Do you back into a spot? Or pull in, then back out when leaving
- Thread starter Slow Car Sport Mode
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2020
- Messages
- 168
I've spent the last 20 years In coal and oilfield. "First move forward" you always back in imo. Unless angled spaces and directional asiles then not much choice
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 545
Backing in when you get there is safer.
The smaller the driving lane in the parking lot is the more likely I’ll back in to take advantage of the sharper swing of doing so and it is safer. 25 years of maneuvering fire trucks back into fire stations gave me a little practice.
Around here there are many senior housing co-op communities, where you have to park nose in. They ticket you if you back in. The reason is to reduce exhaust fumes going into the ground level units. My father lived in a community with those rules, there were a lot of fender benders with people backing out of their spots.
My workplace encouraged parking so that one can always drive out forwards. The first choice in a parking lot is to pull through to the facing space so that you don't have to use reverse at all.
Backing is dangerous - a disproportionate number of accidents involve backing.
Another good practice they encouraged was to walk right around the car before getting in, looking for obstructions and identifying hazards. Most people don't do this, but it would save a lot of block heater cords in cold-weather places.
Backing is dangerous - a disproportionate number of accidents involve backing.
Another good practice they encouraged was to walk right around the car before getting in, looking for obstructions and identifying hazards. Most people don't do this, but it would save a lot of block heater cords in cold-weather places.
In SW Florida Publix grocery store has one-way "street" angled parking. Those you nose in.
And that one-way setup got me honked at visiting my mother near Estero. Newbie mistake
Mining industry guy here, yep, always reverse park if possible, pull through, or if angled/one way then pull in.
Yep, Publix here is angled with one-way, which is fine for pull in/back out. Of course you see the folks pulling through to park then pull out forwards and going the wrong way. For the love of God...ahhahahIn SW Florida Publix grocery store has one-way "street" angled parking. Those you nose in.
And that one-way setup got me honked at visiting my mother near Estero. Newbie mistake
I don't think folks understand angled/one-way rows are both made to work together with pull in/back out.
That's why many companies require employees driving company vehicles to place a cone behind when they park. Forces the walk around/gain situational awareness before pulling away.
I'll say that I've simply dealt with all of this in the last few years by parking 1) far away and 2) pulling through in most lots. Narrow rows and backing in just not worth the trouble or time when you can walk a little extra and park further out in the empty part of the lot with a pull through. The only time I don't is the Publix lot I mention above b/c the rows are one way and wide enough with angled spots that makes pulling in/backing out easy and safe. I believe in the simple principal of "eliminating the hazard". I'm not going to be the person in the Tahoe or full-size truck making eveyone wait so you can back in to perpendicular spots when you could have probably been in the store already by just going 50' more feet away and parking easily.
I try to back-in for liability reasons. I had someone cut me off at a suite high speed for a parking lot... i was backing out. lesson learned. but sometimes i park the other way because I need more access to the trunk or something
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
I feel like 9/10 times people who back in just want attention. There is a rare instance where it’s more beneficial. Sometimes it’s easier to back in with a big pickup.
And sorry, it doesn’t save time. It’s the same one way or another. Either taking longer to get into your destination or longer to leave.
I just pull in.
And sorry, it doesn’t save time. It’s the same one way or another. Either taking longer to get into your destination or longer to leave.
I just pull in.
Lots I frequent are big enough it doesn't matter. I'm out there in the back 40 where the seagull shoppers congregate waiting for rollbacks. If you don't oblige they might crap on your car.
Last edited:
I usually pull through except two places where I need access to the truck or rear. At the grocery store and the golf course.
I know some work locations have rules. Think it was some coworkers down in Puerto Rico said they there were rules down there in case of evacuation.
I know some work locations have rules. Think it was some coworkers down in Puerto Rico said they there were rules down there in case of evacuation.
It's always beneficial to pull forward to leave b/c you can see better. Backing in allows you to have more control of that issue b/c you are in the flow of traffic so to say and by stopping and reversing in nobody is sneaking around you. This isn't controversial, it's been proven time and time again that pulling forward to leave is safer than backing out - it's why many companies with fleet vehicles require it.
Last edited:
I back in as much as possible. I do not back in at Costco or Home Depot etc. strictly due to grocery / goods loading issues. Someone mentioned pulling through to the immediate opposing spot, that is my favorite technique when it is available.
Yeah - that's about the only time I don't pull through b/c you need access to the rear for loading.
Similar threads
