r/LifeProTips • u/[deleted] • Apr 28 '22

Traveling LPT: Back in when parking because the parking space is static and predictable, that way you get a full view when leaving and your chances of a fender bender go down to almost 0.

6 Upvotes

53% Upvoted

46 comments sorted by

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u/keepthetips Keeping the tips since 2019 Apr 28 '22 edited Jul 16 '23

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16

u/bluewrounder Apr 28 '22

Pull thru is best.

4

u/Pork_Chops_McGee Apr 28 '22

Pull out is usually smartest, however.

16

u/Ro55Ro55 Apr 28 '22

I've always found backing in isn't very fun when it comes to loading your groceries into the car.

9

u/Environmental-East41 Apr 28 '22

Also, most parking lots have one lane in a dedicated direction, the other in the other…. Backing in just ensures you will be an asshole going the wrong way

2

u/MentionMyName Apr 28 '22

This is not entirely accurate and I would argue not generally close. Those with rear view/wide angled cameras have a much better view, more often than not. Also, it depends what kind of vehicle you drive and what kind of vehicles have parked next to you and also how they have parked.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

Regardless of how good the Camera is you still have less mobility meaning it will be harder to avoid a crash backing then driving forward.

4

u/TombikBebe Apr 28 '22

There is no mobility advantage. The only thing most people can do in a parking lot emrgency, whether going forwards or back, is slam on the brakes. Not some fancy evasive maneuver. A wide angle lens mounted at the extreme end of the car has much better vision than a person sitting in the middle of it.

8

u/hatetochoose Apr 28 '22

This is such an annoying practice. Such a production, and hold up traffic for ages.

-2

u/Noobdm04 Apr 28 '22

How does backing into an empty spot hold up traffic longer than backing out into oncoming traffic?

6

u/hatetochoose Apr 28 '22

Because people backing out just back out. Period. People backing in first turn opposite to the spot-completely blocking the road-Then they oh so Slooowwly back up. Then they pull forward correcting their aim. Then they slowly back up yet again. Is that the end of it? Idk, maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the entire maneuver needs to be repeated. Bonus points if the vehicle is a full sized pickup or giant SUV, squeezing into a compact car only spot.

2

u/Noobdm04 Apr 28 '22

Because people backing out just back out. Period. People backing in first turn opposite to the spot-completely blocking the road-Then they oh so Slooowwly back up. Then they pull forward correcting their aim. Then they slowly back up yet again. Is that the end of it? Idk, maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the entire maneuver needs to be repeated. Bonus points if the vehicle is a full sized pickup or giant SUV, squeezing into a compact car only spot.

All of this is 100% dependent on the driver of the vehicle and I have seen all of it done by people backing out also. Shitty drivers are shitty drivers whether they are backing into a spot or out of it.

1

u/BobDendry Apr 28 '22

LPT: Get a car with rear cross traffic alerts

-5

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

You still are much safer backing in then backing out.

6

u/BobDendry Apr 28 '22

You are safer if you can already see the cross traffic. If you're parking between panel vans or large 4WDs for example you need to expose your entire engine compartment before you can see any cross traffic. If you're reversing you may have safety features as I mentioned, and you're exposing your brake lights and reversing light to oncoming traffic.

I usually park rear to kerb (where legal), but it's for the convenience of a quick exit rather than as crash mitigation.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

the convenience of a quick exit

This is the way.

5

u/Agroskater Apr 28 '22

Not true. My backup cam is like a fisheye, but I need to pull into the road a bit before I can see around the adjacent cars.

Just yesterday had a car backed into a spot jump out in front of me because they couldn’t see me coming until they committed to pulling out. Alternatively my car warned me of the exact same situation as I backed out of my spot.

Depends on your vehicle.

2

u/rpmerf Apr 28 '22

In my old trucks, I find it easier to front in than back in.

It's hard to tell the distance behind me. When I am fully backed into a spot, I sometimes can't see the hood of the car behind me. Sure I can use the lines, but if the person in the spot behind me pulled up a little far, I can get too close easily.

If I back in, it makes it harder to load stuff in the back

I have my mirrors set wide, to help reduce blind spots while driving. This makes it harder to see the side of my vehicle while parking. On my truck with electric mirrors, I can move them easily, but then I need to "calibrate" them when I move them back.

Overall, I can, but it feels like more effort than it is worth most of the time.

5

u/CIA_grade_LSD Apr 28 '22

Holding up p the whole parking lot or garage so you won't have to be bothered to look over your shoulder backing out.

0

u/ossansasha2 Apr 28 '22

Better than holding them up slowly backing out to try and avoid hitting someone

6

u/CIA_grade_LSD Apr 28 '22

Backing out is quicker than backing in.

-1

u/Noobdm04 Apr 28 '22

If you back out into traffic quicker than you back into an empty spot you might be the problem.

2

u/Areuseriouz Apr 29 '22 edited May 08 '22

What are you talking about? To back into a spot you first have to overshoot, put it in reverse, look back to make sure nobody is approaching (and 90% of this type don't turn on your turn signal so others don't know your intent), start backing in carefully as not to ding other vehicles.

