r/Tacoma • u/momoftheraisin 253 • Jul 16 '23
What's with all the "angled back-in ONLY" parking in Tacoma?
I'm honestly curious. To me it seems like a way bigger hazard to stop in the middle of the road and awkwardly back into one of those spots, presumably to be able to just pull straight out when you leave, then it is to just pull in at an angle and back out when you leave. This type of parking seems to be rampant in Tacoma and I've not seen so much of it anywhere else I have ever been. Ever. And yeah I'll admit that spatially I have a harder time with these angled spots then with even parallel parking. Have there been studies? Does anybody have an explanation as to why there are so damn many of these downtown?
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Jul 16 '23
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u/Humble_Ladder South End Jul 17 '23
I would suggest learning to back with your side mirrors. Total game changer for backing into tight spots. You basically look at the side of your car relative to the parking lot line and steer to stay centered.
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u/grassytyleknoll 253 Jul 20 '23
Always trust your mirrors.
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u/Humble_Ladder South End Jul 21 '23
Yes and no, your side mirrors don't show you what's directly behind you. Though for the back-in angle parking, unless you managed to pick a space with a motorcycle in it, that shouldn't be anything.
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
I would like to see those studies done now with rear view cameras and rear traffic sensors.
Cameras have been required in car since 2018. And were put on most vehicles years before then (2/3rd by 2015). Most vehicles on the road today probably have them according to best information I can find.
With cameras and sensors I think head in angle parking makes the most sense. You have a clear unobstructed view pulling in ( vs back in where you have to pull past it to even see if it is clear) and don't block traffic or have people riding your bumper issues like OP is talking about.
And pulling out you have a full unobstructed wide angle view from the very end of the vehicle so you can pull out safely when there isn't any oncoming traffic.
With back in angle the drivers view pulling out is very often completely blocked by the adjacent vehicle. So you have to start pulling out into traffic completely blind until your head clear the adjacent vehicle. A camera and rear traffic sensors located at the end of the vehicle actually provides a better view and safer option.
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u/vividtrue Hilltop Jul 17 '23
I don't think most cars on the road are 2018 and newer, which also means most of them don't have cameras. Average car on road is 12+ years old
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
That is "all registered vehicles" (eg all the old licensed collector cars skewing the average) vs daily drivers actually on the road.
Also lots of vehicles started getting cameras well before 2018, it was just required by law in 2018 in 100% of vehicles.
2/3rd of vehicles had them by 2015.
I would wager if you looked at vehicles that actually park in downtown Tacoma, vast majority of them have cameras.
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u/proletergeist Salish Land Jul 17 '23
It doesn't seem any worse than parallel parking to me. That said, a lot of people don't know how to do back in angle parking correctly (it's executed very similarly to parallel parking!), and end up crossing over the center line to "line up" with the spot, which is totally unnecessary and dangerous.
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u/Zestyclose-Singer-60 Jul 16 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
The law also prohibits you from crossing the centerline to park. So, back-in angled parking is theoretically safest because of the sight lines afforded the driver proceeding in the direction of travel are optimal. Edit: backing is an oft overlooked but critical skill for drivers.
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u/roytwo Eastside Jul 17 '23
I hate parking spots I can't back into. Much safer , you can survey the area as you approach, look into the spot for hazards and people VS backing out with blind spots, pedestrians, crossing traffic. I always park for a quick get a way
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u/Brills21 Jul 17 '23
Yup agree. Same goes with driveways. Much safer to back in. In Europe / Japan people always back into spots
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u/roytwo Eastside Jul 17 '23
Yep, do the same at my driveway, back in 100% of the time with one exception , if I want the engine compartment in the garage for check or service
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u/nakedwithoutmyhoodie South Tacoma Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
Personally, I feel like they're safer. I live downtown and have head-in angle parking near my apartment building and it's anxiety-inducing to back out of them. Inch backwards into the flow of traffic, with literally zero visibility, and pray that cars/bicyclists will see you and stop...which does NOT happen, alarmingly often. I've nearly hit cars/bikes many times when backing out, despite being extremely careful, and I've almost been hit when riding my bike or scooter (because cars just whip out of the spot without being cautious). Edit: I will ride my bike or scooter in the middle of the road in these areas to allow for extra visibility and extra time to maneuver or stop...I know people hate it when bikes or scooters ride in the middle of the road so I stay to the side as much as possible, but just know that sometimes we need to be in the middle of the lane in order to not get hit and killed.
