WHY do people insist on backing into parking spaces? I honestly want to know.
It always catches me off guard when I’m following a car through a parking lot, and they stop, then BACK UP WITHOUT WARNING and maneuver into a spot. What is the point?
It’s MUCH easier to back OUT of a parking spot than it is to back IN to one. Is it really that much more convenient to drive straight out of the parking space when you leave? Is there any other possible reason for this insanity?
If you have a habit of backing into your parking spot, would you PLEASE look behind you before doing so? The car behind you may not be expecting it.
14 Responses
This has happened to me. But, I have to confess that my husband loves to pull straight out of his parking space, but he does not back in, he pulls through. He will go to great length to “pull through” a parking space. It’s not quite as annoying as backing up, but if someone is headed the parking spot in front of him, it can catch them off guard. But, to his defense, he comes from a long line of “pull through” people. I think it goes all the way back to the horse and buggy days. So, I’m with ya girl!
We have a sedan (an Accord) and I find that when I come out of a store, more often than not, there are now minivans or SUV’s parked next to me. I find it hard to see around them when backing out. So I’m just thinking ahead by backing in (or pulling through) so that I can just pull out when I find myself in this situation. I can see better as I ease forward out of my spot.
I’m with you as well…In the words of Brian Fellows, “That’s crazy!”.
What I don’t understand is how to they have room to load their trunk or raise their hatch when they back in like that?
Steph
Drives me nuts, too. My hubby however thinks it’s great fun and I’m always telling him to knock it off.
would you curse me if you saw me pulling forward through an empty parking space? (I’m guilty of that sometimes, but I hate that too, ’cause it would be really easy to collide with someone doing that.)
Nothing a flavored coffee won’t cure!
Blessings,
K
This is long overdue. Thank you for bringing this to the table. I cannot understand why people do this.
I back into spaces at a couple of places, but not everywhere. At our dance studio the parking lot is small and visibility is limited, so when I can I back in to the space. It feels much safer to drive forward out of the spot and not run over anyone. However, I try to avoid doing it when someone is behind me and might be unaware of my intention.
My dad does this. He (I think) does it because he can see better when it’s time to pull out.
Drives me bananas.
~Jess
Maybe it’s a man thing? My hubby loves to back in as well. And my 3 1/2 yr Little Man has been known to have a tantrum because I have informed him that he will have to wait on Daddy to back in to a spot – ’cause this mommy does good to get into the parking space going forward!!!
I’m with you – I get that it is easier to pull out of the spot going forward – but I find it significantly easier to back out of the parking spot rather than back into it.
Oh, I am so with you on this one! My kids go to private school. The parking lot is filled with huge SUVs, Land Rovers, Hummers, Escalades, etc. I would say a good 75% of these people back into the school parking lot spaces. Why, why, why??!! It drives me completely insane. We own a small older Neon (so we can afford to send them to private school!) and I am probably the smallest car on the lot. I absolutely do not understand the backing into spaces thing. Many times people have come close to hitting me as they are backing in. Thanks for letting me rant!!!
(this was much more eloquent the FIRST time i typed it)
so on a somewhat related note… last time i was home in september, i wanted to impress my dad with my driving prowess (nevermind that i’m 26. he had never seen me drive before, since i only got my license 2 years ago). he always backs his car into his driveway (noone lives across the road from us, so it’s not an inconvenience to anyone), and so i excitedly volunteered to do it. of course i dented the fence and totally ripped off his drivers side mirror. nice one, eh? way to make me feel 10 again, complete with the door slamming and crying and silence. lol.
in other words, i can’t back up, so i avoid it whenever possible. 😛 (i do like how the tiniest experience in driving makes you better. as in, i now know, when backing up next to a fence, take your time and do NOT tap the gas. especially if it’s in a car you’ve never driven before, or next to a fence you don’t know how to watch out for :P)
I have also always wanted to know this! Great random thought and I am thinking it with you.
THIS IS MY PET PEEVE, too. If you notice it’s mostly guys who do this…