Forum menu
even making up BS about higher accident rates.
Proof please.
Also, what's this wonderful car you drive? Or are you just fishing?
I have lived and worked in a country where everyone reverse parks everywhere, all the time, simply because it is the only way they have been taught to park by their driving instructors.
As kerley has astutely pointed out, colossal jams form in any supermarket or multi-storey carpark, since traffic is constantly stopping to allow people to (slowly...) park. Frankly, I find such behaviour inconsiderate and antisocial. It would be vastly preferable for everyone to quickly park forwards, then wait for a gap in the traffic to safely reverse out of their spaces.
Of course there are occasions where visibility issues mean that it is indeed safer to reverse park. I would hope that most drivers have sufficient intelligence and judgement to detect these instances and park accordingly.
The only place where I have seen enforced reverse parking was at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble. This allows rapid evacuation in the event of an accident at the nuclear reactor, which I imagine is unlikely to be a concern in most UK corporate car-parks.
I had no idea this topic would arouse such strong passions! 😀
then wait for a gap in the traffic to safely reverse out of their spaces
Hard to be sure there is a proper gap though when sitting in your car facing the wrong way and flanked by other cars some of which may be taller. A small kid could be walking down the row of cars to your rear and you'd never see them.
Of course, if you have a marshall to direct you out it's a different matter.
Of course, if you have a marshall to direct you out it’s a different matter.
Doesn't your butler stand out back with the safety flag ?
That is the problem, you can't see along pavements clearly if reversing out. My wife and I walk our kids to school and it is far too common to see a near miss as someone attempts to reverse off their drive.
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 prescriptivists are busy telling everyone else that they're doing it wrong. Obviously, they will ignore anything that conflicts with their belief.
Shall we check if your cap is the correct size?
far too common to see a near miss as someone attempts to reverse off their drive.
TBH the problem with these folks isn't the direction their car is facing.
Doesn’t your butler stand out back with the safety flag ?
I had to lay mine off, because I hardly ever shop at the big supermarket now, and they threw a hissy fit when I suggested cleaning the car might be an option… 😉
I’m reading a thread where a bunch of prescriptivists are busy telling everyone else that they’re doing it wrong. Obviously, they will ignore anything that conflicts with their belief.
Shall we check if your cap is the correct size?
How ironic to be accused of having an entrenched opinion by someone who's view on people having differing opinions is... Utterly entrenched. 🙂
Some sites have no reverse parking, I assume due to exhaust fumes entering the building, probably less of an issue now.
Yup. My office has this rule because of the fresh air intakes
How ironic to be accused of having an entrenched opinion by someone who’s view on people having differing opinions is… Utterly entrenched. 🙂
You're about as good at recognising irony as Alanis Morissette.
Reverse parking is far easier with clearer views of the four corners of the car as you back into the space.
Reverse parking is far easier with clearer views of the four corners of the car as you back into the space.
Your facts are no match for my x-ray glass on my car.
Re: higher near misses and accidents through forward parking. National Grid enforced this on their sites from about 2003 or so. As employees we were presented with internal statistics that supported reverse parking as safer. Obviously I don’t have the data to hand 18 years and 4 employers later.
far too common to see a near miss as someone attempts to reverse off their drive.
TBH the problem with these folks isn’t the direction their car is facing.
People are stupid. All of us. We're emotionally driven creatures with some grasp of rationality. Our vehicles and infrastructure need to be designed for this because no amount of finger pointing will change it (as much as we try).
The fact is, the direction of the car can make a difference to the overall outcome, especially when thinking of these things at scale where small probabilities become big numbers.
Lol. I'll park in a space however I see fit at the time, not because some preacher on here tells me I'm supposed to reverse.
Construction sites, offices etc, of course I'll reverse as them's the rules
I often park on my drive forwards, as the drivers door then opens onto the path, rather than into a bush. At the supermarket I'll forward park to pack shopping - espacially in the Disco, as it has a massive electric tailgate. It's also got god knows how many cameras, so you can look at the surroundings from any angle.
Anyone that would like to suggest that I can't reverse, is welcome to come and try with my 8.5mtr caravan, or if they want a real challenge, the little Ifor trailer that you can barely see
Anyone that would like to suggest that I can’t reverse, is welcome to come and try with my 8.5mtr caravan, or if they want a real challenge, the little Ifor trailer that you can barely see
What about if I fully believe you can reverse, but I just fancy having a go at reversing a large caravan…?
What about if I fully believe you can reverse, but I just fancy having a go at reversing a large caravan…?