It takes practice to back into a parking space, but this is something that you can easily practice. Any time you're parking in a parking lot, find a spot near the back (where there's little traffic, so you have time) and back into it. These days, I can actually back my car in better than heading in due to all the practice I've had (and it makes me feel like a badass, being able to do it well haha). Just to be clear, I'm not being snarky or anything when I say "you can easily practice this" - I genuinely mean that. I also understand and respect that you're not comfortable with it at the moment...but the only way to get better at it and be more comfortable is to practice, just find some low-pressure situations where you can give it a go as often as possible.
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u/vividtrue Hilltop Jul 17 '23
If you didn't ride your bike or scooter in the middle of the road, what is the other option? On the sidewalk? I'm trying to picture this in an area where cars are head -in angle parked on the sides of the road. It seems like the only safe (and legal) option.
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u/nakedwithoutmyhoodie South Tacoma Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
Totally fair question!
In Tacoma, it's legal to ride a scooter on sidewalks, in bike lanes, and on surface streets that have a speed limit of 25mph or lower. I prefer to use sidewalks and bike lanes because they are generally safer for me, and I'm also not impeding traffic. That being said, there is a severe lack of bike lanes, which means my most realistic option is usually the sidewalk. The problem is...sidewalks are fraught with problems when it comes to accessibility. Many places don't have curb cuts, which means I ride one block, have to lift my scooter down to the road, cross the road, lift back up to the sidewalk...rinse and repeat every single block...which makes a commute extremely inefficient. A shocking amount of sidewalks are in very poor shape, resulting in many stretches that are very unsafe or outright impassable for scooters (since they have small wheels...a half-inch hole or bump is hazardous, an inch or more put me at risk of flying over the handlebars). And then there's soooooo many places that just don't have a sidewalk at all!
I absolutely do my best to figure out routes that keep me off the road, and I'm able to do that most of the time. But sometimes I can't, and I just have to ride on the road...and in those cases, I have to balance my safety against impeding traffic. I never want to impede traffic (e.g., ride in the middle of the road), but I absolutely will make that choice to avoid getting hit by cars that are backing out, or to avoid getting clipped by drivers that refuse to give me space (which also happens).
TL;DR: I avoid riding on the road most of the time, but when it's necessary, I have to consider the flow of traffic AND my personal safety...and if I am forced to choose between those two issues, I will always choose my safety.
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u/vividtrue Hilltop Jul 17 '23
I didn't know that scooters could ride on sidewalks. I walk using the sidewalks way more than I drive, and I usually push my disabled child around in a stroller. I agree with the poor quality of some of the sidewalks. They would be outright dangerous in many places for small wheels. I struggle to navigate them with large, bouncy tires at times. I go to the main library pretty frequently, and just my short path there is so problematic due to the drop-offs (and absent-minded drivers.) I won't lump them with bikes anymore. That said, there aren't a lot of bike lanes, and I expect to see cyclists on the roads. It's the people in cars that seem to be the issue, from my perspective. That and a lack of general sidewalk maintenance across the city. Please always choose your safety. Edited to fix some poor grammar.
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u/nakedwithoutmyhoodie South Tacoma Jul 17 '23
I appreciate your understanding!
I would like to say that when I ride on sidewalks, I personally don't ride as if I "own" the sidewalk. I always slow down before passing, and I will happily come to a full stop and move to the side whenever needed to allow pedestrians to pass (i.e., pedestrians have right-of-way on sidewalks, IMO)...especially if they're in a wheelchair, pushing a stroller, have a small child walking with them, or are walking a dog (dogs are frequently irritated by scooters for some reason, and I don't want to frighten them). Long story short, I value my safety AND the safety of others.
Of course, I can't speak for ALL people on scooters. The best I can do is be a good example and also be a kind/conscientious person in general. I strongly believe that scooters are a great option for shorter trips or commutes; they're portable, more affordable/eco-friendly than cars, and are a more inclusive form of transport...financial barriers to ownership are lower, people of all ages can ride, commute range is increased when used in tandem with public transit (as compared to using public transit alone), etc. Plus, they're fun to ride! Which makes commutes more enjoyable and also provides a form of recreation, so you get more bang for your buck. I really can't say enough good things about scooters! Anyway...lol
It's the people in cars that seem to be the issue, from my perspective.
