left. Then angle yourself in.
Backward: go far left basically as if pulling into the spot on the right hand side opposite of your intended. Then angle yourself in.

If you assume the person knows how to drive, I'd give you the following estimates on time to park.

Narrow spot but no adjacent cars: equal time, maybe a half second longer for the back-in to change gears
Narrow spot, adjacent cars properly parked: one second edge to backing in
Narrow spot, adjacent cars improperly parked to make it tight: at least a ten second edge to the car backing in with cameras and mirrors. This is where driver skill really starts to matter though. I think I could be convinced that for anyone below average (i.e., if they had to retake their drivers ed exam RIGHT NOW they have a decent chance of failure) it is faster to pull in, although IMO also higher risk of damage to other people.

I was thinking through a wide spot...faster for all but I think the same pattern would follow regarding adjacent cars

Now where it gets tricky is when the lane itself between rows of spots is unusually narrow. Narrow enough that any car is gonna have to forward and backward a bit to get in, no matter which direction. I could be convinced that when lane space is an issue, there would be more rejiggering on the back in. So in a very narrow lane situation, I think the parking advantage goes to the forward parker somewhat soundly. if I think to the narrowest place I have to park regularly, it's probably one extra back and forth to get in forward facing, but like 3 to get in backward facing. Funnily enough, I believe that's because when forward facing, I can more confidently get ALL the way across the lane due to the advantage of the backup cam and proximity sensors, whereas I'm a little more cautious the other way around.


The super interesting part of the debate that's more or less being completely ignored by the dogmatic "MUST PARK FORWARD ALWAYS" crowd is the exit.

So, with the same genuine thought I put into a full answer to your question, I ask: How much difference in time do you think it takes to back out of a spot, especially in "a busy parking lot" which seems to be at issue, compared between the two methods? And how much total time in and out for like circumstances if you add the two up?

My hypothesis would be that even if the pull in was a bigger advantage than my afternoon test at CVS when I picked up my kid's eardrops and my subsequent thought experiment above indicates it actually is, the ability to leave the spot facing forward is at a bigger advantage on exit and the total time, for someone most concerned with being polite to others and trying to design the most efficient world possible, is such that you'd favor a back in for total consideration of others.

As of now, I certainly would. I think this discussion has made me put real thought into it and I'll now try to park in this manner:
1. Pull through (already my go to)
2. Back in (my current 2 is just go forward)
3. Go forward (save this for the narrow lanes described above so I get backup camera advantage as often as possible going in and out)

 

[Instinctive]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

You have to pass the spot when backing out too, no?

Yes, but I do so so with minimal delay: either pull out when nobody’s there, or someone is signaling to take my soon-to-be-vacated spot.

And when you think about it, you typically don’t travel exactly the same distance as backing-in. Or at least I don’t*

Also, as @ConstruxBoy pointed out, I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing. So I don’t mind “relaxing” while waiting for the most considerate time to back out.

*I don’t drive a big vehicle. I’m convinced many of these issues would evaporate if trucks and SUVs didn’t rule the road.

Don’t you know………their time is more important than your time and if you don’t see it that way you need to be less impatient and chill out. Guess I can just park my car in the middle of the parking lot and play on my phone for 30 seconds because………it’s only 30 seconds, everyone relax.

You're actually comparing your time to some other guy's time when the person leaves. You're valuing your time as the most important here.

Not really. I’ll wait until the coast is clear to back out or if someone is waiting for the spot. I won’t delay cars behind me to do my back up routine. I try not to inconvenience anyone if I can avoid it or if they have disregarded my time.

I thought this was a busy parking lot and if it wasn't busy anyone could park however and nobody cares?

 

[Instinctive]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

I mean...for all those things I don't see why you'd be more likely to be in a time crunch arriving? it sounds like you have a travel time estimation issue, or possibly that you value your time so much higher than others that you'd rather risk being a little late than be absolutely sure you're on time by arriving a few minutes early.

