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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Driving / May 2005If you can't backup, don't try it
<rant> What is with these people who insist on backing up into a parking space when they obviously don't possess the skills to do so? They reverse real slow and then have to pull forward two or three times to straighten out. Just pull in head first! Sheesh! </rant> Years ago when on a motorcycling vacation, I spent a night in a motel in Morro Bay, CA. The motel's parking lot had signs saying something like "backing into parking spaces prohibited". Sure enough, the guy taking the space next to our cycles decides to back in. No, he doesn't hit bike, as we are out there with eyes steady making sure of it. But the dumbwit backs over the concrete hump and puts his bumper right into the steel post holding up the awning. It was awesome. Fortunately it is illegal on most public streets. Unfortunately parking garages have more than their share. The space next to me is occupied at night by a guy who insists on backing in. His aim is so poor that the left wheel straddles one line while the right rear wheel straddles the other. I time my arrival so that he has left the garage completely. I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or the need for a quick getaway. > Fortunately it is illegal on most public streets. Unfortunately > parking garages have more than their share. The space next to me is [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or > the need for a quick getaway. What motivates him? Selfishness and arrogance. Get management to leave a note for him regarding his poor parking and how it intrudes on others' spaces. I back into spaces sometimes (out of offloading need for my SUV), but then I'm an expert: trained on the family car; a 1972 Plymouth Fury II station wagon, backing it into a tiny garage. I also towed a 25' boat trailer for years and had to back it into its space after each outing. No problem. I don't understand why backing up is so difficult...it just takes practice. Part of the problem may be the poor driver training most high schoolers get these days. No parallel parking, backing the car up, driving defensively, etc. On 26 Apr 2005 09:59:21 -0700, John S. , said the following in rec.autos.driving... > I don't understand why backing up is so difficult...it just takes > practice. Part of the problem may be the poor driver training most > high schoolers get these days. No parallel parking, backing the car > up, driving defensively, etc. Do they even *offer* driver training in high school these days? When I was in HS, they were too busy with stupid crap classes and too cheap to offer driver training. "John S." <hjsjms@cs.com> wrote > Fortunately it is illegal on most public streets. Unfortunately > parking garages have more than their share. The space next to me is [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or > the need for a quick getaway. Although the people you are mentioning are incompetent, the main reason to back into parking spaces is due to simple physics: it's easier to get into a space (especially a narrow one) by backing than frontward. Floyd Agreed there...backing in gives you the maneuverability of a forklift. For many drivers that extra steering sensitivity is an actual hazard though! > I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or > the need for a quick getaway. Leaving is where the largest hazard is,not going into the parking spot. So,facing out,you can see what's coming better(and sooner) than if you are backing out.  SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net >> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or >> the need for a quick getaway. > >Leaving is where the largest hazard is,not going into the parking spot. >So,facing out,you can see what's coming better(and sooner) than if you are >backing out. Agreed - and with idiots out there parking bikes behind cars and blaming the drivers when their bike is run over, backing in makes sense. It also makes for a quicker getaway. >>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit or >>> the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >blaming the drivers when their bike is run over, backing in makes >sense. So you get into your car and don't bother looking at what's behind it before backing up??? -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u >>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit >>>> or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > So you get into your car and don't bother looking at what's behind it > before backing up??? Is your rear vision as good as the front view? Mine isn't.Most autos are that way. Is it easier looking out the front windshield or turning around and looking out the back? It's smarter to back in and drive out. SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net >>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit >>>>> or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >It's smarter to back in and drive out. ' It's certainly your choice but I think it's smarter to pull in and back out. Every time you pull in, assuming it's the typical situation where there are cars around you, you pull in with GOOD visibility in the direction where there is REAL objects EVERY TIME. When you back out you are backing out into an open area with essentially zero chance of hitting anything. And when backing you can not see and judge nearly as well. If you back in, you are making the most difficult maneuver at the exact time that you have the most