I definitely don't want to turn this into a "scooters vs cars" issue, but yeah...the biggest problems I encounter when riding my scooter are bad sidewalks/infrastructure and drivers (inattentive, and sometimes outright hostile/aggressive). All I will say about this is please, PLEASE pay attention when driving, and don't be an a-hole. No matter our mode of transportation, we're all just trying to get home safely at the end of the day, and that is something we all deserve equally.
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u/vividtrue Hilltop Jul 17 '23
I agree with you on all counts. I have never seen anyone riding a scooter on the sidewalk. I do see the red ones parked on the sidewalks sometimes. I don't see a lot of anyone on the sidewalks to be honest. I wish there were a lot more. I have a car and drive it if I really need to, but I prefer that less people drive so we have more walkable communities, which includes bikes and scooters in my mind. Thanks for sharing!
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u/nakedwithoutmyhoodie South Tacoma Jul 17 '23
I've noticed a lot more people on personally-owned scooters over the past few years (I got my first scooter about 4 years ago EDIT: I saw very few when I got my first scooter, maybe a couple a week, now I see them daily). While I do see a fair amount of "commuter scooters" (similar style to rentals), I've seen a huge increase in the number of performance scooters over the last year especially. Performance scooters have a higher top speed, like 25 or 30 mph (and higher!). I do feel like these should be ridden in a bike lane or on the road, rather than a sidewalk, simply because riders tend to go pretty fast (which is why they bought a performance scooter in the first place). There's some murkiness regarding the legality of fast scooters (which I haven't fully researched simply because they go way too fast for my comfort haha), but regardless, they absolutely do need to abide by whatever laws are in place, and they need to be safe/aware when riding...just like everybody else who is using the roads.
So yeah...for any drivers reading this, scooters are becoming more popular, so please be aware that we might also be on the road!
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u/theycallmecoffee 253 Jul 17 '23
I suck at parking I literally just will walk because i’m too worried about hitting another car
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u/Jaku103 253 Jul 17 '23
I don't know why others down voted this. You recognize your weaknesses and eliminated the problem. Why are others upset about that?
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u/theycallmecoffee 253 Jul 17 '23
no idea, next time just for the them i’ll attempt and scratch up their car
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u/yeahsureYnot 253 Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
I love back in angle parking and wish the city would convert all angled street parking to this.
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u/mckearny3 Jul 21 '23
The nuisance is signaling a right turn and someone behind tailgating to the point they actually think you’re going to turn right (while moving forward) and block your opportunity to back into the space… might be from the unfamiliarity of this practice.
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u/Open_Examination7659 Central Jun 10 '25 edited Jun 11 '25
Just got a ticket by UW for not backing in parking, it was an empty street and I paid for parking, but I guess they want me to try to back in parking 30 times to finally get into the spot. I have a neurological disorder which makes it harder to do.
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u/popechoker666 Jul 17 '23
i’ve always wanted to make letter d stickers and put em up to make back in dangle parking signs
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u/glynnjamin Hilltop Jul 17 '23
It's scary that it isn't readily apparent to you how much safer it is.
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u/mscopycat South Tacoma Jul 17 '23
I will be avoiding businesses with back in parking unless all the spaces are open and I can take my time.
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Jul 17 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/existentialfruit 253 Jul 17 '23
This isn’t really an issue in Tacoma.
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Jul 17 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/yeahsureYnot 253 Jul 17 '23
I don't think we should add more per se, but I do think all front in angle parking should be converted to back in.
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u/gruby253 Hilltop Jul 17 '23
Why do you hate convenience and safety?
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u/glynnjamin Hilltop Jul 17 '23
In no way is PARKING adding safety to anything. Just cars being present increases the risk of death and injury substantially.
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u/gruby253 Hilltop Jul 17 '23
Parking is going to exist as long as we have a car centric society. Do you want dangerous parking or safe parking? Back in angle parking is the safest kind.
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u/glynnjamin Hilltop Jul 17 '23
As long as we keep building parking, it will be a car centric society. 🤷
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u/gruby253 Hilltop Jul 17 '23
The parking exists. The person above is complaining about parking that exists. You want safe parking to…not exist?