(I'm obviously being a little tongue in cheek, but the high and mighty you and @fruity pebbles are going on about how much you value everyone else is hilarious in contrast to this exact post)

 

[fruity pebbles]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

I mean...for all those things I don't see why you'd be more likely to be in a time crunch arriving? it sounds like you have a travel time estimation issue, or possibly that you value your time so much higher than others that you'd rather risk being a little late than be absolutely sure you're on time by arriving a few minutes early.

(I'm obviously being a little tongue in cheek, but the high and mighty you and @fruity pebbles are going on about how much you value everyone else is hilarious in contrast to this exact post)

I’m not going to go back and forth with scenarios. You back in so you obviously think it’s no big deal, maybe it isn’t. As someone who doesn’t, I think it’s annoying. We’ll leave it at that.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

nope

So, you are able to pull an entire car length + width of space further than the forward parker, whip it into reverse, and still win the race?

What model McLaren do you drive?

Why are you pulling an entire car length forward? I think y'all are comparing the ideal situation and driver for a forward park to like the dumbest teenage girl backing in to a spot.

Where is your rear bumper when you start backing in, relative to the far edge of the desired parking space?

How does that compare to the front bumper of someone who pulls forward?

Also, I’d say forward parking is a single pass 95% of the time, while backing in is 50:50 for needing readjustment, at best.

I’m not talking about valets, or FBG parking gurus. Typical drivers.

ETA I see you estimated even fewer drivers (20%!) can pull in correctly the first time. That shockingly low, imo. What % do you think stick the landing backing in?

Let's take a step back here.

I think if you pause and re-read, you'll see that I exactly copy pasted the post I responded to about 1/5 for satirical purpose, to illustrate that poster's less-than-on-point remark's silliness.

If I pretend you're asking in good faith, a proper park whether forward or backward, involves swinging as far as you can to one side of the lot and getting the best possible angle into the spot. For a spot on the left hand side, that means:

Forward: go far right to give yourself the best shot at going directly in the middle of the spot on the left. Then angle yourself in.
Backward: go far left basically as if pulling into the spot on the right hand side opposite of your intended. Then angle yourself in.

If you assume the person knows how to drive, I'd give you the following estimates on time to park.

Narrow spot but no adjacent cars: equal time, maybe a half second longer for the back-in to change gears
Narrow spot, adjacent cars properly parked: one second edge to backing in
Narrow spot, adjacent cars improperly parked to make it tight: at least a ten second edge to the car backing in with cameras and mirrors. This is where driver skill really starts to matter though. I think I could be convinced that for anyone below average (i.e., if they had to retake their drivers ed exam RIGHT NOW they have a decent chance of failure) it is faster to pull in, although IMO also higher risk of damage to other people.

I was thinking through a wide spot...faster for all but I think the same pattern would follow regarding adjacent cars

Now where it gets tricky is when the lane itself between rows of spots is unusually narrow. Narrow enough that any car is gonna have to forward and backward a bit to get in, no matter which direction. I could be convinced that when lane space is an issue, there would be more rejiggering on the back in. So in a very narrow lane situation, I think the parking advantage goes to the forward parker somewhat soundly. if I think to the narrowest place I have to park regularly, it's probably one extra back and forth to get in forward facing, but like 3 to get in backward facing. Funnily enough, I believe that's because when forward facing, I can more confidently get ALL the way across the lane due to the advantage of the backup cam and proximity sensors, whereas I'm a little more cautious the other way around.


The super interesting part of the debate that's more or less being completely ignored by the dogmatic "MUST PARK FORWARD ALWAYS" crowd is the exit.

So, with the same genuine thought I put into a full answer to your question, I ask: How much difference in time do you think it takes to back out of a spot, especially in "a busy parking lot" which seems to be at issue, compared between the two methods? And how much total time in and out for like circumstances if you add the two up?

My hypothesis would be that even if the pull in was a bigger advantage than my afternoon test at CVS when I picked up my kid's eardrops and my subsequent thought experiment above indicates it actually is, the ability to leave the spot facing forward is at a bigger advantage on exit and the total time, for someone most concerned with being polite to others and trying to design the most efficient world possible, is such that you'd favor a back in for total consideration of others.

