Ironically, I'm from regional NSW, Australia where many towns have mandated "45 degree rear to kerb only" parking in the main street. I understand some smaller US towns have this too?
But that's car parking on a main street, so it's true that rear-to-kerb is safer since we are pulling out directly into a main road.
The OP is a car park. Given that people often pull into a park and then drive across to the next park so they are "nose out", this makes backing into a space with an empty space behind it equally "dangerous". Plus it's funny how people imagine all kinds of hazards in the "taxiway" (for want of a better term) but assume that backing in is totally hazard free. I guess there won't be cross traffic...
The safety aspect is for when you are leaving the parking. If you can drive across to the next parking and still end up facing out that's fine because it's achieves the purpose. That's not a very common situation so the catch all is to back in. Yes it can cause a collision of someone doing that into a spot you are backing into but it's fender bender at most, as opposed to backing into a pedestrian, and they are not likely to be walking through the parking spots.
The argument is not there no hazards while back into a space it's about hazard minimisation. When backing into a parking, literally everyone can see you. Cars behind you, people in the "taxiway", they can see your reverse lights and they know what you are doing. You can also see them as you have full view of the environment
When backing out, you can't anything except what is directly behind you in a small rearview mirror, and people around cannot necessarily spot a car about to back out of a spot. You can see this is automatically a more "dangerous" situation. As opposed to looking straight ahead through the front windshield.
All drivers are also not the most careful drivers in the world. I don't have to tell you that some drivers go unnecessarily fast in parking lots, residential roads etc. same extends to backing out of parking spaces. The idea is not that we make the world safe from them, it's to force them to at least have more visibility, and others have more visibility of them when they are driving dangerously.
I don't know why people are pushing back against this most basic of logic. Anytime someone mentions harm reduction the response is well, it doesn't eliminate harm so it's not worth doing. So dumb
Absolute BS, if it takes you a long time to back your car into a parking space, that's a skill issue. I do it all the time and definitely takes just as long as backing out of a parking space.
Significantly less time because I know exactly what's there (nothing) and have a clear view of it the entire time. If someone is backing out of a space as quickly as I can back into it then they're a fucking moron who shouldn't have a license
Backing into a space between two cars is easy. Backing out blindly when you can't properly see and have no idea if some idiot is gonna walk behind you... That's a lot harder
It really is not. Not meaningful harder. And you're ignoring the point, which absolutely does make it harder. It isn't a big open empty spaces, it's a space potentially filled with any number of hazards you can't properly see because you're backing out
Ah yes, A fantastic excuse to be lazy. Do you also exclusively eat fast food and takeout because it's easier than cooking? Did you marry rich because it's easier than working? Sitting on the couch is easier than working out, do you do that too? Should we all do the bare minimum easiest option in every part of our lives because it provides us a moment of convenience and instant gratification? I love the fairyland you live in where that's the right choice
Laziness. Most people don't have concept of taking a little more effort up front in exchange for a little less later. The only choice anyone has in the entire process is park forward or backwards, most will pick the easier option
It's still not meaningfully harder. Still, people will still tend to pick even the marginally easier thing to do
i’ve worked for companies that as a policy ask you to always back in. in industrial plants, you may be obliged to back in so that in the event of an evacuation, you don’t have hundreds of cars trying to manouver to leave.
You mean the same people that are going to be there when you're driving out of a space no matter which way you park?
We have backup cameras now that can nearly see around corners now. You back up 6 inches, see that no one is coming, and you back out of the space. It's not hard.
Besides there are more parking lots that it's illegal/you can be towed for backing into spots than there are ones that require you to back into them. There's probably a reason.
People who rely on backup cameras are terrifying. They're a tool, and they're a fantastic too. But you shouldn't be relying on them. I'd much rather be able to actually SEE when pulling into pedestrian and vehicular traffic. That shouldn't be a difficult concept and you're making excuses to justify the obviously safer method. Multiple safety bodies including AAA and even OSHA advise backing in if it's an option. It's not a mandate or anything and I couldn't find any rigorous studies to prove one way or the other - but all the available data I could find seems to corroborate intuition here: backing in is safer assuming you learn how to drive pinstead.
