In an empty parking lot, ok. But I’ve almost gotten hit several times pulling into an empty parking spot only to have somebody suddenly pull through in the manner you describe.
OT: Pet Peeves
- Thread starter WahooNole
- Start date
If it's two similar lanes of traffic at a merge or someone attempting to enter slowed traffic from a side street or driveway/whatever, I always let exactly one and no more than one vehicle in (and assume that hopefully others are doing the same). Should be both common sense and courtesy.
My wife does this. Not only that, she'll leave it in the sink and then put dirty dishes on top of it.
I've never been inconvenienced by someone backing in. I can't really think of any instance of a backed in car or truck being particularly crooked.
I can think of a million times that someone has parked crooked forward, and nearly every grocery store or large parking lot around here has a bunch of people that can't safely back out of a space in anything resembling a timely manner.
Backing in is superior unless you can't do it, and if you can't then you probably shouldn't be driving.
Well, I did have a bunch of kids unexpectedly about a decade ago.That's a dish sponge, right?
It's often easier to back in if you drive a full size truck with a bad turning radius.
Here is one opinion. I have recently read some others as well.
https://www.lawyernc.com/blog/2016/08/pop-quiz-safer-back-parking-space/
According to the AAA, as many as two thirds of all American drivers continue to pull into parking spaces headfirst, despite the fact that backing in has been shown to be safer. Backing into a parking space, while requiring a few extra seconds, the use of hazard lights, and a certain amount of skill, is safer than parking forward facing. It allows you to pull directly out, making it easier to view any potential oncoming cars or pedestrians.
Part of the problem with backing out of parking spaces is the size of the surrounding vehicles in the parking lot. They limit a driver’s ability to see approaching vehicles while backing out. The depth of the parking spaces and blind spots on either side of the vehicle also restrict a driver’s field of vision.
Here is another perspective.
Common Parking Lot Accidents
One of the most common accidents to occur in a parking lot is one in which a driver is backing out of a space and strikes another vehicle, whether moving or parked. The driver backing out of the parking space will usually be found at fault for the collision with one exception: in a case where two cars are backing out at the same time and hit each other, fault is likely to be shared.
Typically, any situation in which you strike a legally parked vehicle will find you at fault. This includes backing into a parked car, striking a car with your door when opening it, or clipping it in the lot. If you hit a parked car and leave the scene without making an effort to contact the owner of the car, it can also be considered a hit-and-run.
It’s also vital that all drivers be aware of the presence of pedestrians when driving in a parking lot, as they are walking between stores and cars and are present in greater numbers than on the average street.
Last edited:
