Why do people back into parking spaces?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not reason 15 pages but here is your answer Op.

These are army vets. This is the way the military trains you - so you can get out of dodge fast. Just another sign I guess of the civilian/military divide.

Exactly why I back in. Quick escape!

And whoa-is-me to the pedestrians you mow down as you make your quick escape. You aren't in a war zone anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have none of the backup haters here had the experience of having a car back out of a parking space when you're walking right there as a pedestrian, and having no idea whether they see you there or not? When a car is pulling forward out of a parking space where there are pedestrians, you can make eye contact. You generally know if they see you, and if you don't. That's been my experience, anyway. As a pedestrian, I feel much less secure when I'm in some grocery store parking lot trying to walk near a car that might be backing up, as opposed to one that's front-forward. I can see if anyone is in the car, and I can see if they see me, if they're pulling out of a space front forward as opposed to backing up. This isn't rocket science, guys.

I can see people better with my backup camera. It has a wide view. I drive a sedan and am often between two SUVs. When I'm front facing, I sometimes can't see around them on either side.

So for me, backing out with the camera, that also makes sounds and flashes at me if it detects things coming from either side, is much safer.

My backup camera doesn't do that. And as a pedestrian in a grocery store, I certainly can't tell whose backup cameras do that, much less who is actually paying attention to their backup cameras. As a pedestrian, I feel safer when I can look the driver in the eye and see if they see me or not, which I can't do if you haven't backed in.

[Anonymous]

I have had more "are they going to hit me?" experiences in parking lots with people backing out of spaces not seeing me than I have had with people pulling straight out of spaces front forward. And I've never had a close call as a pedestrian with a car that is backing into a space -- maybe because I back in alot I recognize when other cars pull forward and stop near a space, so I just walk on the other side? Maybe folks who don't park that way themselves are more confused by it though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is safer. I do it in one try. Actually, it is easier for me to back into a space than pull into one.

This makes no sense. Pulling into a space is literally driving forward, or as I like to call it, driving.

If you can't drive, don't.

[Anonymous]

There seem to be more people backing into parking spaces these days, which drives me a little nuts. When you are driving behind someone and they use their turn signal to make a left or right into a parking spot front end first, it's very straightforward and easy and quick.

When they choose to back into a spot, it's always a big production. They usually don't turn on a turn signal until they are past the spot. You don't immediately know what they are doing. If it's a busy area, cars sometimes have to back up to let them park. It's much more time consuming. Most people are not very good at backing into a spot. And it's a bigger imposition on everyone around them who would just like to get on with their day.

Personally, I don't like people who back into parking spaces. They are usually rude, paranoid, entitled, inconsiderate, or bad drivers. Not war crimes exactly, but exactly the people who would commit war crimes if given the chance.

[Anonymous]

lol okay definitely a balanced person.

[Anonymous]

I love it when people try to back in. I then steal their parking spot by pulling in. Thanks for saving it for me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have none of the backup haters here had the experience of having a car back out of a parking space when you're walking right there as a pedestrian, and having no idea whether they see you there or not? When a car is pulling forward out of a parking space where there are pedestrians, you can make eye contact. You generally know if they see you, and if you don't. That's been my experience, anyway. As a pedestrian, I feel much less secure when I'm in some grocery store parking lot trying to walk near a car that might be backing up, as opposed to one that's front-forward. I can see if anyone is in the car, and I can see if they see me, if they're pulling out of a space front forward as opposed to backing up. This isn't rocket science, guys.

I can see people better with my backup camera. It has a wide view. I drive a sedan and am often between two SUVs. When I'm front facing, I sometimes can't see around them on either side.

So for me, backing out with the camera, that also makes sounds and flashes at me if it detects things coming from either side, is much safer.

My backup camera doesn't do that. And as a pedestrian in a grocery store, I certainly can't tell whose backup cameras do that, much less who is actually paying attention to their backup cameras. As a pedestrian, I feel safer when I can look the driver in the eye and see if they see me or not, which I can't do if you haven't backed in.

This is bizarre.