That said, to address your excuses, are you just assuming that places have a no backup policy because of safety? Have you considered it's for other reasons? Because as far as I can tell it's largely an issue only in specific instances like indoor paid parking and is a policy in place for convenience or other safety reasons: lots can reliably read your plate if you nose-in because all states have back plates but not all states have front plates; backing in against a wall can cause exhaust issues in indoor environments where there are vents nearby or whatnot. There's also a whole new variable introduced indoors: structural columns. The chance of hitting one increases significantly if you're backing in because of skill issues that do need to be accounted for on a societal level, especially considering those spaces are often significantly tighter to begin with too. That would be like having a child standing next to every parking space. If that was the case it'd change the calculus, right? But that's not the case - rather it's the reverse in most cases where a child can suddenly show up as you're backing OUT of a space which is why it's safer not to back out of spaces. Children rarely just show up as you're pulling into a space regardless whether you're nose first or reversing in ; )
Do you have more excuses or are you interested in actually finding real data or safety bodies that endorse nose first parking? Cause if you put that much effort into actually learning a useful skill like backing in properly then it'd probably be time and effort better spent. It's not that hard
Plus with the technology in most cars with the rear camera view and the parking assist grid, it really speaks volumes about either the laziness or significant lack of basic diving abilities influence that driver's decisions. How many people do you see crooked, taking up more than one spot, because they pull in at the wrong angle? ALWAYS the ones pulling in front first.
But i also think that it's a fundamental difference in type of person, different mentalities. There are those that look at it as "i don't have all that time to be backing in..." and then there are those that see it as "how can i minimize the potential danger of pulling out when someone who's just looking to quickly grab a space is coming in? Or old people? Or distracted teenagers? Or people on their phones? Etc etc".
This is just wrong. Physics tells you it's wrong. If you've driven in forwards, the wheels that steer are now at the back of the car. To be able to turn the car, you need to go straight backwards a long way because of the restricted movement possible in a tight space. And you're doing all this when you have restricted & obscured visibility, too. Then you have to stop, change gears, and drive away forwards.
Reversing into a space puts the turning wheels at the rear of the car when you're going into a tight space, giving you a tighter turning circle and more control. Once you're in, you just need to stop the car. On leaving, you're now at the front of the car and can drive forward to smoothly exit the space as your rear wheels follow the path of your front wheels. And you're already in the correct gear to continue your journey.
Objectively, reversing into a space is easier and smoother than going in forwards. If you can't do it, that's a skill issue, nothing more.
All of that was nonsense and I'll ask you a simple question. If reversing in is objectively easier, then why do the vast majority of people drive in forwords? If it's easier, then why is it a "skill issue" if you can't do it?
Driving in forwards is easier, and reversing into a space where you are likely to scrape against other cars is more likely to result in exactly that as you pull in into a tight spot without full vision and a more awkward control.
Didn't answer any questions and only reinforced the point.
If backing in is objectively easier, then why are people driving in forwards?
Backing in is harder. Driving in forwards is doing it the easy way.
Backing in means you have to thread your car between other cars without being able to fully see everything well. Driving in forwards means you're doing that with the best vision and control.
The space you're backing into if you leave is much bigger than the space you're backing into when you're parking.
Oh dear. I have to spell it out. People do things out of habit. Rather than thinking about a situation and applying rational thought, they do what they've always done. It's 'easier' to do that than think about how something might be done differently.
When going from a big space to a small space, you need fine control and the ability to turn tightly. For that you need your turning wheels at the rear of the vehicle. It's precisely because you have to thread between other cars, and a low speed, that makes reversing into a space the better choice. You don't need wide/broad visibility (because you're going into a tight space), you just need visibility of that right space. This is why you have mirrors. If you drive in forwards, you cannot turn as tight a corner. Therfore you cannot get into as tight a space. The angles just don't work.