Come and have a go lol
Reversing is in many wasy easier in a tight space. Thus use it to get out. Shopping goes straight from trolley to boot. Stuff bags. Other places its depends on the car park. Reversing in isn't always the best idea.
Reversing in isn’t always the best idea.
Burn the non believer 😈
If you forward park, and reverse off your driveway in contravention of the highway code rule 201, and are involved in a little accident, since you're not following the highway code and you're reversing your going to have a tougher time with the insurers/other party convincing them you weren't at fault. You could refer them to your stw driving God status though, that's sure to help.
Meh, it’s all down to bad car park design, you should be able to drive in and out.
My favourite is the underground one here with gouges in the wall, I’ve never seen anything so madly designed, a very tight 90 turn required.
Surprised how polarising this subject is!
I've always reverse parked when I could just seems safer as I can see better, never had the issue of getting in the boot either but then I only ever have a small shop so only a few bags and don't have kids so no baby seats to deal with. I also only have small cars so can easily reverse into a regular bay and leave a few feet clear behind without the front being outside the bay.
Hard to be sure there is a proper gap though when sitting in your car facing the wrong way and flanked by other cars some of which may be taller. A small kid could be walking down the row of cars to your rear and you’d never see them.
I've had my trolley hit a few times with people not checking it's clear and just reversing out of bays at the supermarket. Only had it once where they hit me, the slap I gave the rear window scared the crap out of the driver. Seen plenty of close calls with kids running around the car parks too, but that's the fault of the driver reversing and the parent not controlling their kids.
but that’s the fault of the parent not controlling their kids.
FTFY
The adults themseves are just as bad, even without kids - wandering aimlessly around as if there aren't 2 tonne moving vehicles anywhere in the near vicinity
So the general gist is reverse Parkers are more awesome and fight off more members of the opposite sex 😉
I reverse park where it's difficult to pull out of, but our local suermarket doesn't have the walk ways and tight spaces, so not really useful for wheeling a trolly down the side of someone's pride and joy.
I reverse park at work's multi-story, as there are folk trying to do the 'Italian Job' most nights on the way out ! PS back commuting by bike until Boris said WFH again.. pah.
The [s]adults[/s] drivers themseves are just as bad, [s]even without kids – wandering[/s] parking [s]aimlessly around[/s] thoughtlessly as if there aren’t [s]2 tonne moving vehicles[/s] vulnerable road users anywhere in the near vicinity
As cyclists I'd like to think we're better than this or at least open minded enough to acknowledge the part we play in protecting vulnerable road users. Seems not, SMIDSY is a perfectly valid defence as long as you can easily get your shopping in the boot.
So the general gist is reverse Parkers are more awesome and fight off more members of the opposite sex
And the only reason anyone ever forward parks is because they are too incompetent at driving to reverse park.
If you forward park, and reverse off your driveway in contravention of the highway code rule 201, and are involved in a little accident
201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can
It says, and I live on side street anyway, are you sure about giving advice?
And the only reason anyone ever forward parks is because they are too incompetent at driving to reverse park.
I can see why you might think that, if you're incapable of comprehending what is written.
nickc, that 'if you can' statement is poor isn't it. I'm sure its not a test of driver ability though.
nickc, that ‘if you can’ statement is poor isn’t it....
On the contrary, I suspect a lot of thought went into the wording of every single entry in the Highway Code and the government mandarins recognized that reverse parking doesn't work for every single scenario a driver will encounter. (Unlike some of the "must always reverse" proponents here! 😉)
nickc, that ‘if you can’ statement is poor isn’t it.
Remember, anything in THC which is backed up by law says YOU MUST or YOU MUST NOT. Rule 201 is merely telling you what you should do.
I reverse park at work’s multi-story, as there are folk trying to do the ‘Italian Job’ most nights
I believe you're thinking of Blue Thunder.
I like to park like this
The driver there is the legendary Russ Swift.
Thus and so.
a lot of thought went into the wording of every single entry in the Highway Code and the government mandarins recognized that reverse parking doesn’t work for every single scenario a driver will encounter.
And I just think it was written like that just to mock those of you who can't do it. 😉
I used to part like that sometimes when I worked in an industrial estate and turned up for work at 23:00 for nightshift (I was 19 so not exactly responsible at the time!)
You reverse parking zealots would have gone mad, especially as I ended up facing the wrong way and making pulling out harder as can't see what is coming down the road which I must assume is another of your 'rules'
Compulsory at work for me - school car park.
nickc, that ‘if you can’ statement is poor isn’t it. I’m sure its not a test of driver ability though.
No it isn't. The HC is mostly pretty sensible, and in his case it's acknowledging that reverse parking isn't always practical or advantageous, it's not commenting on the drivers ability.