Driving: Reverse Parking

[Ozanj]

I am an anxious driver but it got a lot worse when I got my new car, and where I really struggle is reverse bay parking. In a nice spacious supermarket bay I’m fine and can use the 3 line rule I learned from my instructor back in the day, but where I really struggle is our busy local town centre where the bays are narrow & there’s so much traffic that 9 / 10 times I lose my space if I try and do the manoevre how I’ve been taught. The 45 degree / angle method rarely works but I’m not sure that I’m doing it properly.

Does anyone have some kind of magic bullet way that I can reverse park as neatly as other drivers seem to do it? Or should I just accept that I need to avoid this carpark

@FixTheBone

I dont get parking front first into a bay. If there's a car either side of you you're taking a chance every time you reverse out.

Just learn to park properly. Go late at night, find a quiet corner and keep practicing, learn where the turning points are on your car.

Why is reversing into a space parking "properly" but reversing out not? As long as you're parked in between the lines, does it really matter how you got there?

I forward park because if I reverse park, it means I can't get to the boot to put shopping in as there's nowhere to put the trolley, and I have back issues that mean I can't carry too much heavy stuff.

It's still "proper parking"!

Just practice really. My workplace car park has a reverse park only rule so I have to do it every morning.We are all pro's at it now 👍👍

Keep practicing, but also try to stop caring what other road users think, yes they’ll have to wait while you park, if they don’t like that then its tough shit essentially.

OP book a lesson with a driving instructor and ask them to focus solely on reverse parking. 1 x 1 hour lesson should be enough to master it. But you can always book another if you want. Get them to take you to different parking bays in your area.

@ahoyshipmates

Go in forwards instead. It's a lot easier to reverse out of a space than it is to reverse into one, especially when you feel like you are being watched. Reversing out means that you are reversing into a much larger area. Try it, and see how you get on.

But its much much more dangerous to reverse out. I visit many companies and its reverse parking only for safety reasons

If you cant reverse park either practice or give up driving as its a necessary skill

I passed my test in 1981, have driven forwards into parking spaces thousands of times, and have never once found it difficult to reverse out again because someone has parked opposite.

It isn't so much the parking opposite as people parking either side of you. If you are reversing out, depending on height of cars it can be impossible to see the road you are reversing out on to / what traffic (including pedestrians) is traveling along that road

Unless they'd completely blocked me in and driving out forwards would have been impossible as well ..... most people find driving forwards in a tricky or tight space easier than reversing though, hence it making much more sense to reverse in when it is quiet.

I do the 45 degree angle thing or go in forwards. I was never taught that other maneuver and looking at it always seemed really hard to get my head around for some reason 😂. Just go with your instincts and what you find easiest

@DemBonesDemBones

I have never, in 15 years of driving, reversed into a space. I'm the mumsnet Antichrist

Me too. I’ve been driving for over 30 years and never done it once. What I really like is to find two empty spaces back to back so I can drive forward in and out.

I’m the worse driver. I always reverse in but if it means I park miles away I will. I think I just like you need to practice more.

@DemBonesDemBones

I have never, in 15 years of driving, reversed into a space. I'm the mumsnet Antichrist

Me neither. Actually, I lie, I did once and ended up so stressed and parked far too close to the next car that I had to get out the passenger side, left my lights and nearly got a flat battery.

I wasn't taught to reverse into a parking space when I did my test - it was reversing round a corner, three point turn and parallel parking in my day.

I think you just need more practice, and getting more familiar with the dimensions of your vehicle. I like the idea of going to an empty car park and practising and practising.

It's always harder parking an unfamiliar vehicle, because you're less sure of the space you have, especially where you can't see. Whereas, my current car, I've had it a few years, and I can get into quite tight spaces because I have a much better idea of just how close I can get. (And in my street, I get plenty of practice at parking in close spaces!)

Why is reversing into a space parking "properly" but reversing out not? As long as you're parked in between the lines, does it really matter how you got there?

Reverse parking is far safer. When reversing your visibility is reduced. A car parking slot is a small controlled spot. It's unlikely to have an obstacle suddenly appear in it behind you once you've checked it. Not impossible but much less likely.

When you reverse out of it you're driving into a possible stream of traffic. People drive too fast in car parks and what looked like a clear safe space can rapidly become obstructed. Not to mention feral toddlers running free, shoppers busy chatting and paying no attention to the cars, the car opposite also reversing out at the same time, loose trolleys etc etc.

If you come out nose first you can see all this happening in front of you much more easily.

I used to always go in forward but when redeployed to a different hospital I had to reverse in as the car park was tight and it was the only way. I know realise it's so much easier to reverse in and drive out and I do it where I can.