things around to run into. Then you pull out later with great visibility when there is no realistic likelihood of hitting anything. Many people could close there eyes and back OUT without hitting anything. Try that while backing in. Backing in as a preferred everyday maneuver simply makes no logical sense when you consider the probabilities of hitting something combined with the visibility and difficulty of the maneuver. -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u >>>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's >>>>>> habit or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > where there are cars around you, you pull in with GOOD visibility in > the direction where there is REAL objects EVERY TIME. Fixed objects that are not moving. Backing out into a traffic lane(that's what it is),there's a good chance you will encounter people driving perhaps faster than they should. It's definitely NOT smart to back into traffic. > When you back > out you are backing out into an open area with essentially zero chance > of hitting anything. Bullshit,there's always the possibility of a moving vehicle;it IS a traffic lane. > And when backing you can not see and judge > nearly as well. Which is why it's unwise to back into a traffic lane. Better to back into a parking spot;those vehicles are not moving. > If you back in, you are making the most difficult > maneuver Only for one lacking the skills of backing up. > at the exact time that you have the most things around to run > into. Then you pull out later with great visibility when there is no > realistic likelihood of hitting anything. BECAUSE you can see better,to avoid cars zipping thru the traffic lanes. > Many people could close > there eyes and back OUT without hitting anything. Try that while > backing in. What a DUMB suggestion. > Backing in as a preferred everyday maneuver simply makes > no logical sense when you consider the probabilities of hitting > something combined with the visibility and difficulty of the maneuver. But there IS a high probability that you could hit or get hit by another car backing out from a parking spot.The chance of hitting a parked car while backing IN is only due to a lack of skill.Those cars are NO surprise. SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net > >>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit > >>>>> or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > out you are backing out into an open area with essentially zero chance > of hitting anything. Huh? > And when backing you can not see and judge > nearly as well. If you back in, you are making the most difficult > maneuver at the exact time that you have the most things around to run > into. Then you pull out later with great visibility when there is no > realistic likelihood of hitting anything. What great visibility? The a.s-end of your car is 6 or 8 feet into the driving lane/street/traffic/whatever before you can see what's coming at you. I guess the bicyclist you run over will be happy with the new bike you buy him, but he probably wouldn't have chosen all the gravel rash. > Many people could close > there eyes and back OUT without hitting anything. Never depend on luck when driving. Sooner or later you'll lose. > Try that while > backing in. Backing in as a preferred everyday maneuver simply makes > no logical sense when you consider the probabilities of hitting > something combined with the visibility and difficulty of the maneuver. When you back into a parking place, everything except you is standing still. Not so when you back out of a parking place. Local town switched from parallel street parking to diagonal. It's terrifying tgo ride my bike through that town because you KNOW that you can't see drivers in the cars and they sure as hell can't see you. Some towns have considered setting up diagonal parking that you back into, which seems absolutely perfect. Probably never happen. SignatureCheers, Bev ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Non illegitimi carborundum. >> >>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's habit >> >>>>> or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] >setting up diagonal parking that you back into, which seems absolutely >perfect. Probably never happen. So can we assume that you and Jim have all sorts of accident history when you used to back in and pull out instead of doing what the other 99.999% of the drivers in the world do? I think that pretty much says it all. -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u >>> >>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's >>> >>>>> habit or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > it all. > -- You assume incorrectly. SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net >>>> >>>>> I'm at a loss as to what motivates these people. Maybe it's >>>> >>>>> habit or the need for a quick getaway. [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > >You assume incorrectly. Then if you had no problem when you used to do what 99.9% of us do (pull in and back out), what was the impetus for changing? Just because it made you feel "better" about yourself? -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u > <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > 99.999% of the drivers in the world do? I think that pretty much says > it all. Not really, I'm thinking more from the point of view of people with the right of way getting bashed by people backing into their path of travel because they can't see where they're going. Never depend on others to do the right thing. Bicyclists