Parking: Driving Up or Backing In?

[Jolly_Penguin]

When you park your car, do you do it forwards or backing in? And why?

 

[DBT]

Back it in. Just a preference I guess.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Me I drive it up, not back it in, because I have a hatch back and its easier to open that way. Also backing it in is a lot harder than just driving up.

 

[bilby]

Backing in is always better. It gives you more control, by putting the non-steering axle into the area with least freedom to move, while the steering axle has maximum freedom - this is the reason why forklift trucks have their steering on the rear axle. It's also the reason why people waste time taking two or three or four (or more!) goes to straighten up after driving into a space. Backing in should always be possible in a single manoeuvre; Even if you stuff it up, a large correction is possible with a single additional attempt, because the steering axle is less constrained.

It also means that the reversing manoeuvre is done towards an isolated area (the parking space) while the movement towards the area with a higher probability of unexpected hazards (pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles) when leaving the space is done forwards - so you have much better visibility.

It also makes sense to do the more difficult manoeuvre first - if you cannot back into a space, then backing out is going to be even worse - particularly if the space is narrower when you leave due to the other cars around you having moved in the meantime. If you can't get ito the space backwards, you're really going to struggle to get out of it backwards.

There are no circumstances where it's preferable to drive in forwards, unless someone else is going to have to drive it out again, and you don't care about making their life difficult; Or in the special case where you need wide and clear access to the back of the vehicle after parking (per Jolly Penguin's comment about hatchbacks).

The only "benefit" of driving in forwards is that it defers the difficult task until later. That's not actually beneficial, it's just shortsightedness.

Reversing into a parking space is objectively a better option than driving in forwards.

 

[bilby]

Me I drive it up, not back it in, because I have a hatch back and its easier to open that way.

That makes sense if you have a lot of cargo or luggage to load, or the space is unreasonably short. But usually there's room to park with enough space behind the vehicle to access a hatchback.

Also backing it in is a lot harder than just driving up.

Sure; But that's more than offset by the fact that backing out is harder than just driving off.

 

[Toni]

I pull in and where possible, I pull through. I also park near the far corner almost all of the time.

 

[crazyfingers]

I find backing out of a spot to be much easier than backing in between two other cars. Far more precision is needed to back in than out. So I park in front first. Besides, most of my parking has to do with grocery shopping and I prefer to come up to the back hatch the easy way.

I also prefer to park farther from the store where parking is less crowded and walk more. I drive a Subaru Outback.

It kills me to see people clog the parking close to the store, even waiting for a spot to open, rather than just walk a bit farther. Then they spend 45 minutes walking the grocery isles as if parking closer really saved them that much time or walking.

But hey, more spaces for me to choose from farther away.

 

[Worldtraveller]

Backing in is always better. It gives you more control, by putting the non-steering axle into the area with least freedom to move, while the steering axle has maximum freedom - this is the reason why forklift trucks have their steering on the rear axle. It's also the reason why people waste time taking two or three or four (or more!) goes to straighten up after driving into a space. Backing in should always be possible in a single manoeuvre; Even if you stuff it up, a large correction is possible with a single additional attempt, because the steering axle is less constrained.

It also means that the reversing manoeuvre is done towards an isolated area (the parking space) while the movement towards the area with a higher probability of unexpected hazards (pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles) when leaving the space is done forwards - so you have much better visibility.

It also makes sense to do the more difficult manoeuvre first - if you cannot back into a space, then backing out is going to be even worse - particularly if the space is narrower when you leave due to the other cars around you having moved in the meantime. If you can't get ito the space backwards, you're really going to struggle to get out of it backwards.

There are no circumstances where it's preferable to drive in forwards, unless someone else is going to have to drive it out again, and you don't care about making their life difficult; Or in the special case where you need wide and clear access to the back of the vehicle after parking (per Jolly Penguin's comment about hatchbacks).

The only "benefit" of driving in forwards is that it defers the difficult task until later. That's not actually beneficial, it's just shortsightedness.

Reversing into a parking space is objectively a better option than driving in forwards.

Except that it is often less safe because people tend to be less cautious pulling out forward, than they would be backing out, even with the reduced visibility. It's rather counter-intuitive, and if every driver were a rational actor, your post would be accurate. I've worked at several employers that banned backing in for that reason (and because a large percentage of drivers with full size trucks couldn't park them in an empty lot without fucking it up and taking at least two spaces).

 

[James Brown]

Backing in is always better. It gives you more control, by putting the non-steering axle into the area with least freedom to move, while the steering axle has maximum freedom - this is the reason why forklift trucks have their steering on the rear axle. It's also the reason why people waste time taking two or three or four (or more!) goes to straighten up after driving into a space. Backing in should always be possible in a single manoeuvre; Even if you stuff it up, a large correction is possible with a single additional attempt, because the steering axle is less constrained.

It also means that the reversing manoeuvre is done towards an isolated area (the parking space) while the movement towards the area with a higher probability of unexpected hazards (pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles) when leaving the space is done forwards - so you have much better visibility.

