Reverse parking v driving in forwards

[HalloumiHannah]

I suppose this is more of an AIBU. I’ve just been to Aldi. Busy carpark, lots of people walking/pushing trolleys around going in to Aldi or the other shops in the retail park. And lots of people reversing their cars out of parking spaces into the carpark, having to slam brakes on to avoid people are milling about, struggling to get the angle right to pull away. This then causes congestion as other cars approach. People taking 2 or 3 attempts to turn the wheel to get into the space into the first place.

Why on earth don’t more people reverse into parking spaces? That way, you’re going backwards into an area with fewer pedestrians, and you have a much clearer view when driving away. I really don’t understand it! Surely it’s so much safer to reverse in and drive out? My elderly neighbour was almost caught by a car last week that started backing out of a space without looking (there was no other path for her to walk on), if that driver had reversed in he would have seen her straight away.

@RosesAndHellebores

OP if you can't reverse park, how do you manage to park on an ordinary road? Ah, perhaps you have never lived in London.

It's just a skill that has to be mastered. When I first moved to London 40 years ago I quickly learnt because if you didn't you simply wouldn't have been able to park anywhere.

I can reverse park, and parallel park. I’ve never lived in London though.

I do understand the boot access issue, I just feel that unless you need to do that you should reverse in and drive out it’s much safer when there’s lots of pedestrians about. Loads of people who drive in seem to have to straighten their car up anyway, so they’re reversing back into the road to do that, then reversing out again when they leave.

I've noticed a lot of people reversing out don't look properly- relying exclusively on their rear view mirror rather than using the mirror and checking over their shoulder, as I was taught.

Why on earth don’t more people reverse into parking spaces?

Because it's a supermarket car park, near Christmas, where the majority of people will need to access their boot.

Of course reversing in makes more sense is a lot of instances.

But not this one.

@BioBins

I passed my test last year, and I've never been taught to reverse into a parking space. It's not on the test as my centre doesn't have any parking spaces. I've wouldn't feel confident reversing in, but I know how to reverse out fine.

Really? When I learnt ‘reversing round a corner’ was one of three manoeuvres that could be tested on.

Some people are such shit drivers that it takes them 5 minutes to reverse into a parking space, which causes everyone else considerable annoyance.

It would also be a lot easier for everybody if stupid pedestrians looked where they are bloody well going and didn't just walk behind cars which are obviously already reversing out of a space.

I always drive into spaces in the supermarket so I can access my boot. In other situations I reverse park if it looks like it will be easier/safer to exit that way. But I fail to see how it can be dangerous to reverse out of a spot and perfectly safe to reverse into one. It drives me mad when people insist on reverse parking into a space (to prove their superior driving ability?) and take five goes to do so while everyone else is held up waiting for them. How is that safer?

Boot access. Will reverse up to a "path" space if there is one in preference but if not definitely allow boot access.

My Aldi and Lidl ask you to pack at the car rather than stay at the packing shelf so I tend to have a trolley full of loose stuff unless it's raining. Would take far too long to bring stuff from the front of the car.

Never reverse park ever. It would honestly take me so many attempts to do it properly that the result would be even more congestion than the few mins it might take me to reverse out of a space when I forward park. I don't ever have a problem with reversing out of a space oddly.

Yanbu. I always reverse park. It just means I have to bring the shopping to the back of the car.

@BiscuitDrama
Really? When I learnt ‘reversing round a corner’ was one of three manoeuvres that could be tested on.

Yeah that’s gone now unfortunately. Been replaced by pulling up on the right and reversing three car lengths which isn’t a wildly useful skill imo.

I find it much easier to reverse park but since having DS I need to get the pushchair out of the boot everywhere we go.

I always go to the far end of the car park where there are no cars. Got fed up of people flinging their doors open and hitting my car.

I'm in the habit of driving forwards into spaces so I can easily access the car boot. I usually have the pram with me or am doing a big shop.

I can reverse park, but since every supermarket car park in my area is crammed with over large cars taking up not only their space but usually a bit of mine, and often on a slant to make things worse, I find it easier to drive in forwards.

Make spaces wider supermarket car park designers!

YABU

Supermarket is the only place where I don't reverse park - because it's impossible to load shopping into car otherwise. But I also park far away from the entrance to avoid the milling people when I'm pulling out. I hate reversing out of a parking space, it makes me very anxious.

I always reverse park ... except for at the supermarket for reasons listed time and again before me.
Many times I've come back to my car to find the car next to me has parked so close I have to edge down sideways (as a slim person!) so how am I supposed to do that with a full carrier bag in each hand to reach the back of my car, not to mention I have a flip up tailgate that needs a fair bit of clearance and you could guarantee that the person behind me will have backed up dead close.

Come on op, use yer noggin.

I reverse in. Keep up the practice of it, and have done so ever since in my early twenties being the designated driver and having to leave a rough pub in a hurry.

I have an 18 month old child, so I drive into a car parking space. If I reverse in, I can't get his pram out, so I have no choice really.

To be honest, even when alone, I mostly drive in to a space, because there have been times in the past where people park so close to me, there isn't enough space to walk between the two cars with a large shopping back to get the shopping into the boot.

I always reverse park as I find it much easier,. except for the supermarket. Trying to unload the trolley into the boot when you can't put the trolley next to the boot is a nightmare.

Almost everyone in aldi will expect to need boot access so reversing in isn't suitable. Everyone just needs to pay attention in the car park.

I can’t do it especially between 2 parked cars. I wouldn’t even attempt to do it, I admit it. Plus getting shopping in wouldn’t work. Before anyone pipes up, i shouldn’t be driving. I’m a perfectly good driver. Can’t be perfect at everything lol 😂

I reverse park and can do it within a few seconds I have done it for years. I put my trolley at side/ front of car and walk to 3/4 feet to the boot, no issues really.

As well as boot access, my car has a reversing camera so my visibility is actually better going backwards rather than forwards.

cos im really shit at reverse parking and parallel parking. I am not brilliant at parking in general, but good enough to have got my licence, but now ive got it, I avoid difficult parking as much as possible. I dont like reversing out either, and I avoid busy parts of car parks.