What about when someone is backing in? You're walking behind their car, not in front. I will never understand the "backing in is safer" argument. It's truly so odd and nonsensical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have none of the backup haters here had the experience of having a car back out of a parking space when you're walking right there as a pedestrian, and having no idea whether they see you there or not? When a car is pulling forward out of a parking space where there are pedestrians, you can make eye contact. You generally know if they see you, and if you don't. That's been my experience, anyway. As a pedestrian, I feel much less secure when I'm in some grocery store parking lot trying to walk near a car that might be backing up, as opposed to one that's front-forward. I can see if anyone is in the car, and I can see if they see me, if they're pulling out of a space front forward as opposed to backing up. This isn't rocket science, guys.

No, because I wait for the pedestrian to pass. In 28 years of driving, I've never once come close to hitting a pedestrian backing up, or had any anxiety about doing so. Because I'm a competent driver, both before and after having a rear camera. It's not hard.

Walking through parking lots, I feel WAY less safe with people backing in, and me walking behind them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH thinks it's time spent upfront to prevent possible accident when leaving. Engineer friend does it by habit because required for safety protocol at work.

This. And with the rear view camera, it doesn't take me three tries, just one try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is safer. I do it in one try. Actually, it is easier for me to back into a space than pull into one.

This makes no sense. Pulling into a space is literally driving forward, or as I like to call it, driving.

If you can't drive, don't.

You failed geometry and trig, didn't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have none of the backup haters here had the experience of having a car back out of a parking space when you're walking right there as a pedestrian, and having no idea whether they see you there or not? When a car is pulling forward out of a parking space where there are pedestrians, you can make eye contact. You generally know if they see you, and if you don't. That's been my experience, anyway. As a pedestrian, I feel much less secure when I'm in some grocery store parking lot trying to walk near a car that might be backing up, as opposed to one that's front-forward. I can see if anyone is in the car, and I can see if they see me, if they're pulling out of a space front forward as opposed to backing up. This isn't rocket science, guys.

I can see people better with my backup camera. It has a wide view. I drive a sedan and am often between two SUVs. When I'm front facing, I sometimes can't see around them on either side.

So for me, backing out with the camera, that also makes sounds and flashes at me if it detects things coming from either side, is much safer.

My backup camera doesn't do that. And as a pedestrian in a grocery store, I certainly can't tell whose backup cameras do that, much less who is actually paying attention to their backup cameras. As a pedestrian, I feel safer when I can look the driver in the eye and see if they see me or not, which I can't do if you haven't backed in.

This is bizarre.

What about when someone is backing in? You're walking behind their car, not in front. I will never understand the "backing in is safer" argument. It's truly so odd and nonsensical.

The only bizarre thing is your childish insistence in this thread that you're right, despite all evidence to the contrary. Obviously when someone drives in to a parking lot and backs into a space, pedestrians are on alert because the car has been moving. Pedestrians see them. Many pedestrians would see a moving car and already be trying to adjust their path to stay out of the moving car's way. If someone had just parked their car close to where that car was backing in, they might unavoidably be walking close to the area where the backing up car is, but they also will obviously see that the car was moving and is now backing up. DOH.

When you're in a parking lot where some cars have backed in and some haven't, the only indication you get that a car with its rear to you might start moving is the brake lights. Some drivers barely look before beginning to back up, so as a pedestrian you might get a second of brake lights and then sudden backing up movement from a car. This has happened to me and it's very frightening as a pedestrian. I much prefer to walk in front of cars that are facing forward because you can tell whether anyone is in the driver's seat, and if there is you can make eye contact and see whether or not they're actually planning to pull out.

I think some of the people who aren't grokking this in this thread are just being deliberately obtuse. It's not that hard to understand why backing in is safer. I am fine with people who don't do it, but there's certainly no cause to fault the folks who do -- they're just trying to make things safer for everyone.

That said, I also hear the people in here saying that people who back in take up extra time for the people behind them and they can always wait to pull out of a space when they need to. That makes sense to me, also.

[Anonymous]

for pete's sake, don't walk behind a car that's backing into a space, lol!

[Anonymous]

The people who not only don't back in ever but also argue against it vociferously are those who cannot parallel park to save their lives and probably have dubious basic driving skills as well.

[Anonymous]

Most military bases and any critical operations centers require it. No big deal.

It is faster and safer for exits in a hurry.

It is also a trait of successful persons.