Why are people so fixated on reversing into bay parking?

[WD39]

As I have been following this thread recently, I purposely checked my local (non supermarket) car park.

There are about 60 spaces and as it was market day, full.

All were front in parked. Including mine.

I did get some funny looks as I was checking though.

Edited by WD39 on Sunday 30th November 20:37

Edited by WD39 on Sunday 30th November 20:38

[Mr2Mike]

WD39 said:

As I have been following this thread recently, I purposely checked my local (non supermarket) car park.

There are about 60 spaces and as it was market day, full.

All were front in parked. Including mine.

Which is almost always the most appropriate way of parking in a supermarket if you are planning on putting the shopping in the boot.

I don't really understand why this thread even exists; park in the manner most appropriate for the situation and everything's good. Obviously there are plenty of people that don't, but there's a bad parking thread for that.

[FussyFez]

I always reverse in unless I need boot access.

Reversing in takes me no extra time, and makes leaving much quicker and easier.

I also heard somewhere, that using reverse straight after turning on a cold engine, uses more fuel than driving off in first. Dont know how much truth there is to that?

I also like to think I'm a super spy that might need to make a quick exit.

[RobM77]

FussyFez said:

I also heard somewhere, that using reverse straight after turning on a cold engine uses more fuel than driving off in first. Dont know how much truth there is to that?

Yes, reverse is usually a lower gear than 1st, and yes, most people reverse slower than they drive forwards, so yes it'll use more fuel for the handful of seconds you spend getting of your space, but I doubt you'd notice the difference in, say, a tank of fuel!

[BorkFactor]

I always reverse into spaces, makes it much easier to leave and gives you better viability. In fact, I would probably struggle to park straight nose in because I honestly can't remember the last time I did it!

[FussyFez]

RobM77 said:

Yes, reverse is usually a lower gear than 1st, and yes, most people reverse slower than they drive forwards, so yes it'll use more fuel for the handful of seconds you spend getting of your space, but I doubt you'd notice the difference in, say, a tank of fuel!

Makes sense to me.

[JagXJR]

tomjol said:

Where are the children while you're pulling forward?

JagXJR said:

But they do have parent and child spaces for this purpose

[Jabosoc]

leafspring said:

I once parked nose into a Tesco bay... got back with the shopping and was confronted by an angry tt who couldn't get to the boot of his Octavia estate (which was there before I arrived).

He'd reversed all the way into his bay because his car takes up the whole space (fair enough)
I was all the way into my space because a LWB Land Rover takes up a whole bay.

My bumper was 6" off his towball and he couldn't open his boot... apparently that was my fault

So it's my fault for parking in the bay behind your car is it? nothing to do with your lack of forward planning?... Oh and standing there giving me the verbal is going to get my motor out of the way quicker isn't it?

Why didn't he drive his car out of the space a bit?

[cathalferris]

Jabosoc said:

Why didn't he drive his car out of the space a bit?

That would require using what little intelligence that person had, and they obviously needed to spare it in case they lost all of it..

[*Al*]

HarryW said:

Generally reversing in is the easiest to do, something to do with the steered wheels being furthest away so more manoeuvrable and easier to park. Also coming out of a space forwards means you are not coming out blindly....

100% agree, most people that drive forward into spaces normally park poorly at silly angles.

[HTP99]

*Al* said:

HarryW said:

Generally reversing in is the easiest to do, something to do with the steered wheels being furthest away so more manoeuvrable and easier to park. Also coming out of a space forwards means you are not coming out blindly....

100% agree, most people that drive forward into spaces normally park poorly at silly angles.

....and take multiple attempts to actually get in there in the first place.

[carmadgaz]

dme123 said:

carmadgaz said:

Because I was half asleep last time I drove nose first into a space and did this



and it's much easier to see the numpties not paying attention when you are exiting the bay when you are nose out

That actually got an audible "oooohh ouch" from me. How much did that cost to sort out?

£1200 or so, not bad for <5mph in reverse

[mcguinness1]

At work we are all made to reverse park, so I guess it's just natural for me now. Certainly easier to exit the space as well.

[Vipers]

mcguinness1 said:

At work we are all made to reverse park, so I guess it's just natural for me now. Certainly easier to exit the space as well.

And safer.

[Kateg28]

FussyFez said:

I always reverse in unless I need boot access.

Reversing in takes me no extra time, and makes leaving much quicker and easier.

I also heard somewhere, that using reverse straight after turning on a cold engine, uses more fuel than driving off in first. Dont know how much truth there is to that?

I also like to think I'm a super spy that might need to make a quick exit.

+ 1 (except the spy comment, if I am a spy, I doubt I am super).

At supermarkets I usually park nose in if a big shop requiring boot access.

I think in Florida you have to park nose in and I think it is because a lot of cars only have rear licence plates. It was weird having to park like that all the time although their spaces are much larger.

[Baz Tench]

I always reverse into parking spaces.

I can't help showing everyone what a good driver I am.

[Vipers]

Baz Tench said:

I always reverse into parking spaces.

I can't help showing everyone what a good driver I am.

Your probably as good as me then, time to form a "Good reversing", club

[Leonk10]

I'm unsure why there is such a debate on this, I mostly park front first and 99% of the time get in, and out, in just one motion. It's not really that difficult! &#129300;

[GT03ROB]

Why do so many 1st posts involve reawakening vague threads that were dead & buried 5 or more years ago.

[velocemitch]

Most of the big UK construction sites have made it mandatory to reverse into a parking bay as part of the site health and safety plan. You will get a bking if you Park nose first.

The thinking is that it’s safer as you are reversing into an area where it is unlikely anybody will be walking or stood.

If you go in nose first, then as you reverse out you have less visibility and could drive into someone walking down the end of the row of cars.