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I'm not sure how this is a Northern or Southern thing but I do this with all my cars since some parking lots can be tight and the potential blind spot can be tough.
If you are backed in the police cannot see your license plate.
We only back in when snow is expected. Our driveway is basically flat with a hill to deal with when we get out on the street. It is much easier when we get a running go and do not have to stop and spin up the hill.
Ummmm, is that a concern of yours?!!
It isn't a concern to me and once my garage doors close, the cops can't find me anyhow!!!
I took a defensive driving course for work some time back. It was said that over 80% of accidents at work sites involving vehicles occurs when backing up. They also said that it is better to back in when you immediately see where you're going to park so that conditions have little time to change, i.e. people walking through, placing equipment, kids, etc. This makes it so you have better all around visibility when pulling out. You should also walk around all 4 corners of your vehicle when pulling out.
I always pull through parking spots for the same reason, unless I go shopping and need to access the trunk when I return.
There are exceptions for us: when parking in a garage, the left car backs in and the right car pulls in, so that each vehicle can get as close to the wall (on their passenger side) which maximizes use of the space and gives the drivers of each vehicle max room to open doors to get in.
I also get out of my vehicle and tap my left toe twice, tap my right toe three times, and immediately wash my hands vigorously four times.
Oh, and Vicki: closing your garage door doesn't help, because the black helicopters were still following you. And you're forgetting about the chip the dentist planted in your last filling.
Last edited by adams_aj; 01-18-2013 at 10:53 AM..
Reason: added: message to Vicki:
The apartment complex I live in now, as well as the one I lived in prior to this does not allow cars backed into parking spaces.
I was told this made it easier for the monitoring of up to date registrations as well a potential "problem cars".
When I was moving in to my last apartment I backed into the space in order to remove items from my trunk and left it that way overnight. I woke up to a "love note" on my windshield, from management, the following morning.
[quote=adams_aj;27825911]I took a defensive driving course for work some time back. It was said that over 80% of accidents at work sites involving vehicles occurs when backing up. They also said that it is better to back in when you immediately see where you're going to park so that conditions have little time to change, i.e. people walking through, placing equipment, kids, etc. This makes it so you have better all around visibility when pulling out. You should also walk around all 4 corners of your vehicle when pulling out.
quote]
Our Fleet Ops guys must read the same surveys. Ever notice that often utlility trucks will have a traffic cone placed beside the truck? That forces the driver to at least walk around the truck enough to pick up the cone before driving away.
Parking lot visibility is a disaster and backing out of a space is often a crap shoot when pulled head in.
Same applies to many driveway situations.
It's not a southern thing, because i'm from Michigan and I back into my garage and parking spaces. My wife pulls forward in the garage so we can both get out and park close to the walls. I like backing into spots, because it is easier to pull forward to leave due to blind spots. I see a lot of dumb people backing out of spots and not looking almost causing accidents. I have heard in countries like Japan that almost everyone backs into spots. I find it easier to back into a spot rather than back out of one.
When I was volunteering out in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, I had the use of two federal vehicles, an SUV and a truck and they told me I had to always back into the parking spot when I parked it in the park. I don't think it was a mandatory law for all federal vehicles, but they really made sure everyone kept doing it.
I guess there was a study, like someone mentioned up above, that it's actually safer to park a vehicle by backing into the parking spot and being able to pull right out. When I first heard this, even myself being a scientist, had to think it through, because I just assumed like everyone else, what difference does it really make since either way you have to back in or pull out.
I would say at my apartment complex in Durham, half of the people back in and the others pull into the parking spot (and there's pretty much 20 different state license plates in the lot). I usually back in, but not all of the time.
My father trained me to back the car in for safety reasons. He insisted this would alleviate running over kids, toys, etc. while backing out and it has. Thanks, Dad!
The apartment complex I live in now, as well as the one I lived in prior to this does not allow cars backed into parking spaces.
I was told this made it easier for the monitoring of up to date registrations as well a potential "problem cars".
When I was moving in to my last apartment I backed into the space in order to remove items from my trunk and left it that way overnight. I woke up to a "love note" on my windshield, from management, the following morning.
Uh oh. Don't tell Saturnfan!! An apartment complex telling people how to park? That might put him over the edge!
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