As of now, I certainly would. I think this discussion has made me put real thought into it and I'll now try to park in this manner:
1. Pull through (already my go to)
2. Back in (my current 2 is just go forward)
3. Go forward (save this for the narrow lanes described above so I get backup camera advantage as often as possible going in and out)

I think your time estimates are waaay off. And yes, I understand the 1/5 estimate was satire.

I honestly believe pulling forward is successful first-pass ~95% of the time. It definitely is for me. And I think less than half get backing in first go.

Granted, my perspective is framed by driving smaller vehicles, but such a high percentage of behemoths back in it’s hard to gauge how effectively they’d pull forward.

I’ve already explained the time crunch arriving versus going, but regardless, I rarely find myself in situations with difficult exits pulling out. I’ll either avoid the crowded venue, or park far away. For example, I park about a mile from my gym, to avoid what I know is congested parking nearby.

On balance, I think the forward pullers save 5-10 seconds for the total experience. But that’s an average, with the worst backer inners wasting 20-30 seconds, easily, versus their forward thinking peers.

Lastly, if backing in is superior in most settings, why is pull through your first choice?

 

[Terminalxylem]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

I mean...for all those things I don't see why you'd be more likely to be in a time crunch arriving? it sounds like you have a travel time estimation issue, or possibly that you value your time so much higher than others that you'd rather risk being a little late than be absolutely sure you're on time by arriving a few minutes early.

(I'm obviously being a little tongue in cheek, but the high and mighty you and @fruity pebbles are going on about how much you value everyone else is hilarious in contrast to this exact post)

I try to be punctual. Not sure why you’d characterize my views as “high and mighty”, any more than the next person.

Surely you understand we’re bickering about this as a time-waster, mostly?

 

[MAC_32]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

 

[Uruk-Hai]

At least we all agree that you should return your carts to the cart corral, right? RIGHT???

Wonderful, biggie. Why not post a link to the "Is A Hog Dog A Sandwich? thread to get things really rolling?

 

[Manster]

Wow, this is a thread?

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

Arent these the same people who will be backing out of the space later on?

 

[Terminalxylem]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

Arent these the same people who will be backing out of the space later on?

There. is. more. room. backing. out. into. a. lane.

So the potential for a multi-point turn is pretty low, except in the tightest of lots.

 

[The Z Machine]

I prefer to back into tight spaces. Less likely to scrape the sides of the car. Backup cameras have made this even easier than with side mirrors.

So no, backing in doesn't bother me unless holding up traffic as noted previously.

Ok, what do you guys think of parallel parking the wrong direction on the street? It annoys me just to look at the cars haphazardly parked whatever direction seems the most convenient. But that's just some OCD for me wanting symmetry.

 

[Navin Johnson]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

You should be backing in if you dislike inefficiency

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Ok, what do you guys think of parallel parking the wrong direction on the street? It annoys me just to look at the cars haphazardly parked whatever direction seems the most convenient. But that's just some OCD for me wanting symmetry.

I don't know how it is elsewhere but, in my town, you'll get ticketed/towed if you're parked on the street and facing the wrong direction. In other words, if the vehicle is facing on-coming traffic. Is that what you're talking about?

 

[UncleZen]

The bigger complaint I have is when the parking spaces are diagonal forcing traffic one way and some knucklehead is always going the wrong way. Also, no backing into those spaces!

 

[Capella]

Waiting on one of these idiots to spend 3 minutes backing in so you can get through has to be one of life’s great minor annoyances.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

You should be backing in if you dislike inefficiency

Huh? It’s slower…ergo, less efficient.

I mean, I can acknowledge exiting by pulling forward is safer. And maybe it’s easier to back into a tight space, especially for larger vehicles.

But please, let’s not act like there is no downside to the process. It’s unquestionably slower, even for the best drivers, and far more likely to result in multiple readjustments for the common man. These readjustments create delays, both for the driver and anyone unlucky enough to be near them, as they block traffic both ways.

I don’t have a big vehicle, so pulling in/backing out is rarely difficult. So it all boils down to safety versus efficiency. And really, do we have good data to elaborate the safety advantage?