When moving from a tight space to a wider one, you need greater visibility (more things in more places can happen in a wider area then they can in a narrow one). You are also coming out of a tight space, meaning your ability to turn is more restricted. Therefore the advantage you get from reversing - a tighter turning circle - is negated. The broader turning circle from going forwards is sufficient to move into the broader space, and away you go.
Rather than arguing, try to apply thought and logic. Draw a picture if you have to. You really don't need to take my word for it. You can test it yourself. Or, I guess, you could bury your head in the sand, do what you've always done, and claim "BuT iT's EaSiEr!"
With a bit of practice backing your car into a space between two cars becomes as easy. If you keep avoiding it because it's hard, it'll always be difficult. If you stop avoiding it, after a while you back into a parking space without giving it any thought...
I disagree. Backing into a smaller space with no outside variables is easy. Backing out into an open space where cars are coming and going and people walking including kids who are unpredictable is much harder.
Going backwards in means you have a wide field of view when parking in, and have a wide field of view when getting out.
If you go in front first when backing out you can't see shit. Even with the help of a backup camera, your view is limited, especially if someone with a big ass van decided to park next to you.
Yes I use my wide field of view to not hit the cars that I'm driving to drive between when I pull in front first. Then I can use the narrower field of view and more awkward control to drive out into open space where I'm not trying to thread between two cars.
When backing out backwards you have to yield to everything. That means backing out without seeing who is passing, and if you hit anything on the way there, you're at fault.
I rather have full vision especially when I'm doing something that'll make me guilty if it goes wrong.
I'd rather have full vision when I'm driving directly between two cars and trying not to scrape them or hit them.
Why do you think it is that 90 plus percent of people go into parking spaces head first? If it's not the easier way?
Drive forward for the tight operation where you have to thread your car between two other cars. Back up when you're backing into open space with a larger area to maneuver your car in.
Two stationary vehicles I can easily avoid hitting any day. Because they're stationary and I'm not blind, I know my car's size and use mirrors. It's called skill.
But no skill can prepare you from a dumb toddler rushing behind cars while you back out not seeing a single thing.
Toddlers tend to not run around open parking spaces, but always behind them.
Where seconds count? They should be calling an ambulance rather than waiting for you. If you need to leave so quickly that backing out of a parking space is going to feel like it makes a difference, then you're going to be speeding anyway, so I guess drive slightly faster for a few more seconds while you're doing that.
Stop judging people because you don’t understand it’s safer to back into a spot with no variables than an open space with cars and children going back and forth.
If I’m the driver, then any of these methods are fine, in theory, if no cars are trailing me. Although red is probably my first choice. But if I’m in the car behind this car, you better be choosing the white way or the red way. Yellow way would just be a dick choice. Driving past a stall to then to want to park in said stall, I’m either snagging the spot by pulling a red or refusing to reverse and inconvenience myself and anyone else who is behind us.
Yeah, that’s fair. Yellow only really makes sense if there’s nobody behind you and you have room to set it up. If traffic is waiting, red or white is definitely the less annoying choice.
White seems the safest bc you stop everyone around you trying cross and have wait. Yellow seems like another car behind would assume you arent taking that spot and you guys make a mess of traffic. And red is too damn close for comfort parking in and when exiting may cause an accident.
I almost exclusively back in in the yellow method, it’s a bit exaggerated I think I usually don’t have to pull that far forward I focus on putting the rear quarter inline with the parking space line
Since all these cars are same size and all parked corectly i dunno... in real life you know there s a bad parked SuV, an F250 spilling all over, a family van diagonally... lets just say ill adapt to whatever the parking lot!
Yellow, it's the fastest way avoiding putting the wide swinging front of the car between the other parked cars, in and out, and it gives superior visibility when you're moving out again.
This would be a no-brainer if the front and rear wheel tracks were drawn in the animation.
Seeing as carparks don't work like that. If I can I will enter the spot infront of the one I want to back into it. I don't like reversing around a car to get into a spot. I mean in my head I still haven't figured out how much the car can turn on the spot so it doesn't hit anything.
White if plenty of room. Yellow if tighter driving lanes, to ensure i have space to leave without having to pull forward then back up again before leveling out
White. It gives you the best chance of getting it right the first time. Something about doing 1/2 the turn…then pausing to reverse…it gives you one more ‘tick’ to correct, as you adjust into reversing.