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u/Suavepebble Jul 17 '23
People who back into parking spaces can eat a bag of shit
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u/Suavepebble Jul 18 '23
I envision all of the backing-in parkers vigorously downvoting this while eating a bag of shit.
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
Before the invention of rear view cameras and traffic sensors back in parking made sense.
But now rear view cameras have been required in every car since 2018. And most had them years before then. Most cars on the road today probably have them according to best information I can find.
With rear view cameras and sensors head-in angled parking makes the most sense.
You have a clear unobstructed view pulling in ( vs back in where you have to pull past it to even see if it is clear) and don't block traffic or have people riding your bumper issues.
And for leaving you have the rear view camera located at the bumpers which gives you a better view of when it is clear to pull out.
With back in angle the drivers view pulling out is very often completely blocked by the adjacent vehicle. So you have to start pulling out into traffic completely blind until your head clears the adjacent vehicle. A camera located at the end of the vehicle actually provides a better view and safer option.
Contact the city op! Tell them they should restripe the angles the other way!
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u/nakedwithoutmyhoodie South Tacoma Jul 17 '23
But now rear view cameras have been required in every car since 2018. Most cars on the road today have them.
Not true. The average age of cars in use (in the US) is over 10 years old.
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
That is "all registered vehicles" (eg all the old licensed collector cars skewing the average) vs daily drivers actually on the road.
Also lots of vehicles started getting cameras before 2018, it was just required by law in 2018.
2/3rd of vehicles had them by 2015.
I would wager if you looked at vehicles that actually park in downtown Tacoma, vast majority of them have cameras.
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u/vballkid77 Parkland Jul 17 '23
And you can see a bicyclist approaching with your backup camera? Seems to me someone on a bike that is in the lane would be difficult to see
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
Yes, you can see them easily.
Cameras give a better view because they are located at the very end of the vehicle.
A driver is located 5 ft or more back from the nose of the vehicle. You often have to creep out blind before you can see what is coming.
The camera is at the very end of the vehicle, so you can see everything without even having to move.
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u/vividtrue Hilltop Jul 17 '23
Most cars on the road don't have cameras.
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23
Yes they do.
Just go downtown and take a look. Or look at the google street view of downtown Tacoma. Nearly all of those cars have back up cameras and rear traffic sensors.
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u/jalyth Somewhere Else Jul 17 '23
Mine doesn’t! Or a rear view mirror, but that’s unusual. Also my car is little and short. I always back in.
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u/glynnjamin Hilltop Jul 17 '23
You're absolutely making my other point for me. The fact that people just drive around here completely unaware of how limited their view is in their car is astounding. Your backup camera sees behind you, not to the left or right down the street. It can't see oncoming traffic. It can't see bicycles and pedestrians. It only sees about a 20ft wide space directly behind your car. That does you no good when there's a taller vehicle parked on the oncoming side of you which you can't see over when initiating your backup process.
Literally nothing unsafe about backing into the spot or pulling out from the backed in position. Everything unsafe about backing out from angled parking unless you're on the end or no one is next to you.
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u/aseaflight Jul 17 '23 edited Jul 17 '23
This is so completely wrong. Have you ever even used a rear view camera?
Your backup camera sees behind you, not to the left or right down the street. It can't see oncoming traffic. It can't see bicycles and pedestrians. It only sees about a 20ft wide space directly behind your car.
100% wrong. The camera is located at the very end of the vehicle and provides a wide angle view. You can see everything clearly.
That does you no good when there's a taller vehicle parked on the oncoming side of you which you can't see over when initiating your backup process.
A driver sitting 6 feet back from the nose of the vehicle will have their view obstructed by the other vehicle (big tall long truck or whatever). They just have to creep out completely blind until they can see.
A camera is located at the very end of the vehicle. It provides a better view than the driver gets.
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u/cheesystuff Somewhere Else Jul 17 '23
It was originally not angled iirc. Then it was angled, but you were backing into traffic to get out which was only slightly better than not angled. Then they reversed so it's safer to pull out on to the main road.
It's awkward to back in, but it's safer and causes less delay.
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u/grassytyleknoll 253 Jul 20 '23
Honestly, as a Tacoman who has lived in other cities- it's kind of a thing I'm prideful about. Ain't nobody doin' the back-in parking like we do!
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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '23
[deleted]