 

[McBokonon]

Yeah, with the backup camera I can zip into a spot backwards in one shot without any issue. If you can’t, you probably shouldn’t be behind the wheel. I won’t do it if there’s cars behind me, though. Not because I care if they have to wait a couple seconds, but because they might not know what I’m doing and pull forward too much or something.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Waiting on one of these idiots to spend 3 minutes backing in so you can get through has to be one of life’s great minor annoyances.

It seems to happen way more to some of us than others. I can’t remember ever being troubled by this but I seem to live in the land of wide open parking lots.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Wow, this is a thread?

Obviously started by someone who doesn't read the pet peeves thread, since this was discussed there over about 10 pages less than a year ago.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

You should be backing in if you dislike inefficiency

Huh? It’s slower…ergo, less efficient.

I mean, I can acknowledge exiting by pulling forward is safer. And maybe it’s easier to back into a tight space, especially for larger vehicles.

But please, let’s not act like there is no downside to the process. It’s unquestionably slower, even for the best drivers, and far more likely to result in multiple readjustments for the common man. These readjustments create delays, both for the driver and anyone unlucky enough to be near them, as they block traffic both ways.

I don’t have a big vehicle, so pulling in/backing out is rarely difficult. So it all boils down to safety versus efficiency. And really, do we have good data to elaborate the safety advantage?

There’s no debating that it’s much faster and more efficient to back into a tight spot when parallel parking, rather than pulling straight in and readjusting. There’s a reason for that - because it’s easier to put your car where it has to be on one go when backing in. If all four wheels turned, it would be different but with most cars your rear end is along for the ride.

 

[El Floppo]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

But even if this is the case, once the initial butt of the car gets into the space, there is ample room for others to drive around them

Not really. Most parking lots have cars going in both directions and you have one clown backing in and out impeding one way.

Most parking lots have very few cars driving up and down the lanes nevermind multiple cars in both directions. You all act like every lot is a 50,000 person stadium lot

"most"? add the parentheses... where you are. what I see in NYC area, DC, and OC MD area are generally busy, especially if they host big-box stores like Walmart. sure, in the latter two spots the little mall with mom and pop stores... not so busy.

 

[El Floppo]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

You should be backing in if you dislike inefficiency

Huh? It’s slower…ergo, less efficient.

I mean, I can acknowledge exiting by pulling forward is safer. And maybe it’s easier to back into a tight space, especially for larger vehicles.

But please, let’s not act like there is no downside to the process. It’s unquestionably slower, even for the best drivers, and far more likely to result in multiple readjustments for the common man. These readjustments create delays, both for the driver and anyone unlucky enough to be near them, as they block traffic both ways.

I don’t have a big vehicle, so pulling in/backing out is rarely difficult. So it all boils down to safety versus efficiency. And really, do we have good data to elaborate the safety advantage?

There’s no debating that it’s much faster and more efficient to back into a tight spot when parallel parking, rather than pulling straight in and readjusting. There’s a reason for that - because it’s easier to put your car where it has to be on one go when backing in. If all four wheels turned, it would be different but with most cars your rear end is along for the ride.

I agree... but parallel vs perpendicular are different beasts- unless you can parallel from the front making a huge turn into the spot.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

Yeah, I’m rarely late.

The truth of the matter is, I’m impatient and dislike inefficiency. And I hate delaying others, so it’s baffling others think it’s nbd.

This is me as well. Maybe we're awesome?

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Wow, this is a thread?

Obviously started by someone who doesn't read the pet peeves thread, since this was discussed there over about 10 pages less than a year ago.

You, Sir, are correct. I did not read the Pet Peeves thread. I did search on parking and didn't find anything on backing in.

 

[zoobird]

Wow, this is a thread?

Obviously started by someone who doesn't read the pet peeves thread, since this was discussed there over about 10 pages less than a year ago.

Pretty sure I've single-handledly posted about this issue 2 or 3 times in that thread. That said, it's so annoying that it's always worth posting about again.

 

[Instinctive]

I prefer to back into tight spaces. Less likely to scrape the sides of the car. Backup cameras have made this even easier than with side mirrors.

So no, backing in doesn't bother me unless holding up traffic as noted previously.

