Why back into the parking spot?
Posted by DBiles on April 27, 2009
I’ve had two parking-related happenings in the past 24 hours, both of which made me wonder: Why do people back into parking spots?
The first story. This morning , I ran in the rain to my car only to find that a giant F-250 had parked so close to my driver’s side door that it was impossible for me to open it wide enough to get in. They had backed into the parking spot, so I don’t know how they got out either. I had to climb over the middle console from the passenger side. I’m not exactly the smallest person in the world, so this wasn’t all that enjoyable.
Then, when I got to work, I saw someone else backing their car into a parking spot in our garage. They blocked the whole driving area while the did so, going back and forth, back and forth trying to get the angle just right.Â
Why work so hard? Why don’t people just pull straight into their spots? It is a whole lot easier to back out of a spot than to back in.
fheenix33 said,
I have never made a habit of backing into a parking lot and the only reason I can figure why people do it is so they don’t have to back out once they leave. I too have seen a lot of parking lot mishaps from those that are stuck on backing in.
Zoots Alures said,
The primary reason why people should back into a parking space is SAFETY. Yep, that’s right. Consider this:
You pull by an open parking space. At that time the driver knows what they just passed, what’s on either side of them, and what is in front. At that time they have a keen idea of any and most if not all variables that can cause a problem. They back into the spot and return an hour later. When they get into their car/truck they’re pointed strait out and can see much better if anyone is crossing their intended path which can cause an accident or injury.
In the same situation where a person pulls forward into the same spot and comes out later – The environment can change i.e, kids playing around the car, a bike may be right behind the bumper or even a small child. When the person puts the transmission into reverse and starts to back out the visibility isn’t as good – meaning they have to move a few feet(Into traffic) in order to see what’s coming at them from either side and the view behind is restricted.
Having directed Safety officers in field service related industry where the technicians drive full-size vans there’s an inherent danger of blind spots that can ruin a drivers day. Bottom line – It’s much safer to back into a spot and then pull strait out rather than the reverse. The supporting data exists to support this point.
Anonymous said,
Where I work we all back into the parking spaces every day. Women included! I never heard of a parking lot accident despite the fact that at the end of the day it gets like an aircraft carrier with no air traffic controller. It takes only 2 or 3 minutes for the shift’s workforce to scramble out of that parking lot – and so far safely.
Even better, during lunch people move their cars to better spots (and back in) in preparation for the punch-out scramble. If everyone parked normally and backed out, it would be a mess. This is my own anecdotal evidence of it being safer to back in, as well as the quicker getaway.
Chris said,
There is no logical reason to back your car into a parking spot. For any logical reason you may think there is, there is a better more logical reason to dismiss your reasoning. I believe that there is a pyschological connection between backing into a parking spot and one’s ego or self image. You would think I have a lot of free time to be obsessing over something so trivial but I really don’t. This just drives me crazy. The idea that backing into a spot is safer makes absolutely no sense no matter how you argue it. The main reason being that if you a making the departure part safer than you are only making the parking part less safe. At least if I use this senseless logic. The “environment doesn’t change” any more or less by being able to pull out forward then backing up when you use the argument that you “know what you’ve just passed etc, etc, etc…” because don’t you walk up to your car seeing all “that you’ve just passed”? Or do we beem our way to our car seat?
Chris said,
Also I keep seeing it being refered to at a time of a getaway after work or a “scramble” and it’s safer through this busy time. So are you saying that being able to speed out of the parking lot during this scramble is safer? That’s silly.
Eddie said,
Some people want to be able to exit their parking space quickly in the event of an emergency.
Mike said,
I wouldn’t be so dismissive about people wanting to back into parking spots. All drives at all times should be cognizant of others (both cars, bikes and pedestrians) and not block traffic, but when leaving, if you’re only having to nose out, then there is less manuvering and it is far safer to pull forward where you can see what’s in front of you instead of backing up when your visibility is limited and children could be in the area. As always, it is a personal preferance and what you are comfortable with. I’ve been doing it for years, but only when I’m aware of my surroundings.
Judy said,
I’m known for always backing in, and my friends get a kick out of it. Those who pull in never understand my logic. But it’s simple … parking spaces don’t have “traffic” in them. Yes, there could be a child or adult who wanders into the empty parking space from out of the blue, but this would be rare. There certainly are no cars driving around in your space. When you pass it and then back into it, you can be 99.9% sure it’s clear.
Obviously, you cannot be so sure when you back out. Chris’ argument that you can see what’s happening as you walk up to your car just doesn’t cut it. In the time it takes to open your door, get in, start the engine and move, a lot could have changed.
Practically every time that I walk down the driving lane at a grocery store or mall parking lot, someone backs out and almost hits me. I’m 5′4″ which is average height. These people who are backing out simply cannot see who or what is out there in the lane. I’ve never been “almost hit” by someone backing INTO a spot!
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