It also makes sense to do the more difficult manoeuvre first - if you cannot back into a space, then backing out is going to be even worse - particularly if the space is narrower when you leave due to the other cars around you having moved in the meantime. If you can't get ito the space backwards, you're really going to struggle to get out of it backwards.

There are no circumstances where it's preferable to drive in forwards, unless someone else is going to have to drive it out again, and you don't care about making their life difficult; Or in the special case where you need wide and clear access to the back of the vehicle after parking (per Jolly Penguin's comment about hatchbacks).

The only "benefit" of driving in forwards is that it defers the difficult task until later. That's not actually beneficial, it's just shortsightedness.

Reversing into a parking space is objectively a better option than driving in forwards.

I'll agree in principle, but not with the modifier 'always better.' In parking lots with angled parking spaces, with one-way lanes, backing in is more difficult as you are required to back up against the flow of traffic, making a greater than 90 degree turn into the space. Then, when you're leaving, you pull out of the space the easy way (but against the flow of traffic again), or the hard way (by making a greater than 90 degree turn). Depending on the width of the lane and the length of the vehicle, this can be difficult.

I've wasted more time waiting for someone in an extended cab pickup truck to back into a space than I have waiting for someone to correct their position while pulling forward into a space.

As for me, I pull forward into a space, and I always get it right the first time. If the space directly in front of me is clear (and the parking lanes are not angled) then I pull forward and park nose out, because that makes for an easier exit. But I never deliberately back into a space because I don't trust my driving skills enough.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Backing out is much easier than backing into a parking space. You just have to be sure nobody is there before you do it. You've got a much bigger area to back into and thus much smaller chance of running into anything you do know is there. Maybe parking lots here are less busy than there.

 

[bilby]

Backing out is much easier than backing into a parking space. You just have to be sure nobody is there before you do it. You've got a much bigger area to back into and thus much smaller chance of running into anything you do know is there. Maybe parking lots here are less busy than there.

By means of your advanced psychic abilities?

Or are you just assuming that because it's usually quiet, nobody is going to be there now, if there was nobody there when you got into your car?

That big space isn't yours, and isn't necessarily all space, or still space, at any given time.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I've worked at several employers that banned backing in for that reason (and because a large percentage of drivers with full size trucks couldn't park them in an empty lot without fucking it up and taking at least two spaces).

And at construction sites, you need to back in because it is "safer". I think one person gets hit while backing up and now everyone must back-in, which is undoubtedly more risky, relative to hitting another vehicle.

 

[bigfield]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

 

[rousseau]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

By my math backing in is more of a hassle than backing out. 99% of the time you're backing out into an empty or near empty lane-way, unless you live on a busy street.

 

[bigfield]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

By my math backing in is more of a hassle than backing out. 99% of the time you're backing out into an empty or near empty lane-way, unless you live on a busy street.

It's been useful at busy parking lots at offices and shopping centres, though.

 

[bilby]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

By my math backing in is more of a hassle than backing out. 99% of the time you're backing out into an empty or near empty lane-way, unless you live on a busy street.

100% of the time you are backing into an empty parking space, unless you are a complete moron.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

By my math backing in is more of a hassle than backing out. 99% of the time you're backing out into an empty or near empty lane-way, unless you live on a busy street.

100% of the time you are backing into an empty parking space, unless you are a complete moron.

Backing into an unconfined space verses a confined space, but one shouldn't need to point out that obvious attribute when talking among a bunch of non-morons.

 

[bilby]

100% of the time you are backing into an empty parking space, unless you are a complete moron.

Backing into an unconfined space verses a confined space, but one shouldn't need to point out that obvious attribute when talking among a bunch of non-morons.

There are no unconfined spaces. Just ones where you can't necessarily detect the rapidly changing confines until you reverse into their path.

And as I said before, if you want to get into a confined space, it's a great deal easier if you confine the non-steering axle first, and leave the steering axle unconfined for as much of the manoeuvre as possible.

Or did you think that forklifts steer with their rear axles because the designers just wanted to be different?

 

[rousseau]

Since this thread appeared, I've switched to backing in.

Backing in is slightly more complicated than just driving in, which is already extremely easy in a small car.

However, driving straight out is far, far easier and safer than backing out (i.e. creeping out hoping that other drivers--and trolley-driving pedestrians--see you and wait).

By my math backing in is more of a hassle than backing out. 99% of the time you're backing out into an empty or near empty lane-way, unless you live on a busy street.

It's been useful at busy parking lots at offices and shopping centres, though.

When we're in huge, busy lots we usually end up parking a bit of a distance away and pulling through. But yea there are a lot of people who will track down a good spot in a busy area.

I like walking further and keeping my car in lower traffic areas.

 

[bigfield]

It's been useful at busy parking lots at offices and shopping centres, though.

When we're in huge, busy lots we usually end up parking a bit of a distance away and pulling through. But yea there are a lot of people who will track down a good spot in a busy area.

I like walking further and keeping my car in lower traffic areas.

Yeah, I should probably do more of that, myself.