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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect shoppers not to walk behind me whilst I'm reversing out of my parking space?

92 replies

Joysmum · 07/11/2013 18:55

Given most people arrive at the supermarket by car, surely everyone realises how dangerous it is to walk behind a reversing car. There are blind spots and you also need to make sure you're not going to hit the car either side of you so aren't always able to look behind.

Don't even get me started with parents who do this with their kids.

OP posts:
DamnBamboo · 07/11/2013 18:56

Oh FGS! So wait until they pass - 10 whole seconds.
Pedestrians generally always have the right of way.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/11/2013 18:57

It is silly.

However its much better to reverse into a spot and then you can pull out forwards.

redshifter · 07/11/2013 19:00

It is silly.However its much better to reverse into a spot and then you can pull out forwards
Agreed.
Easier and safer this way.

SatinSandals · 07/11/2013 19:00

You just have to look out for pedestrians, even if there are none they might appear at any moment.

teacherandguideleader · 07/11/2013 19:02

No you look behind. Drivers know there are pedestrians who are much more vulnerable than people in their cars. I have seen countless drivers reverse really fast without looking - like the one who hit my mum, carried on, reversed over her twice and nearly killed her in the process.

flagnogbagnog · 07/11/2013 19:02

I'm with you on the OP. I think you take your life in your own hands if you dash out in front of a moving vehicle. Yes pedestrians should take priority over a car but I think walking behind a vehicle that is already reversing and can not necessarily see you is just plain stupid.

NorthernLurker · 07/11/2013 19:02

You need to reverse slowly and yes you can be looking behind. Couple of quick glances in side mirrors and through windows to check you're not driving in to the car next to you and then keep looking back. They can't see your reversing lights till they're behind you and if distracted it's easy to do. You're the one in charge of the enormous, heavy, moving car. The onus is on you to be careful.

Merguez · 07/11/2013 19:03

I have had more bumps in my car in supermarket car parks than anywhere else. You need your wits about you. And YABU.

Also - loading your shopping into the boot is much trickier if you have reversed in.

Fenton · 07/11/2013 19:03

Yes, reverse into a spot wherever poss, and I'm afraid it's one of those things, pedestrians have right of way.

Best to just accept it really, don't get the rage in a car park, or in a car for that matter. Smile

Andro · 07/11/2013 19:03

However its much better to reverse into a spot and then you can pull out forwards.

Agreed...unless it's chevron parking with a one way system.

BatPenguin · 07/11/2013 19:06

I hate reversing out of spaces at my local supermarket, I have visions of kids running out behind me. I try to park on an end space or a bit further from the store as it makes me nervous.

Fenton · 07/11/2013 19:07

Tbh I usually park in the back arse of beyond in the supermarket car park to avoid cars, people and stray trollies.

Yika · 07/11/2013 19:09

This drives me crazy. People do it to me when I am parallel parking in the street and trying to reverse into a tight spot. Can they not just cross over ONE CAR further down?

Vivacia · 07/11/2013 19:10

You are, of course, not being unreasonable. People should give way to cars because cars are bigger and in the case of a collision Cars Win. Survival of the fittest - that's the way of the world. I hope when you knock in to a pedestrian in a busy car park you point out how wrong they were to be knocked over by you?

bonzo77 · 07/11/2013 19:13

YABU. OTOH if you have to get a buggy in and out of the car it is easier to drive in. I am a committed reverser-inner but drive in when I need to use the buggy. Obviously the best solution is the shop on line!

redshifter · 07/11/2013 19:15

Agreed, if you have a big load of shopping you need access to boot. It is one of the only reasons I would consider for not reversing into a space.
Otherwise it is easier to reverse into a tight space. And much safer to drive forward when pulling out of space.
It is up to you but if you hit a pedestrian it would probably be considered your fault no matter what they were doing.
Even if it wasn't, you just wouldn't want the experience of hitting someone. Would you?
Just not worth it. Always try to consider the safer option.

redshifter · 07/11/2013 19:20

if you have to get a buggy in and out of the car it is easier to drive in.

Yes. I didn't think of buggies. Long time since I used one. I keep forgetting the extra things you you need to think of with young DCs.

PhallicGiraffe · 07/11/2013 19:24

You shouldn't be reversing out of a parking space. You should reverse in. What if a car is driving down and crashes into you because you are blindly reversing out?

Original poster
Joysmum · 07/11/2013 19:25

I usually reverse into spaces for safety when getting out, do the same to get into my driveway too. However when going to a supermarket (as mentioned in the OP) I am buying a weekly shop which needs to go in the boot and I'd not want to risk damaging the cars either side of me by carrying it between the cars.

Of course pedestrians are more vulnerable ( I run, ride my bike, my motorbike, my horse and am a car driver) and as a pedestrian I am aware of that and don't walk behind moving reversing cars and have taught my daughter to wait too as I'd rather not take the risk of not being seen.

If you are in a busy supermarket you'll get people walking close to your moving car and you can't see them coming to know to wait until you're part way out and trying to see kids when they don't come up to window height isn't possible.

How hard is it for pedestrians to make sure they have been seen and aren't distracted or oblivious to the dangers?

OP posts:
Original poster
Joysmum · 07/11/2013 19:27

Suggest people look at the way most cars are parked in their supermarket. My local sainsburys has parking spaces angled to drive straight into so you'd have a hard job reversing in without going against flow of traffic. .

OP posts:
TrueToYou · 07/11/2013 19:34

yabu
Pedestrian has right of way
except when i'm driving

Seriously, does it take so much effort to take your foot off the accelerator to avoid killing someone?

Mim78 · 07/11/2013 19:34

Unfortunately, even if you are right in theory and NBU you still need to keep a careful look out because if you run someone over you will be traumatised.

Obviously people should take care where they are walking, but you would be so upset if you did hit someone that you just have to work on the basis they may walk out.

Also if you don't look where you're going you might get prosecuted for careless driving (or death by careless driving if someone is killed) even if the other person was being daft to walk out. You don't want to put yourself at risk of that.

But obviously if they were sensible people would stop if they saw a car already in the process of reversing. Sadly that's not always the case.

Meglet · 07/11/2013 19:35

Yabu. Reverse in.

I'd rather have a battle trying to get my shopping in the boot than reverse out of a space.

Bowlersarm · 07/11/2013 19:37

YANBU.

They look at you as though you've killed their cat! Do they not realise they will be sitting in their car doing the same thing in about 2 minutes time?

nkf · 07/11/2013 19:39

Wait till they pass. And reverse in and pull out so you can see what you are dong and don't endanger people's lives. That's a car you've got, not the right to rule.

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