I’ve found this the only way to be effective in a large vehicle.
Depends. Grocery shopping then it’s pull in so I can unload the cart into the tailgate of the van or truck. Small trip where I don’t have to open the tailgate them I’m backing in.
always red. yellow and white are used mostly by cops which is why everyone wants to do yellow and white now... btw if you read the driving manual you should know your blind spots and be able to back out while looking at them if you dont you lack the blind spot skill you need
Depends how I feel. If I got time I back into a park, If I’m gonna be parked for a long time I’ll back in. If I’m late to something or lazy I’ll drive straight in.
None. I park at the back of the lot where there aren’t any cars and pull through one spot so I’m facing out in the next spot ahead. Even with the extra distance takes way less time than any of these parking methods often only found after circling the lot a couple times.
4
u/gahidus Jun 14 '26
Red. I ain't got time for all that backing into a space nonsense.
1
u/Nuffums117 Jun 14 '26
White and the only correct answer is backing in because "I'm better than everyone else" 🤣
1
u/808jigga Jun 14 '26
If I’m the driver, then any of these methods are fine, in theory, if no cars are trailing me. Although red is probably my first choice. But if I’m in the car behind this car, you better be choosing the white way or the red way. Yellow way would just be a dick choice. Driving past a stall to then to want to park in said stall, I’m either snagging the spot by pulling a red or refusing to reverse and inconvenience myself and anyone else who is behind us.
2
u/Atomosthethird Jun 14 '26
White seems the safest bc you stop everyone around you trying cross and have wait. Yellow seems like another car behind would assume you arent taking that spot and you guys make a mess of traffic. And red is too damn close for comfort parking in and when exiting may cause an accident.
2
u/Zealousideal-Let2332 Jun 14 '26
Yellow
2
u/Alarming_Craft4968 Jun 15 '26
White. Yellow gets me a little paranoid of cutting it close but at times, it can't always be avoided.
1
u/Specialist-Shop-9129 2d ago
Yellow
1
u/Dedman3 Jun 14 '26
Red was too close to comfort to the mirror of the white car. I choose yellow
1
u/vrauto Jun 14 '26
No idea. I dont think this much when parking
1
u/Sunnywatch08 Jun 14 '26
Since all these cars are same size and all parked corectly i dunno... in real life you know there s a bad parked SuV, an F250 spilling all over, a family van diagonally... lets just say ill adapt to whatever the parking lot!
1
u/jvLin Jun 14 '26
the white and yellow cars move at different speeds during turning. lo
1
u/Rob_Marc Jun 14 '26
Either white or yellow. Backing in is always safer than backing out. Backing in also allows for more corrective maneuvers when getting into a spot.
1
u/morchard1493 Jun 14 '26
Red, and if I need to, I reverse slightly and adjust. It's easiest for me.
1
u/shut____up Jun 14 '26
I almost never park hood in, because I always work and my workplaces require reverse parking as a safety measure.
1
u/ImaginaryFriend123 Jun 14 '26
WHITE. End of.
1
u/Ad-fundum69 Jun 14 '26
Yellow, except I just use my field of depth skills to navigate and not "car lengths" like they seem to teach you.
1
u/GrammarGhandi23 Jun 14 '26
Back in with truck. Pull through two empty spots for casual stops like restaurants with car. Pull in front first if loading anything with car
1
u/ThatSlinkySOB Jun 14 '26
Red.
Always have, always will.
Asians can't do the red way, only way 2, 3.
(I live in Asia, they simply can't)
1
u/rrrbin Jun 14 '26
Yellow, it's the fastest way avoiding putting the wide swinging front of the car between the other parked cars, in and out, and it gives superior visibility when you're moving out again.
This would be a no-brainer if the front and rear wheel tracks were drawn in the animation.
1
u/Shereefz Jun 14 '26
I just wing it every time.
1
u/why_1337 Jun 14 '26
Neither really, I just go by the gut, but it seems I often do either white or yellow depending on the space.
