While I don't back into spaces normally, it is safer. You know what's behind you when parking backwards, whereas you cannot see what is behind you as easily when pulling out of a space I only park backwards in crowded parking garages at events (Rockets, concerts, etc...) because no one ever lets you back out b/c everyone just wants to leave
I have both a car and a truck, and like to park backwards. With the truck, it just seems that controlling the vehicle in reverse to get it parked is easier than backing out. Perhaps it has to do with the turning radius when backing in vs. backing out. I don't do that everytime, but it's nice to be proficient at it when needed. I rarely need 'two times' to get it right.
If someone doesn't have their turn indicator on and you're right behind them, then yes, you're correct, that person is being a jerk if they expect you to reverse. If someone is right behind me in a parking garage, or if it's very busy, I'll park normally. (Another reason to back in: the driver knows whether or not it's busy when he/she parks, but cannot foresee the wait/danger in backing out the next time he/she drives.) The flipside of that coin, however, is that if I have my turn indicator on and am in reverse, and you purposely tailgate me and prevent me from backing into that space, I'm getting out of my car. (My incidents of road rage occurs only in parking lots, with stationary vehicles.)
When I do its usually with my truck because sometimes its easier to park in reverse than going forward to try and fit it within two vehicles that are close to each other.
Agreed, there is a time and a place. I won't do it at all if it keeps someone waiting. That said, does it kill you to wait the 30-40 seconds to let someone park? Just curious.
You're doing it wrong if it takes you two+ attempts. I almost always reverse park in garages and in smaller spots. It really is easier if you're driving a truck.
Color me different, but it's easier for me to reverse park in a tight spot than it is for me to try and park in a tight space going forward. Rear-view mirrors work wonders for reverse parking.
In general, no. I've done it on occasion when angles made it the easier way to park. I do like Blake's idea of parking backwards at big events so you can easily pull out when the traffic to get out of the parking lot doesn't want to let you go in front. Which is something, I suppose, you really did need to worry about at BP.
I also don't buy that backing into a space is safer than backing out of one. When you back out of one, do you floor it or something? If you inch out, you can easily see anyone coming and not have any kind of accident. The only advantage to backing into a spot is saving time when leaving, IMO, but you just lose that time when parking anyway. The net time spent parking is the same for both methods, except if you back into a space, you risk inconveniencing someone behind you. If you back out, you don't because you'll be stopping for them.
If you're good enough it wouldn't take half that long. And another thing, you fockers that are speed racing thru a garage in the morning need that, to slow your azzes down. Speed limit is usually 15 or less, so I do it a lot of times just to piss those people off.
Does it take you 2 or more times to parallel park too??? I thought you get more maneuverability when driving in reverse though, being steering done from the back. Kinda like how fork lifts steer from the back or other vehicles that require sharp turning.
I drove a truck for a furniture store with a huge sheet metal box on the bed for a year and a half. That obstructed the rearview mirror, so I always had to back into every spot so it wouldn't be as dangerous getting out. Its been kind of second nature ever since.
Your view is obstructed when backing out of a parking space, with cars (or, around these parts, long-bodied trucks) on each side, no matter how much you inch out. When backing in, your view is not obstructed in the same way, because nothing parallels you which blocks your view, and you've already traversed the ground you're now backing into. I agree with you that it take the same amount of time to back out parking or leaving a space (anybody who takes 30 seconds to back into a space is doing it wrong). However, you're just as likely to inconvenience someone backing out of a parking space (I'd argue more: because most people leave in the mornings to get to work at the same time, or because most people leave a parking garage at the time the game ends). Again, with an obstructed view, people tend to back out a quarter of the way or so until they can begin to see around them; this causes whoever else is in the main lane to stop (knowing that the driver cannot see them) and wait for them to exit. If you back into the parking spot, you know exactly how few people you are inconveniencing directly behind you (vehicles that arrive on the scene in media res are just as likely backing in or out), and can adjust your plans accordingly.
I always back into spaces in my garage... and usually when I go out in Houston too. For me, it's much easier to see out of a parking space through my front window when there are big pickup trucks or bigger SUVs in the surrounding spaces than it is to try to look out the back window. And it only takes one try to back into a space. Like others have said, if it takes more than one attempt... you're doing it wrong. I also have absolutely no problem inconveniencing someone who is tailgating me through a parking lot for the extra 10 seconds by doing so.
80% of times I back into parking spaces and its fairly easy to do. I agree that it adds visibility and its faster than backing out when leaving. I've seen tons of times when people struggle to back out of a parking lot at my local shopping center because of traffic running parallel (especially when everyone around you drives SUVs, pickup trucks)
