<p>What is the theory behind backing into parking spces–or trying to–in big parking decks?? Almost every day I have to wait for some moron to try to back his SUV into a small space and for what–so he can make a faster escape at 5 pm? It takes the average backer twice as long or longer to park and I have seen them miss many times including hitting adjacent cars. Backing out at the end of the day seems pretty easy and never takes more than one try and head-in parking is usually perfect first try.
So why do so many do it??
BTW if you are a backer–I hate you.</p>
<p>Maybe the “backers” are reformed “hitters” who pull out, in reverse, without noticing or caring that MY CAR IS RIGHT BEHIND THEM!!!</p>
<p>Just a thought…</p>
<p>Do you have your lights on? I also hate cars in decks driving without their lights on.</p>
<p>SUVs don’t have trunks. Maybe they are thinking that anything they leave in the back is less visible. H likes to do this when we go to sporting events or concerts, to be able to get out easier later, but only if we’re not holding up traffic.</p>
<p>I do not get this either - people backing their SUVs into parking spaces in mall garages, and then trying to figure out how they could put their shopping “loot” into the back. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I think some “backers” are trying to show off their “supreme parking skills” - NOT.</p>
<p>My husband also backs in for sporting events and concerts. Seems people are more likely to let you pull out forward, but not so nice when you want to back out. When we have a loaded SUV, we also back in to avoid having someone open the hatch; when backed in, usually we are against the wall so the hatch can not be opened.</p>
<p>BTW this is not limited in any way to SUVs. They just are the worst offenders. Many cars do it too. This is every day work parking.</p>
<p>^^^^If you don’t drive an SUV, it may be hard to understand, but it is much easier to pull out of a parking space once you have backed into it. I also only do it if there is no one behind me.</p>
<p>Well, if you are a Girl Scout driver you have to back into a spot so that you do not have any blind areas and can proceed in an orderly fashion when pulling out. I always taught the kids how to back in. It does not take that much longer when done correctly and it is a safer pull out when leaving. If they are not sure I have them they let people go until it is clear before backing in.</p>
<p>This reminds me a bit of Gullivers Travels, the Lilliput war was based upon a disagreement over which end of the soft-boiled egg should be cracked, the wide end or the narrow. If you back in you exit forward, if you enter forward, you exit backing, same motion, same movement, same path. To each his own, I am fortunate to live in a rural area and almost never have to consider which way to park, probably could get by without reverse gear given a bit of planning ahead.</p>
<p>If you park in a deck where many folks leave at the same time it is much easier to “nose” into traffic than to back into it. Of course, I always have to wait for everyone else to leave anyway, so I can find my car. ;)</p>
<p>I back in to my parking space at school and I back in to my garage at home. There are several after-school activities with lots of kids running around and I’m always afraid one of the kids will be behind me and I won’t see them. I don’t have a fancy vehicle with back up sensors or a camera so I feel it is safer to back in there. I back in to my garage when I get home because it enables me to park with the passenger side as close to the wall as possible. I have an SUV and DH drives a Toyota Tundra (big). DH pulls in to the garage with his passenger side as close to the wall as possible and that way both of us have lots of room to fully open our doors when getting in and out without fear of hitting the other vehicle. Every where else I go, I pull in to parking spaces.</p>
<p>When done properly it doesn’t take any longer to back in/nose out than it does to do the reverse and can be safer in busy parking lots or areas with kids running around - depends on the situation. I’ve seen the ‘nose-in’ people take an inordinately long period of time to nose in and back out as well. ‘Properly’ is the key word here.</p>
<p>I back in frequently.</p>
<p>I think ‘barrons’ hates me.</p>
<p>I back in if I am parked next to cars that are significantly bigger than mine, which happens a lot since I drive a little grand am. It is impossible for me to see cars coming when I am backing back out to leave otherwise. I just have to inch out the first few feet and HOPE nobody is coming down the aisle to hit me before I can see and pull the rest of the way out. So if I can back in, I prefer to so that I can see the whole time when I am pulling out. </p>
<p>If there weren’t so many people driving monstrously huge cars it wouldn’t be an issue!</p>
<p>Funny. I always wondered about this. Thought maybe they were preparing for a quick getaway. Then I read the following article, and realized I’ve been parking wrong all these years. spoiler alert, classof2015 is on to something…</p>
<p>[Reverse</a> parking: A better way to park in parking lots. - By Tom Vanderbilt - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/id/2284358/]Reverse”>Reverse parking: A better way to park in parking lots.)</p>
<p>Almost nobody can backin perfectly first try. They are either too close to one side or the other (and yes many just say good enough therby incurring my wrath for not properly centering the car–another peeve for another day but I have been known to leave nasty notes). And many can’t tell when they get close to the end and tend to leave their cars a couple feet short of fully backed in. That is my observation. But backing out requires almost no skill as you have much more room for error and just need to watch mirrors for cars coming–which are easy to see if they have their lights on. But almost any moron can pull into a space headin right the first time and be parked in seconds without leaving their car hanging out an extra foot or two. </p>
<p>I guess my deck is large so not everyone is leaving at once. Rarely do I even have to wait for a car to go past before backing out.</p>
<p>Intersting article and for outdoor parking at malls and such I would agree that backing in might be safer as people tend to zoom though open lots and are harder to see than a car with lights on in a parking garage. Also more chance for two backing at at once htting each other etc. Also liked that parking head-in is more for the professional class. Maybe that is it.</p>
<p>I don’t really have a preference overall because I think it depends on the situation but I can tell you that the only “accident” I’ve ever had in over 10 years of driving was when I was backing OUT of a spot and I hit the front of a car that was in my blind spot. I wouldn’t have done that had I been backed into my spot. And, the only “accident” my mother has ever had was when she backed into her mail box when she somehow forgot it was there. I think a much larger majority of parking lot accidents happen backing out in reverse then they do coming out forwards.</p>
<p>I typically do pull into a parking spot at most places but I have to say it IS easier to pull out of a spot as opposed to back out of a spot… you have a clear view of what is in front of you… especially if it’s a parking garage where there may be a line of other cars waiting to go. They are always much more willing to let you go when you are pulling out into their traffic as opposed to having to back out into them. I almost always back into spots in parking garages and at sporting events. Backing into a spot at a Phillies game and pulling into a spot at a Phillies game can make all the difference in the world at getting out of there in a reasonable manner. We once had to sit a full hour in our spot waiting for people to make room for us to back out of it. That’s the last time I’ve ever pulled into a spot there. Now I zip right on out.</p>
<p>Sometimes if I am driving up aisles at the mall and I pass a spot, I will then back into it. My car is very easy to back though - some cars you can’t back out of worth c rap. I love when you can pull through a spot there and be parked in the adjacent spot looking as if you backed into it. Best of both worlds - you can pull in and pull out! That being said, if I’m at a grocery store I almost always pull into a spot because it’s easier to load your car with food. Depends on the scenario.</p>
<p>How about the people who have cars and they park them diagonally between two spots? Or the people with trucks like F550’s or whatever that are giant and they stick 5 feet out of their spot.</p>
<p>GORU’s link is a great one. Lots of reasons to back in, actually.</p>
<p>I never back in and my husband always backs in. I am totally capable of backing in without re-situating but choose not to…plus it DOES take more time to back in than to drive front in which holds up the people behind you.</p>
<p>Every morning at 6:55 am, there is a loud, mad rush in the hospital parking garage where I work. You would be taking your life in your hands to hold up anyone parking because you wanted to back into a spot. If you ‘swipe’ in after 7:00 am, you’re late, you see!</p>