Comments on: A Question of Parking

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:55:38 +0000

Im 17 and I was a pull in and back out person. We have assigned parking spots at my school. Recently, I started and 95% of the time, still do, to back in to spots. Not just my school spot, but pretty much anywhere I drive. The reason I started is for safety. I backed out of my school spot one day last September and went right into another kids car. He wasn’t too happy obviously lol. My dad also taught me to back in when I was learning to drive. Then he started with pulling in once I improved at it. I’m one of the 2 or 3 kids at my school that backs in to their spot. It makes me feel pretty cool too lol. If the lot is busy, I usually pull in, let the other cars pass, then back out and do a 180, and back in. I’ve been tardy a few times for doing that. I don’t give a $h!t though, I’m not risking another fender bender just so I can be on time.

By: darkspartan

darkspartan — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:25:08 +0000

It’s just easy to leave when u back in to a parking spot ..Where I live I noticed that the people that live here pull straight in and when they need too leave they get in eachothers way and I just pull right off because I back into my spot .. its funny it really comes down to laziness people just wanna get in the house as fast as they can and don’t think ahead .

By: Spencer Johnston

Spencer Johnston — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:57:31 +0000

I’m not sure if this is referring to parallel parking or just parking in general. However, I think that you’re onto something with the “maximum preparedness”. But, at the same time, I think that this could be interpreted as a result of conditioning.

The reality is that the reverse gear of all automobiles uses far more gas than other driving gears. Ultimately, a car that is NEVER put in reverse (impossible I know), would theoretically use less fuel than one that uses the gear frequently.

Another school of thought is that backing into a parking spot is useful in terms of saving fuel, because using reverse when the automobile is cold is even worse concerning mpgs. Albeit marginal, the amount of fuel saved by backing into a parking spot for this reason is worthy of attention.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:32:40 +0000

When I had an assigned parking spot at work which was on the west side of the building and unshaded, I backed in because the car would be cooler when I left in the late afternoon if the windshield was facing west with a sunshade in it, since the alternative was to have the rear hatch window (which I had no way to shade) facing west, resulting in a broiling car interior (the car had no air conditioning). I likely didn’t bother to back in in winter, but don’t specifically recall (I actually walked and biked to work a lot).

By: Tony Toews

Tony Toews — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:09:52 +0000

Given a choice I will always drive a hundred feet further and pull through the first spot to the second spot. So it appears I backed in but actually I didn’t.

1) It’s much safer to drive out than back out.

2) The extra hundred feet sure isn’t going to harm me. Unless, of course, the parking lot is very icy which it is these days. Thankfully most places are putting sand down on the ice.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:17:45 +0000

UPS requires that their drivers always back first. It prevents them from backing out into an unknown scene. If you were to look in most UPS employee parking lots you will find the vast majority of employees “back first”.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:51:16 +0000

I’m an avid back in type of parker. As odd as that sounds to write/say. Two reasons, both have been mentioned. One, when I’m backing in, I’ve had a chance to observe the space and can see that there is nothing behind me (the opposite if you have to back out of your space). Two, the car is more manuverable because I’m not burying the steerable wheels in the parking space.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 14:08:36 +0000

We were taught through work (phone company) that it is much safer to pull out of a parking space than to back out and you are usually more aware of your surroundings when entering the parking lot, as you’re looking for a space to begin with.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:51:30 +0000

3 observations: 1) the larger the car, the more likely people are to back in. 2) The total time spent getting in an out of a spot is far longer with backing in–it’s very rare I see someone pull it off without having to make numerous adjustments or even multiple tries. 3) Personally I’ve seen those backing in hit more cars/things/people that those backing out–the poor visibility that SUVs have in the rear is a problem here.

By: Roger

Roger — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 03:19:53 +0000

Backing in is planning for the future. And also a simple getaway.