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Honestly though, I’m still waiting for fork lift man to come back and qualify his statement. Genuinely want to know what point was being made there.
Me too. I drove a FLT for 10 years and it taught me to reverse park as often as possible as it was the easiest and safest option!
I don't park as close to the supermarket as I can, so pick somewhere empty so I can drive forward into the second row of spaces, meaning I can just drive forward out. Easy.
Oh, I recognise this now. It’s an “I do what I do therefore everyone else is wrong” thread, isn’t it.
Only from the reverse park only fanatics. I think most people recognise there are times when forward is best, times when reverse is best, and times when it doesn't matter. No universal right answer
Always reverse park, especially driving a van with MASSIVE blindspots. Shopping/shite can go in the side door (sliding for additional tight spot ease)
Let’s not forget though reverse park your t6 with tailgate.
Forget using the boot.
No, as just pointed out, you use the MASSIVE side. Door that slides neatly along the side of the van, not the tailgate.
It's also easier to reverse a long van in because the longer wheelbase accentuates the reverse steering effect, and van mirrors are generally brilliant.
I always reverse out of spaces as it is much easier to reverse out into a very big space than reverse into a narrow space. It takes less time and never holds anyone up.
People reversing in to spaces are bloody annoying as cars driving around the car park have to wait for them whereas I only reverse out when it is clear so never hold anyone up (I do have a very short car with very good visibility)
I would however never reverse out of my drive as I live in a narrow road and have no visibility until my front window is past the gate post by which time my car is already blocking the road.
TBH, supermarket CPs don't count, because every-ones' doing their own thing anyway, and most sensible people drive to them knowing that they'll see all sorts going on. I generally park as soon as I can just to get out of the way, sometimes that's reverse, sometimes that's nose in. No one cares, or is impressed either way. If you have to reverse in, because that's how you roll: Go you; it's nice to have life goals, right?
Normally reverse onto the drive but it makes plugging the car in more awkward now.
I don’t park as close to the supermarket as I can, so pick somewhere empty so I can drive forward into the second row of spaces, meaning I can just drive forward out. Easy.
Ah… the holy grail… the drive-thru parking space. That’s my default option when entering a supermarket car park too 😃
As someone who lives on a terraced street, reverse parking is the only option outside our house. When you pull in to do so, there is invariably an impatient red-faced man in a BMW angrily gesticulating at you from half an inch off your back bumper
I think people who don't reverse park as a default are crap drivers. Much safer where appropriate, which is often.
I'm rubbish at judging distances so I reverse in when I can - anyone can reverse through a gap an inch wider than the car using the mirrors, I certainly wouldn't be comfortable trying to do it going forwards.
My innate caution means I've normally a big enough gap at the back to get the shopping in the boot, too. 🙂
As someone who lives on a terraced street, reverse parking is the only option outside our house. When you pull in to do so, there is invariably an impatient red-faced man in a BMW angrily gesticulating at you from half an inch off your back bumper
Near-daily occurrence at my old house. It got to a point where I'd indicate, give a little otherwise-pointless shimmy towards the parking spot in the hope of showing intent, slam it into reverse the nanosecond I was stopped, and half the time someone would still crawl up my arse. What else do I have to do? Sometimes they'd reverse, sometimes it was easier just to drive round the block and try again.
anyone can reverse through a gap an inch wider than the car using the mirrors, I certainly wouldn’t be comfortable trying to do it going forwards.
It's that front / rear steering thing again. To get into the same space forwards you'd have to have your nose half a metre up onto the pavement.
Surely no one should be travelling fast enough in a carpark for reversing out of a space to actually be dangerous?
What people should do and what they actually do are two very different things. How many folk do you honestly think drive at the posted limit in a car park?
Yeah, but you’re doing exactly the same, just in the opposite direction and a metre less of it.
Dunno what you're driving but the visibility out the back of both my cars is terrible in comparison to the front. As said before, if reversing into a space or driveway you get the opportunity on the pass to check it is clear and can then see if the pavement or walkway is clear either side before the manouver. When exiting you have far better peripheral vision and less exposure before you can see up and down the lane (assuming you have been parked next to two vans).
From my experiences in supermarket car parks, guaranteed someone will enter your path from the side you're not looking on when reversing and probably not even notice you have your reverse lights on, are moving, or braked in time to prevent running them over. The layout has a lot to blame for this, why not have central reservations for walking on all the way up?
Frankly, I’d rather people drove forward into any spot alongside MY car as they are much less likely to scrape along the side of the car.
You've never been to Morrisons in Largs then. Mind you none of the fannys in this town understand parallel parking and insist on taking ten minutes shimmying back and forth having gone in nose first. Reversing is easier.