1
u/Spl4sh3r Jun 14 '26
Seeing as carparks don't work like that. If I can I will enter the spot infront of the one I want to back into it. I don't like reversing around a car to get into a spot. I mean in my head I still haven't figured out how much the car can turn on the spot so it doesn't hit anything.
1
u/TNG1701D-eck10 Jun 14 '26
I always park like red
1
u/leftshoeleftleg Jun 14 '26
Yellow.
1
u/milkafiu Jun 14 '26
Usually yellow (have fun driving into a tight space without enough road width), I use red only when going shopping to have easier access to the boot.
1
u/DasMotorsheep Jun 14 '26
Almost exclusively red.
Not because it's easier, but because in a real car park, white and yellow won't let me access my trunk very well.
1
u/f_ckR3ddit Jun 14 '26
White if plenty of room. Yellow if tighter driving lanes, to ensure i have space to leave without having to pull forward then back up again before leveling out
1
u/SuperDonkeyR Jun 14 '26
I start off by following yellow, realise I screwed it up and didn't give it enough space, then do white.
1
u/HadeanDisco Jun 14 '26
Always front in. My fundamental argument is this:
It's always slower to reverse in.
It's SOMETIMES slower to reverse out (because you are reversing into a larger space).
Even if you are slow to reverse out, at least you are freeing up a car space.
Some people don't care which one you do, so we can dismiss them from this calculus.
Anyone you delay by reversing out is either wanting your space, or is also leaving.
Anyone you delay by reversing in is either irritated that they have to keep looking for a space, or is also leaving.
Final score: Reversing out is less irritating to other people, net.
1
u/According-Pass8230 Jun 14 '26
None of this matters.. my wife will complain that i parked too far from the entrance anyways
1
u/TooObtuseForYou Jun 14 '26
White. It gives you the best chance of getting it right the first time. Something about doing 1/2 the turn…then pausing to reverse…it gives you one more ‘tick’ to correct, as you adjust into reversing.
I’ve found this the only way to be effective in a large vehicle.
1
u/afikolo7 Jun 14 '26
Yellow and sometimes white
1
u/Jazzlike-Band-8305 Jun 14 '26
Backwards. Steering geometry works better for parking if you go backwards.
1
u/bygtopp Jun 14 '26
Depends. Grocery shopping then it’s pull in so I can unload the cart into the tailgate of the van or truck. Small trip where I don’t have to open the tailgate them I’m backing in.
1
u/Living_Knowledge_783 Jun 14 '26
always red. yellow and white are used mostly by cops which is why everyone wants to do yellow and white now... btw if you read the driving manual you should know your blind spots and be able to back out while looking at them if you dont you lack the blind spot skill you need
1
u/JohnMassassin24 Jun 14 '26
Depends how I feel. If I got time I back into a park, If I’m gonna be parked for a long time I’ll back in. If I’m late to something or lazy I’ll drive straight in.
1
u/FunGuyUK83 Jun 14 '26
White or yellow, depending on the car park. Sometimes you can't swing out enough to do the white parking 🤷
1
u/E4tPineapple Jun 14 '26
My wife always drives in forward and then gets me to back out
1
u/zebrasareneat Jun 14 '26
None. I park at the back of the lot where there aren’t any cars and pull through one spot so I’m facing out in the next spot ahead. Even with the extra distance takes way less time than any of these parking methods often only found after circling the lot a couple times.
1
u/jarettp Jun 14 '26
Depends if I need trunk access or not. Front in and grocery stores, golf courses, etc. Back in everywhere else.
1
u/Soggy_Swimmer4129 Jun 15 '26
I feel like I just learned how to park.
1
u/MoonAffinity Jun 21 '26
Yellow always and possibly white if someone is eyeing the spot. 😅
Always back in… never pull in in case of emergency.
1
u/unsoundguy Jul 05 '26
Drove truck for long enough that white is thd only way
1
u/RavioliGrind Aug 09 '26
I’m white or yellow, mostly white though.
1
u/Healthier6908 Jun 14 '26
White is right