I wasn't taught to reverse into a parking space when I did my test - it was reversing round a corner, three point turn and parallel parking in my day.

I passed my test on the last day before they brought in parallel parking as part of the test. Thank goodness - I might still be a non-driver otherwise. I can now do it brilliantly (most days - I still screw it up once in a while, and have to pull out and start again,) but I'm very glad I didn't have another thing to think about in another test.

Can you go to the carpark when the shops are closed and just keep trying until you get it OP? There will be a knack for positioning your particular car, once you figure out what it is, you'll be flying!

Interestingly the only time I ever got stuck in a space I had reversed in!

I was reversing out of a tight space in a car park, an impatient driver came along and was really crowding me and I panicked and reversed straight back into the space the other side of the roadway to clear the way for them, whereupon they promptly parked in the space I'd just left!

I then tried to pull out forwards, but a wall was in the way, and I couldn't swing around tight enough because of the car parked next to me. It was one way, so if I'd been reversing out I would have been turning the opposite way.

In the end I had to drive the wrong way, to a wider bit, then turn round and go back the right way. I had quite an audience by that time - it was far more embarrassing than holding up pushy mcspace stealer for a few seconds would have been!

Reverse parking is far safer. When reversing your visibility is reduced. A car parking slot is a small controlled spot. It's unlikely to have an obstacle suddenly appear in it behind you once you've checked it. Not impossible but much less likely.

It may be safer in some circumstances, but it's often far less convenient.

If I reverse park at our local supermarket, I struggle to get between the cars to put my shopping in the boot - and I have back issues and struggle with heavy lifting. I always park so I can put the trolley right next to the boot of the car.

I reverse bay parked on the day of my test and haven't attempted it since!

I wasn't taught to reverse into a parking space when I did my test - it was reversing round a corner, three point turn and parallel parking in my day.

Reversing into a bay and reversing around a corner are the same skill.

Practice! Practice! Practice! When I first started driving I used to arrive at work for 6.30am (shift started at 7am) so I could use the empty carpark to get used to all the manoeuvres I was nervous about.

I am the complete opposite of the poster above who said it's easier to reverse out of a space - I think it's much much easier to reverse into a space and drive out forwards.

It's also much safer to reverse into a space (though I have an older car with no reverse sensors/cameras etc).

It's a lot easier to reverse out of a space than it is to reverse into one, especially when you feel like you are being watched.

This is crazy advice. To start with it's much easier to reverse when the car engine is warm - it's one of the many reasons why if you are parking you should reverse in to a space when you park and not drive nose in.

As @LadyPoison says more importantly, reversing out of a space is far more dangerous as you haver restricted visibility.

@Ozanj

Reverse parking is mostly practice and knowing the car and getting a feel for it's width, size and 'turning circle'. So a new car will always take time to get the hang of. My own car I've had for years so can reverse park it really well and easily but my DH's car is new and I find that really tricky.

My tips would be

go to quiet road and find a single car parked by the car with nothing round it.

Pull up directly behind it (as in the position you would be in if you had reversed parked there) then drive forward very slowly so as to position your car parallel to that car (as in the position you would be in if you were starting a reverse park maneouver).

As you move through that path very slowly, keep stopping and check the rear view mirror/back of your car and pay particular attention to the ANGLE of that back of your car to the kerb as it moves through that arc.

Do this a few times (forward) so you get a hang of what the positioning should look like. and how far you should be turning the wheel.

Then try it backwards and practice a few times.

I never really got on with the whole start half a car length along advice as it never worked for me. For me I found it easiest when I focussed on the back of my car and the angle to the kerb so then I got a sense of when I was on the right line or not.

Or as others have said, book a driving instructor for a lesson purely on reverse parking and ideally to teach you in your own car.

I've never reverse parked in my life. Always forward parked. Revoke my Mumsnet membership immediately! (Realise this is no help to you op. I agree with PP - book a couple of refresher lessons to focus solely on this)

Been driving 15 years and never reverse park. Ever. I hate it so just drive round until I find a space I can drive into…..!

• Sorry - I've just realised I was talking about parallel parking rather than reverse parking but what I've suggested would help you with reverse parking anyway.

I always reverse park if I can, so that I can just drive out afterwards.

Just taught ds1 to drive and we started by going to a huge empty Carpark and just reversing into a specific space, but with spaces each side, that takes the pressure off.

I am not a confident driver, at all but reverse parking is so much easier than driving forwards into a space once you get the hang of it. I'd go to a quiet place like pp said and practice.

I do love it when there are two bays end to end available though so I can drive straight through and still be facing forwards for getting out. They're known as "throughies" in our house.