Parking techniques

[g220ba]

Having come across varying opinions on the matter i thought it'd be interesting to guage the car enthusiast opinion on the matter.

Basically whether i be in a truck or car i would prefer to and generally find it safer to reverse into a parking spot and drive straight out. I generally find it safer because when i reverse i can see everything around me and when i drive out i'm not reversing into potentially flowing traffic and i can definetely see whats coming a lot clearer.

Having visited Mackay several times i've found it odd that they are the only ones i've come across (surely there are more) that have reverse angle parking in the city. It's a fantastic system that is only let down by the fact people can't seem to reverse into the spots correctly.

What prompted me to bring this up is that recently i've had 2 rather interesting conversations on this matter during my daily run. The first involved a gentleman trying to tell me it was illegal to reverse into a parking because i questioned as to why his workplace had a sign saying no reverse parking (The sign was there because it was a newly rendered wall and they didn't want tow bars to damage it, It didn't take long for me to figure that out but thought i'd ask the bloke). I still didn't agree with the sign but understand the reasoning.

The second involved a gentleman refuse to load my truck because i reversed into the loading zone when for some reason the rules stated i MUST drive in. When questioned he couldn't explain to me sufficiently why i MUST drive in.

It should be interesting to guage the general concensus.

[myxr6]

Some places don't allow reverse parking due to the exhaust gases entering shops etc .

[Coyote mk3]

Originally Posted by myxr6

Some places don't allow reverse parking due to the exhaust gases entering shops etc .

Yep, I think this is the reason a lot of motels have no reverse parking signs on their walls.
Don't want the gasses in the rooms

[vztrt]

Funny that a lot of country towns have a must reverse park into spots.

Personally I don't care. In terms of a car I don't see it that much of a problem. I would rather see people get the car in straight then this moronic parking you see where they put their car in and pretty much block the one next to them.

[kenz]

I reverse in where ever I can. The front of my car is too low to fit over most of the huge concrete humps they put at the end of most parking spots and I dont want my rear end hanging out too far. However I still reverse in when Im in other cars aswell, its just easier and alot of the time seems safer

[Ben73]

Make sense at places like shopping centres to reverse into a park. So much easier to get out. I might start doing it all the time.

At places I visit for work, like mines and coal unloading stations, in their car parks it is reverse parking only.

Also in many country towns in NSW all parking on the main streets are reverse parking only. My girlfriend hates that because she hasn't parked like that before and doesn't want to even try....

[Coyote mk3]

I always reverse in (unless signed not to), I just find it easier to line up, and better to drive out.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Reverse in all the time, its easier to reverse in then drive in anyway, Ben73, how did your GF get her drivers license???

[Silver Ghia]

Although it might be easier to exit the parking space afterwards, I'm against reversing into spaces for the following reasons:

1. The many times I've seen incompetent drivers trying to reverse in, especially in larger 4wds, I'm sure there is an increased incidence of adjacent vehicles being damaged (and unreported).

2. When the owners come back to their vehicle, they then scrape the shopping trolley or shopping bags along cars parked alongside to get to the boot, or often the back side door (banging the door against the car next to them as they load up), as they cant get to the boot with the other cars right behind them.

Should be a rule at shopping centres: 'No Reversing in' .

[LTDHO]

I more ofen than not reverse into driveways.
Just makes it easier to enter the roadway when leaving.

[Franco Cozzo]

I can't reverse park very good, so I just drive around until I find a parking spot I can drive through into, lol. I don't see how it is "easier" to reverse park, its a pain in the ***, its easier to judge distance through the windscreen then it is through mirrors. Also the mirrors in my Fiesta seem to be different from the right and left side, and the rear vision mirror is the only one which is a "normal" mirror.

When I did my driving test, they just asked me to do a 3 point turn, so easy since you can use a driveway now.

[Boosh Brus]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I can't reverse park very good, so I just drive around until I find a parking spot I can drive through into, lol. I don't see how it is "easier" to reverse park, its a pain in the ***, its easier to judge distance through the windscreen then it is through mirrors.

Try looking out your rear window and use the mirrors as a guide.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Boosh Brus

Try looking out your rear window and use the mirrors as a guide.

Even then, rear view is pretty bad compared to the front windscreen.

[munners]

Always reverse in. You never know when you might have to leave town in a hurry

[msman]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Make sense at places like shopping centres to reverse into a park. So much easier to get out. I might start doing it all the time.

At places I visit for work, like mines and coal unloading stations, in their car parks it is reverse parking only.

Also in many country towns in NSW all parking on the main streets are reverse parking only. My girlfriend hates that because she hasn't parked like that before and doesn't want to even try....

rio has a company policy all vehicles to be reverse parked

[MAD]

I will reverse park unless told otherwise, unless I'm going to a supermarket, in which case I will park miles from anyone else so it doesnt really matter, and nosing in makes it easier to load the groceries in the boot.
Even my wife will reverse park as a first choice. We both drive EL's.

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by Coyote mk3

I always reverse in (unless signed not to), I just find it easier to line up, and better to drive out.

This.

[Coyote mk3]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I can't reverse park very good, so I just drive around until I find a parking spot I can drive through into, lol. I don't see how it is "easier" to reverse park, its a pain in the ***, its easier to judge distance through the windscreen then it is through mirrors. Also the mirrors in my Fiesta seem to be different from the right and left side, and the rear vision mirror is the only one which is a "normal" mirror.

