Mostly do it home and work just so I can hope in when I leave and have a full field of vision. Reason I really started doing it was that I had a handful of accidents backing out when i was younger so I figured this would fix the problem. Don't do it if there are tons of people waiting for me, if that's the case I'll just park normally.
Hey fellow BP person. In Houston you can't back into the parking spaces, but every other location they have, its a requirement. Apparently as part of their "safety culture" they have found through studies that it is apparently a lot safer to back into parking spaces. I'm not sure that its actually as an "escape" mechanism, but more of a personal injury thing: that if you pull forward out of a space, there is less chance of an accident.
I use to back in all the time, no matter where. But now I just pull in. It just seems simpler, friendlier on the vehicle and gas and one doesn't save that much time. Of course I use the pull through if available...I'm not dumb you know. :grin:
Like some have already stated, backing in is much easier for parking in small spaces. Since I turn away from the spot, then turn the other way to back it in, the angle is smaller than one turn going forward into the spot (which may result in you reversing and reparking if the spot is tiny). I park in reverse 90% of the time. If I have the time, I might as well take the extra three seconds when I arrive - what if I'm in a huge rush to leave, speed backwards out of that spot, and accidentally hit something/someone? Of course, like others I won't do if there are cars tailing me or waiting.
We're required to back in whenever we're on a fire for the escape reason/time it would take to get everyone backed out and turned around. I rarely do it with the family rig, but almost always with the work rig. However, since my neighbor's college-age kid has moved back in and parks right where I turn when backing out of my driveway, I may start backing in at home.
I use to have to back into my parking space at work everyday. It was on a one way street and the parking spaces were were slanted in a way were the only to park was to back in . Everybody backed into their spaces. I worked there for a little over three years and got real good at backin into a parking space. Backing into a tight spot in a big pickup truck in one attempt was kinda normal for everybody there..even some women drivers were real good at it. Anyways...i dont work there anymore..thank god..and no i dont think its moronic to back into a space. I still do it now and then.
I drive a truck and find it much easier to back into a space than just pull in. A lot of parking lots have small lanes between rows so I have to put my nose in the spot then backup and realign anyway. When I back in it's just one shot pretty much everytime. I'm also an excellent parallel parker :grin:
This thread is actually very entertaining if you read the whole thing again assuming that "backing in" means something totally different...
For me it depends on where I am parking. My complex right now has these poles right by my spot and the space between the parking spot and the wall is pretty close so if i come into the parking lot and try to go in front first I will have to do a couple of 3 point turns to get situated just because of the other cars there, the pole and the wall. But if i go past my parking spot and back in it's a hell of a lot easier and only takes me one time to back up instead of not having the right angles.