(I do have a very short car with very good visibility)
This should be good. Is it a soft top Smart Car? Because that's about the only car I can think of that would have better all round visibility going backwards than forwards (if you have the neck of an owl)
What’s with all the supermarket shopping references? You do realise that supermarkets deliver to your house now? Life it too short to spend time shopping in a supermarket.
I am also a briefcase w&nker reverse parker. Mainly because I like to imagine I am some sort of heroic movie spy who always needs to leave in a hurry. It’s like imagining I’m a pilot taking off when accelerating along a motorway slip. These small victories help to pimp an otherwise monotonous life.
No one cares, or is impressed either way. If you have to reverse in, because that’s how you roll: Go you; it’s nice to have life goals, right?
It's not done for personal satisfaction. It's done because it's measurably more efficient, is easier, and causes less conflict and less accidents. Hence the highway code recommends it.
There's no debate there. We know that to be the case. The question is why would you do something that is less efficient, more difficult, increases conflict and causes more accidents?
The fact that it happens won't be surprising to anyone, we could all pick out equally nonsensical examples from all aspects of life - it's human nature. But questioning the Why's is how we progress as a civilisation.
Hence the highway code recommends it.
Pretty sure the HC only mentions it for pulling out onto main roads though. There wasn't a supermarket car park section last time I looked (admitedly many years ago).
The question is why would you do something that is less efficient, more difficult
Because sometimes it's more convenient. That's the trouble with you prescriptivists, you're actually suffering from cognitive dissonance.
A Venn diagram of those also complaining about the evolution of language would be interesting.
I haven't read the whole thread so sorry if this has already been mentioned but, two thoughts.
1. Reversing in to a narrow space is easier as your mirrors show you exactly how much space you have either side, much better gap visibility. Combined with reverse camera / sensors to show you how much space you have at the rear and you are diamond.
2. If it is deemed safer by most H&S conscious workplaces, are they mistaken?
It’s done because it’s measurably more efficient, is easier, and causes less conflict and less accidents.
Measurably more efficient eh, like to see your workings.
- For me it is easier to reverse out as the area is larger
- It causes less conflict as I am not wasting other peoples time holding them up while I reverse in
- Less accidents, where is your data on accident rates for the 2 scenarios?
I always reverse in. Never really grasped the talent of slotting the car in forwards without worrying about ripping the wings off the cars either side.
To answer the op I don't reverse park at the super market because I want to be able to put my shopping in the boot from the trolley.
It’s done because it’s measurably more efficient
Not so, I nose in to my the short drive way at my house, because the street has many cars that both drive down it and park along it, making a reverse park a faff-on of many pointed turns to maneuvere around the cars, while a nose in is fast and simple and a reverse out is both easy and points me in the direction that nine times out of ten; I want to go in.
I am also a briefcase w&nker reverse parker
My second take-home from this thread! Marvellous 🤣
I am also a briefcase w&nker reverse parker
My second take-home from this thread! Marvellous
*Credit to Kayak23 for the briefcase reference.
pulling through a double-length space in such a way that you pull out forwards is the natural way to me
Known as a 'girlie park' in our household. Usually said to me by Mrs S as I do it to take the mickey.
Pretty sure the HC only mentions it for pulling out onto main roads though. There wasn’t a supermarket car park section last time I looked (admitedly many years ago).
Rule 201 (referenced above) mentions reversing into the drive and driving off. Supermarkets' parking is covered by dint of being a public space where RTA applies
Whilst I realise there's no way anyone's mind us changing on this topic,...
– For me it is easier to reverse out as the area is larger
But it's much safer to reverse into the slot where you don't have traffic driving past and padestrians wandering about, generally not paying attention. Drive out forwards, its all visible in cinemascope.
– It causes less conflict as I am not wasting other peoples time holding them up while I reverse in
Reverse parkers are generally parked in one reverse. Forward parkers, especially in big cars usually take a couple of forward/reverse shuffles to get it lined up right.
I'm putting the kettle on, anyone want a brew?
Probably have some biscuits around here too.. 🙂
Because sometimes it’s more convenient.
It's more convenient in the same way that not brushing your teeth is more convenient.
Measurably more efficient eh, like to see your workings.
Almost every authority on the subject recommends that you reverse into a space for all the reasons that have already been highlighted in this thread. Workplaces insist on it because it's official government health and safety advice. It's official H&S advice
because reversing into the flow of traffic increases conflict and the number of accidents.
Workplaces insist on it
Apart from the ones that don't because of space considerations or the ones that have CP designed to be nosed into, because of the way they've designed the traffic flow. Sometimes you need the maneuverability that a reverse out gives you more than you need it as you nose in
because reversing into the flow of traffic increases conflict and the number of accidents.