When I did my driving test, they just asked me to do a 3 point turn, so easy since you can use a driveway now.

I have rather large blindspot mirrors and can see the lines on either side of the car when reversing in; also easier to maneuver as the steering wheels do not have anything to hit until you are in the space.
(that last bit doesn't really make sense, but I couldn't find better words to put it in.)

[Feathers]

I always reverse park. Even in the bus. I guess I'm just used to it, because Dad was insistent on me learning to do it when I was starting to drive. I find it a lot more accurate than driving in.
I don't find it difficult at all to just use the mirrors to do it. Probably because looking over your shoulder in the bigger vehicles doesn't help.

[LowEL2XR8]

My wifes work has a policy that all employees must revese into their carparks.
1. It is said it saves in petrol.
2. Safety when pulling out of spot.


Number 2 I can understand easily, but with number 1 it is such a minascule amount of fuel I don't see it being worth the effort. I mean you might save a litre a fuel every year??? more or less??

[mik]

i reverse in where ever i can, it does`nt matter how careful i am some silly sod likes to walk behind me when i`m reversing out of a spot.

[casabonka]

yup I always reverse park where I can - except when doing the groceries... too hard to get to the boot!

[Raptor]

Well I'll go against the flow.

I always prefer to nose-in and reverse out and always will unless signed otherwise.

Thankfully the town where I live has angled main street parking arranged this way also down both sides of the street.

I'll cite my safety as my reasoning. I'd rather reverse the rear passenger corner of my car into oncoming traffic when exiting rather than be t-boned in the drivers door, should I miss seeing an oncoming car.

[Swordsman88]

I often reverse park. I find with falcon's having long bonnets (and alot of cars you are not familiar with you can't see the front of the car at all so its hard to judge) and bays being increasingly narrower its not a bad practice (if you are ok at reversing) to reverse in. Of course you need to have confidence in how far you can go back and remember to check carefully there are no people or shopping trollies etc. in there before you go.

I have to reverse into my garage for example because while you can get in nose first it requires a 4 point process versus just a one simple reverse in. the abilty to flee the carpark promptly nose first (with vision in most cases) is also helpful versus trying to inch out blind.

nitroc xr makes a good point RE shopping trollies and such but to be honest alot of that is to do with poor operation of a shopping trolly not poor operation of a motor vehicle. That and once again every narrowing parking bays isn't helping matters....

[JC]

Originally Posted by Coyote mk3

I always reverse in (unless signed not to), I just find it easier to line up, and better to drive out.

Ditto.

Also great when you're the getaway driver!

[BFZF8]

I'll join the ranks of the reverse parkers. I've done it for probably the last ten years and I honestly believe it's easier than going nose in especially when there's not much space between rows. I even reverse into my garage when I get home.

Also there is the convenience of driving straight out like a boss.

[mrbaxr6t]

reverse parking has merits but if you are going to return to the car with a fully laden trolley of groceries reverse parking up to a wall in a carpark is stupid so you drive in, if you are parking on the side of the road, reverse parking makes sense in the same scenario as you can load boot from footpath and dont have to worry about the camber on the road dragging the trolley into the back of your car, and for idiots driving past clipping you or your trolley or both, it depends where I am and what I am doing as to how I park, both should be an option as there are arguments for both, and at home there is a very strong argument for a batman style car turntable drive in spin round drive out

[NickyN]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

My wifes work has a policy that all employees must revese into their carparks.
1. It is said it saves in petrol.
2. Safety when pulling out of spot.


Number 2 I can understand easily, but with number 1 it is such a minascule amount of fuel I don't see it being worth the effort. I mean you might save a litre a fuel every year??? more or less??

I get #2, but #1? I've seen so many people back in and out, in and out, try it again in and out, (some even have to open their doors to look at the parking markers), put their car back into gear and do it again. I've seen some drivers actually get out of their car, walk around it and then stand there deciding whether it's in the stall or not, if it's crooked or straight enough, then do it again. I was with friends when we saw an older gentleman do just this as his passenger (we're guessing his wife) screamed at him, "will ya just hurry it up and park this dang thing?") Yeah it was funny.

So as far as saving on fuel those drivers use more, whatever miniscule amount that may be. imo.

At parking structures, malls and other public places, reversing is good for me. It's easier when leaving and at a glance I can see the traffic and people around me.

[LXL15]

+1 for always reverse parking. Especially in shopping centre carparks where each row of parking is getting so close, two cars can barely drive past each other, let alone give me enough room to swing out and then go in nose first without scraping along the rear corner of the closest car.

Having the steering wheels going in last also makes it easier to control and gives you better angles, allowing you to (basically) get the car straight by the time you're half way into the parking spot, then just reverse straight back. Going in nose first means you won't be straight until you're almost all the way in (that's what I find, at least).

[Halfmo Rocks]

i just normally find mysel being too courteous & not wanting to hold trailing cars up/not catch a hyundai up the clacker because she didn't think i would back up & tried to go around me

Originally Posted by mrbaxr6t

there is a very strong argument for a batman style car turntable drive in spin round drive out

my dad reckons this will be the first thing he buys if/when he wins lotto. and he's serious...a turntable garage floor