notice sh.t like this all the time. SignatureCheers, Bev ============================================================== Everyone crashes. Some get back on. Some don't. Some can't. >> <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] >can't see where they're going. Never depend on others to do the right thing. >Bicyclists notice sh.t like this all the time. SO how do you know you won't accidentally back over someone walking between cars when you back INTO a parking space? After all, they don't expect they need to watch for people who can't see well while backing in since not one person in 100 does it that way. If you can't see well backing out, then you have the same "I can't see well" when you are backing in. Yet almost EVERY time you back in you NEED to see well to avoid the three other cars that bracket your space as well as any potential people walking there, or a shopping cart left in the space. -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u >>> <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote: >>> [quoted text clipped - 75 lines] > SO how do you know you won't accidentally back over someone walking > between cars when you back INTO a parking space? You STILL have the possibility of backing over a pedestrian,if you're backing out.An even greater possibility,as most if not all people walk in the traffic lane. >After all, they > don't expect they need to watch for people who can't see well while > backing in since not one person in 100 does it that way. If you can't > see well backing out, then you have the same "I can't see well" when > you are backing in. Yet almost EVERY time you back in you NEED to see > well to avoid the three other UNMOVING > cars that bracket your space as well as > any potential people walking there, or a shopping cart left in the > space. Which you would see -before- backing into it. They are not stealthy. SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net >>>> <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 94 lines] > >Which you would see -before- backing into it. They are not stealthy. It's amazing how you are so certain you will see everything when you back in yet so worried that you can't see anything if you were to be backing out. You position is completely illogical. -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u >>> SO how do you know you won't accidentally back over someone walking >>> between cars when you back INTO a parking space? [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > back in yet so worried that you can't see anything if you were to be > backing out. You position is completely illogical. VERY logical,as it is ordinary and COMMON for traffic and people to be walking in the traffic lane of the parking lot,but unusual and much rarer for people to be walking behind parked vehicles on the *inside*. Inanimate,unmoving objects will be seen as you position to back in. You do have to drive BY the space before backing in. You have a MUCH greater chance of backing over a person or striking a moving auto when backing OUT than backing in. You have defective logic processes. SignatureJim Yanik jyanik at kua.net >>>> SO how do you know you won't accidentally back over someone walking >>>> between cars when you back INTO a parking space? [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > >You have defective logic processes. Perhaps I just have the good sense to look at where I'm backing up. Apparently you make a habit of not doing so in those cases where you back out of a parking space. -- New service to compete with paypal Get $25 pre-registration bonus by following this link www.greenzap.com/25smackers4u ><rant> >What is with these people who insist on backing up into a parking space when >they obviously don't possess the skills to do so? They reverse real slow >and then have to pull forward two or three times to straighten out. Just >pull in head first! Sheesh! ></rant> They probably have problems going in frontwards too. I see lots of SUVs/Pickup drivers with this problem. In England we teach drivers to back into the parking space, they are taught to drive past the space slowly in order to get a good look at the space and what might be in it, they are taught to do all-round observations of the surrounding area, i.e pedestrians, animals, cyclist, small children, moving vehicles in both directions etc, when full observations have been made then they can reverse slowly into the space, slow enough to make all-round observations, that means stopping occasionally if they are not sure it is clear. When driving out they are now in the best and safest position to observe oncoming traffic, pedestrians, who could be pushing a pram that cant be seen over the edge of the back window, it includes little Jane & Jimmy who have fallen behind mum and are small enough to walk behind your vehicle without being seen, they won't notice you at all until you hit them. All these things can be seen if you are driving forwards out of the space. It is part of the driving test and I think it makes good sense and although a large % of drivers are too lazy to bother it doesn't justify the injuries caused. I know I wouldn't want to be the one driver who thoughtlessly runs down a child just because I couldn't be bothered to look out for them that day. Sorry for the lecture, Hotfoot > ><rant> > >What is with these people who insist on backing up into a parking space when [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I see lots of SUVs/Pickup drivers with this problem. |
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