Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I was pulling into the lot at work and was behind this woman driving very slowly. She then suddenly stopped and then her reverse lights came on and she spent the next 1.5 minutes backing into the space. This put me on life tilt. Why do people back into parking spaces??? I need to understand so I can function for the rest of the day.

Thanks,
-G

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

So they can drive straight out of them.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
So they can drive straight out of them.

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/thread

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Isn't it easier to back out of a parking space than to back in?

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I do it quite a bit. Usually into the covered spot at my condo complex but sometimes in other places too, like if I've overshot an open spot and want to back into it.

This not only leads to a very easy exit, but you're a lot less likely to hit something carefully backing into a spot than you are backing out of one, which involves you putting your vehicle into the right of way of others, as well as possibly hitting other cars that are backing out at the same time as you.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Sometimes I will do this if I don't judge the correct position driving forward into a space but then notice that a space behind me is open and I can easily back into it.

As far as regularly backing into spaces, I have no idea why people would do this if they don't have some sort of giant truck.


vegemite
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Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I do it to showoff to my friends. It's a killer party trick.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

i do it because i have a camera in the back of my car

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Showoff.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I sometimes find my position relative to the parking spot such that it's easier to back into it. I'm also good enough to do it just as quickly as pulling in. Brag: I can parallel park w/o looking over my shoulder by just using the mirrors. Moral of the story: Learn to handle your car better.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't it easier to back out of a parking space than to back in?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not when you drive a large vehicle. Much easier to drive straight out of a tight spot than to try to back my pickup out and risk squashing the Civic behind me.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Daliman is that you?

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

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This is very important. I also hate it when people park in a space that has a pull through possibility but don't pull through. Thus wasting the pull through.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very important. I also hate it when people park in a space that has a pull through possibility but don't pull through. Thus wasting the pull through.

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I don't know that I *hate* it when they do this as they're only screwing themselves. It is however a referendum on their intelligence and efficiency.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very important. I also hate it when people park in a space that has a pull through possibility but don't pull through. Thus wasting the pull through.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know that I *hate* it when they do this as they're only screwing themselves. It is however a referendum on their intelligence and efficiency.

[/ QUOTE ]

How about if it was the only available pull through but there were plenty of other non-pull through spots. So they [censored] my ability to pull through without even using it themselves. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

cabn,

OK, good point. But I can't say that I remember the last time I recall that happening. You must park a lot more often than I do.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
cabn,

OK, good point. But I can't say that I remember the last time I recall that happening. You must park a lot more often than I do.

[/ QUOTE ]

It happens like every day at work. There will be 6 cars parked wasting all the pull throughs when I get here. Of course there will be like 10502382 other parking spaces they could have used and not wasted them (underground garage, some spaces blocked by pillars/large supports).

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Maybe the people who don't pull through are gonna have lots to load in the trunk?

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Why do people back into parking spaces???

[/ QUOTE ]

Because when they want to leave, it's a lot easier to just drive out than have to back out.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Brag: I can parallel park w/o looking over my shoulder by just using the mirrors.

[/ QUOTE ]
I've never looked over my shoulder to parallel park, but I thought this was completely standard.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was pulling into the lot at work and was behind this woman driving very slowly. She then suddenly stopped and then her reverse lights came on and she spent the next 1.5 minutes backing into the space. This put me on life tilt. Why do people back into parking spaces??? I need to understand so I can function for the rest of the day.

Thanks,
-G

[/ QUOTE ]
+1. i see people spend infinitely more time setting up their quick get away when it takes +1 more seconds to do the same parking normally.

the only exception to this rule is when you are expecting snowfall and that too, not really.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

[/ QUOTE ]

My friends all back in and I bitch to them about it every single time. I can't wait for the day one of them hit a car backing in. I find backing into spots seems to make it much more likely to bump into another car/scratch your car than backing out.

Pulling through is an absolute must if you have the chance, though.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Isn't it easier to back out of a parking space than to back in?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not when you drive a large vehicle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

meh just park on the sidewalk like a man

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
My friends all back in and I bitch to them about it every single time. I can't wait for the day one of them hit a car backing in. I find backing into spots seems to make it much more likely to bump into another car/scratch your car than backing out.



[/ QUOTE ]But the potential damage is much different. Backing into the space, the worst that'll happen is you scratch your neighbor. Backing out, the worst that'll happen is a full collision between a you and a car you didn't see, or running over a pedestrian. It's easier to see going forward so you're less likely to run over a pedestrian or go head-on with another car while exiting a space you backed into.

Also, there are some spaces that are easier to get into when backing into it than heading into it.

Aside: hybrid cars are completely silent when backing up. They should be required to back into a space to prevent them from backing out of the space into a pedestrian.

(Note: I'm playing devil's advocate here. I actually go head-first into spaces.)