Ok, what do you guys think of parallel parking the wrong direction on the street? It annoys me just to look at the cars haphazardly parked whatever direction seems the most convenient. But that's just some OCD for me wanting symmetry.

They actually ticket you for that where I live. So not just your OCD!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

i don't think, I've spent even 10 seconds of my life worrying about how other people park. This is kind of a fascinating thread to me in that respect.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Everybody thinks they’re that superior driver who can back into a space in 10 seconds without inconveniencing anyone. Maybe you are since this is the shark pool but in my experience it’s maybe 1 out of 5 who can get it their first try. The majority make the fiasco into an eight point turn.

Arent these the same people who will be backing out of the space later on?

There. is. more. room. backing. out. into. a. lane.

So the potential for a multi-point turn is pretty low, except in the tightest of lots.

How is there “more room”? Like a fourth dimension?

 

[SWC]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

nope

So, you are able to pull an entire car length + width of space further than the forward parker, whip it into reverse, and still win the race?

What model McLaren do you drive?

ordinarily i find your takes to be well reasoned and normally in keeping with good behavior but this is not one of those times and i wonder if you are actually a ministrone of pain alias at this point take that to the bank brohan

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

i don't think, I've spent even 10 seconds of my life worrying about how other people park. This is kind of a fascinating thread to me in that respect.

I’m not upset, but I am certainly enjoying the dichotomy of the pull in first people doing the mental math when they get to the part where they….. back out of the spot they are so against backing into.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I probably worry about inconveniencing other people and being a jerk more than the average person, so that may contribute to my dislike of it.

Arguably one of the most important rules to live by, an extension of the Golden Rule.

Time is valuable, the most precious thing we have, and we all should be worried about wasting it. All those 10 second delays add up over a lifetime.

Guarantee I back in to a spot faster than you back out of one

Since you have to pass the spot to do so, impossible.

nope

So, you are able to pull an entire car length + width of space further than the forward parker, whip it into reverse, and still win the race?

What model McLaren do you drive?

ordinarily i find your takes to be well reasoned and normally in keeping with good behavior but this is not one of those times and i wonder if you are actually a ministrone of pain alias at this point take that to the bank brohan

Funny, I had the exact same thought. So out character for you, @Terminalxylem

 

[SWC]

i don't think, I've spent even 10 seconds of my life worrying about how other people park. This is kind of a fascinating thread to me in that respect.

I’m not upset, but I am certainly enjoying the dichotomy of the pull in first people doing the mental math when they get to the part where they….. back out of the spot they are so against backing into.

i think the bigger question is why all of us dopes who waste time posting shtick and bad dad jokes here are worrying about 10 second of time take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Gatorade]

I’m far more likely to be in a time crunch arriving than departing

Why is this?

Work, restaurant reservations, ski lifts opening, meeting somebody at a designated time, etc.

Sure, some of those things can be back-to-back, but I’m typically less time constrained on the back end.

My objective is to always be 15 mins early, that way if I'm running late I'm generally still 5-10 mins early. I block off my calendar before / after meetings to accommodate and minimize the likelihood I'll be 'late.'

You must not be married

 

[Navin Johnson]

I prefer to back into tight spaces. Less likely to scrape the sides of the car. Backup cameras have made this even easier than with side mirrors.

So no, backing in doesn't bother me unless holding up traffic as noted previously.

Ok, what do you guys think of parallel parking the wrong direction on the street? It annoys me just to look at the cars haphazardly parked whatever direction seems the most convenient. But that's just some OCD for me wanting symmetry.

They actually ticket you for that where I live. So not just your OCD!

Same in CA

 

[MAC_32]

You must not be married

I am, and while I often describe her time management as la-la land, she has a sense of humor about it, which is probably why we work well together. And thankfully, most of her time management issues result in self-inflicted problems, they don't impact the rest of us.

 

[beer 30]

At least we all agree that you should return your carts to the cart corral, right? RIGHT???

No lie, I have the picture, went to Walmart last week. Some ******* left a cart in a parking spot RIGHT NEXT TO THE CART CORAL!!! What kind of feral upbringing causes that to happen? Special place in hell for those folks.

"Do not trouble others because of your existence"

Iris Gardner