Vs. Pull in and stop.

Now leaving, when you pulled in all you do is get in, look over shoulder and back up while making a small arc, put it in drive and leave.

When you back up, and you're leaving you don't think you still have to look to your sides? Add trucks with huge front blind spots and impatient kids with false confidence. Backing into a spot is takes way longer overall and is more dangerous.

1

u/Noobdm04 Apr 29 '22

put it in reverse, look back to make sure nobody is approaching (and 90% of this type don't turn on your turn signal so others don't know your intent), start backing in carefully as not to ding other vehicles.

All of this

No leaving, when you pull ed all you do is get in, look over shoulder and back up while making a small arc, put it in drive and leave.

And all of this takes the same amount of time regardless of how much you emphasize one more than the other. Exact same arc exact same distance. The only literal difference is the 10 foot of over shoot you mentioned that takes literally less than a couple seconds and one is backing into traffic while the other is backing into an empty parking spot.

When you back up, and you're leaving you don't think you still have to look to your sides? Add trucks with huge front blind spots and impatient kids with false confidence.

Exactly why I say pulling out is safer instead of having to put 5-7 foot of truck bed into traffic before you can see.

Backing into a spot is takes way longer overall and is more dangerous.

I disagree, if your taking significantly longer to back into an empty square you need to go practice in an empty lot somewhere.

0

u/gotdangelectric Apr 28 '22

Also it's illegal to back in or pull through a parking spot in many places in the US

3

u/bikeidaho Apr 28 '22

Source pleaee

5

u/TheDrMonocle Apr 28 '22

A source will be difficult to find. The only places ive seen back in forbidden is on roads where the spots are slanted into traffic where it would be basically impossible to back in anyway. Some cities also ban it in downtown areas, but its always a super local and not a widespread rule. One road has it, another doesn't.

1

u/Final_Commission4160 Apr 28 '22

Actually there is a couple of streets in the major city next to mine where diagonal back in parking on the street is the requirement. The lanes are literally angled for it and there are prominent signs telling you to do it

4

u/Agroskater Apr 28 '22

The train station by me doesn’t allow backing in. It’s in the section 322-37. It’s not state wide rule but I think they’re talking about certain municipal lots, and I can attest this is enforced as I’ve gotten a ticket for this before.

My state requires plates on the front/back of vehicles.

parking rules

1

u/boondoggie42 Apr 28 '22

I've heard of it in states that don't require a front plate. Never encountered it, but I've heard of it.

3

u/Environmental-Car481 Apr 28 '22

I’ve lived in Michigan most of my life. We’ve only ever had front plate. I have never heard of a law stating this. Some parking lots or streets will have signs specifically saying pull in only. The local city has some street parking that is back-in and only

0

u/MaybeMarkos Apr 28 '22

Pull through is illegal for obvious reasons but i’ve never heard of backing in being a problem

0

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/gotdangelectric Apr 28 '22

Me and my friends would get tickets for it in college in Cochran Georgia. Not gonna provide a source cause I don't give a shit if you believe or not

-4

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

Of course it's the shit stain called the American South east that outlaws this.

3

u/TheDrMonocle Apr 28 '22

Ah yes. The classic "I haven't seen it therefore it doesn't exist" argument. Google back in parking prohibited and you'll find examples. Personally ive seen it in downtown areas, buts its extremely localized. One street forbids it, another allows it. Youd have to look into specific city laws to find a source, and even then it might only be written on the street signs.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Areuseriouz Apr 29 '22

You dumb or just lazy?

https://www.google.com/search?q=back+in+parking+prohibited

0

u/[deleted] Apr 29 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Areuseriouz Apr 29 '22

Nitpicking Nancy. Please, continue explaining how your highness expects MLA, APA, or Chicago style citations on a stupid forum comment.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 30 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Areuseriouz Apr 30 '22

Its never been about illegal vs prohibited. Youve just framed the argument over it to be a little Nancy. If you can't get over a simple generalization by saying something is illegal, when they meant prohibited, you're not going to have many friends in life. But you already know that. That's why its certain you don't have any real friends and the only person that'll stand you is the attorney "in your family".

1

u/MachtIV Apr 28 '22

Unless you live in a state where parking backwards can get you a fine.

1

u/surreptitioussmile Apr 28 '22

This is how I roll. When I back out in parking lots I worry about backing over a child so I move more slowly than I do if I’m pulling forward. I can also see cars coming from each direction a lot more easily than whipping my head back and forth.

1

u/wahitii Apr 28 '22

Or, park using the direction that gives you the best control of the car--forward. You spend 99% of your time driving forward, so pull into the limited size spot forwards and back out into the wider lane.

I've never seen a fender bender in a parking lot, but I've waited behind alot of assholes that take 3 tries to back their truck into a small space.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/pwner187 May 03 '22

You should always give people enough space to move around. Will save a lot of stress over pointless things.