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

This is actually company policy where I work. It's pretty funny seeing a parking lot with about 75 cars, each one being backed in. Safety first!

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

1. it's easier to back into a spot than it is to drive forward. this is why you always parallel park in reverse - the last wheels into the space can be turned. safety isn't an issue because there aren't moving objects in the spot.

2. it's safer to drive forward into a wide open area where there could be a bunch of moving objects (cars/people).

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Grunch.

'Cause there's a lotta goddamn nits out there.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

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1. it's easier to back into a spot than it is to drive forward.

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um?

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

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/thread

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Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was pulling into the lot at work and was behind this woman driving very slowly. She then suddenly stopped and then her reverse lights came on and she spent the next 1.5 minutes backing into the space. This put me on life tilt. Why do people back into parking spaces??? I need to understand so I can function for the rest of the day.


[/ QUOTE ]

Virtually anyone who drives for a living is immediately taught to always back in. When I worked for Budget, company policy was to ALWAYS back in. When my brother drove for the post office he was also told to always back in.

The reason is that it is MUCH safer. A tremendous number of accidents are caused by people backing into things. Yes, you can still hit something backing into the spot, however people are generally paying a lot more attention when they're parking than when they're pulling out. And if you hit something backing into a spot, it's generally a lot less serious than if you hit something backing out.

Of course, when you DO drive for a living you get really, really good at backing into spots and you can do it at least as quickly as most people who pull in front first. Which always impresses the hell out of everybody.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

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/thread

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PLS!!

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The reason is that it is MUCH safer. A tremendous number of accidents are caused by people backing into things. Yes, you can still hit something backing into the spot, however people are generally paying a lot more attention when they're parking than when they're pulling out. And if you hit something backing into a spot, it's generally a lot less serious than if you hit something backing out.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah well put.

Reminds me of when I first got a brand new vehicle. It was a 1994 Toyota pickup. Totally stock, 2WD, didn't even come with a stereo, nothing fancy at all. But it was new and I had driven shitbeaters my whole life up to that point.

Well, after only like the third day I had it I was backing into a spot at my apartment complex and inadvertently backed into a tree which for whatever reason was overhanging the spot. Man that sucked and I had to drive around with this huge gay-ass dent in my liftgate until I could afford the several hundred dollars to get it fixed a few months later. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

(Another unfortunate thing that happened as a result was I put my golf clubs in the back on my way to play while the liftgate was getting repaired. They slid out onto the road and by the time I realized this and backtracked, someone had scooped them. That sucked too...)

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I'm all about backing into spots at the parking garage at work, but about 75% of the time there are people behind me so I just pull in to not waste their time.

I've included an MS Paint to further explain, although it's already been explained.

This is what floors 1-5 look like.http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3383/parkingsl2.png
I always park near spot A (explanation later). If a large truck happens to be in spot A and I am just below him it'd be hard for me to see someone whipping around the corner on his way out of work if I was backing up.

I'd also like to comment how dumb or lazy many of my colleagues are when it comes to parking. Spots near A are always open because instead of parking there people will park near B and walk 4x farther (sorry, drawing not to scale) instead of park at A and walk an extra flight of stairs. Or else they'll drive up another level or two so they can park close to the stairs, or even take an elevator down. Sorry, I left off the 3 elevators.

Also, I'm awesome at the 90 degree back up, so I do it whenever I can. Moreover, most other people suck at parking.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Okay so to sum up the thread... backing in is preferable for:

(1) larger vehicles... I've seen trucks do this a lot... I've never really questioned the reason as I never owned a truck

But more importantly it seems
(2) If you run into something when you're backing in, there are likely zero witnesses so you can take off... however, if you run into something while you're backing out, there is a greater likelihood of witnesses so you are screwed.

Sounds about right?

-G

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

Also, while driving into work I'm rarely in a rush to start working, but I am often eager to leave, so it's nice for a quick exit.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very important. I also hate it when people park in a space that has a pull through possibility but don't pull through. Thus wasting the pull through.

[/ QUOTE ]


My wife refuses to pull through and she thinks I'm weird because it drives me insane...

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

I back into spaces most of the time.

1) It's quicker overall. I can quickly back into a space and not have to worry about waiting to see if it's clear or if the parking lot aisle/street is semi-busy you can get out much easier and quicker than if you had fronted in.

2) You can fit into MUCH tighter spaces if you back in without having to do a 3-point turn.

Re: Why do people back into parking spaces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I never do it. I do drive thru though when the opportunity arises!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very important. I also hate it when people park in a space that has a pull through possibility but don't pull through. Thus wasting the pull through.

[/ QUOTE ]


My wife refuses to pull through and she thinks I'm weird because it drives me insane...

[/ QUOTE ]

Please slap her for me.