If I attempted to reverse park into my drive way, I'd likely cause traffic to stop as I'd have to do a many-point turn to manage it. In this case, to not hold up traffic it's better to nose in. Reverse parking is often more convenient, but sometimes it's not. If you choose to be proscriptive about it, you're not a good a driver as you think.
Apart from the ones that don’t because of space considerations or the ones that have CP designed to be nosed into, because of the way they’ve designed the traffic flow. Sometimes you need the maneuverability that a reverse out gives you more than you need it as you nose in
You're creating edge cases for the sake of argument.
H&S does also advise to design carparks in ways that encourage reverse parking, which makes your cases contradictory to it.
Just to add as I don't think it's been mentioned (in 3 pages lol) for the current driving test you are only required to forward park in a car park space, so that is all that is taught. I think it's seen as harder to reverse into a narrow gap than into an open space.
Personally I like to reverse in, I prefer being able to leave easily and quickly, you need less space to drive out forward so less likely to be blocked in by others parking after you arrive.
I taught my daughter reverse park but when we eventually found an instructor she had to then learn to forward park, which by this point she found more difficult.
It’s more convenient in the same way that not brushing your teeth is more convenient.
You prescriptivists are also appalling at analogies.
You’re creating edge cases for the sake of argument.
Isn't edge cases why you need to not be proscriptive about how you choose to park? Good driving is all about the edge case isn't it?. For example, I often visited an office (Warwickshire CCG) that had pressed a courtyard into use as a CP, you couldn't reverse into the spaces, as there wasn't sufficient room, and it was better to have the 'wheels and the back' maneuverability to get out.
You prescriptivists are also appalling at analogies.
Interestingly, no-one is being prescriptive, but it's nice that you've found a shiny new label to bandy about this Christmas. 🙂
Interestingly, no-one is being prescriptive, but it’s nice that you’ve found a shiny new label to bandy about this Christmas. 🙂
You must be reading a different thread.
In tighter spaces I try to park so my driver side is on the same side as the driver next to me. Purely , as IME , the driver is less likely to whack the door than their passenger.
You must be reading a different thread.
I'm reading a thread where a bunch of people do an action in different ways which, as adults, is perfectly acceptable to do and no-one need fall out or draw up team lists or anything. You?
I’m reading a thread where a bunch of people do an action in different ways which, as adults, is perfectly acceptable to do
I guess you skipped over this sort of crap then?
There’s no debate there. We know that to be the case. The question is why would you do something that is less efficient, more difficult, increases conflict and causes more accidents?
Oh jesus, why do I bother? The post you quoted ends thus:
The fact that it happens won’t be surprising to anyone, we could all pick out equally nonsensical examples from all aspects of life – it’s human nature. But questioning the Why’s is how we progress as a civilisation.
But you just hang your hat on the bit you disagree with, if you think it looks comfy there. Me, I can accept that people have different approaches to the same task, I suspect the person you quoted can, too.
The thou shalt reverse park folks are amusing and probably the same sort of idiots who blanket enforce reverse parking at some sites I go to.
Me- park van nose first.
Site moron- you have to reverse park
Me- I need to unload bulky tools and can't get past the other cars.
Site- ok, unload turn the van round and reverse in
Me- but I'll have to turn the van around again when I load back up.
Site- it's safer to reverse park so its a rule here.
Me- you're a moron.
Yes it's easier and better to reverse park but if you can't access the load space, what's the point?
Highway code
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/using-the-road-reversing.html
201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.
I've always taken it to apply to drives, parking bays etc. too. It's a rule because it's by far the safest. Drive past the side road or driveway and stop - traffic in the busy road can see you, you can see it and you've been able to check the side road/driveway is clear for you to then reverse in. Driving out forward obviously also safe.
I’ve always taken it to apply to drives, parking bays etc. too. It’s a rule because it’s by far the safest. Drive past the side road or driveway and stop – traffic in the busy road can see you, you can see it and you’ve been able to check the side road/driveway is clear for you to then reverse in. Driving out forward obviously also safe.
Safer to move the vehicle twice to unload/load it?
Some sites have no reverse parking, I assume due to exhaust fumes entering the building, probably less of an issue now.
One of the sites with enforcement of reverse parking also disciplined an employee for putting a fire out as he didn't have a fire extinguisher ticket... Possibly saved lives, got disciplined. ****ers
I don't care how people park as long as it's in the space, stupid inflexibility bugs the shit out of me.
Me, I can accept that people have different approaches to the same task, I suspect the person you quoted can, too.
Possibly, although they seem pretty firmly set when it comes to reversing into a space don't they even making up BS about higher accident rates.
I don't understand why people eat cucumber but I'm not being prescriptivist by saying I don't like the flavour and I'm not going to unfriend people who eat the bloody things either.
I’m putting the kettle on, anyone want a brew?
Make sure you walk in reverse when approaching the kettle to demonstrate your skill as a tea maker