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

[Joysmum]

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.

Well, not lives. That was a bit melodramatic. But basically, you are the pain, not the pedestrians with children.

Nobody's being rude behind the wheel, all I'm suggesting is that people do as I do and take responsibility for their own safety and teach their children to do the same. Not hard!

When I'm running, riding or driving, I behave defensively. I assume people might get distracted. I won't allow my DD to walk behind a reversing car and then expect her to say, 'but I had right of way!' When lying in a hospital bed or worse. There are done terrible drivers out there and I trust nobody

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.

Good point, though never seen this round my way. Stupid Sainsburys should have angled them in the opposite direction.

Yanbu. It drives me nuts. People take leave of their senses in car parks.
I nearly reversed into someone last Christmas who just pushed her buggy out from between parked cars. I didn't see her. I had absolutely no way of seeing her. It still chills me thinking about it.

Car drivers don't acknowledge zebra crossings at the supermarket either.

The most terrifying (cold sweat type thing) driving thing (worse than being hit by a lorry and shunted down the motorway) was waiting to reverse out of a spot for woman on phone to amble behind me, start reversing and then for some reason stop only to watch her toddler emerge from behind the car. Must have stopped to pick up something/do something because she was far away when she stopped to wait for him.

Ooh, I hate it when people reverse into parking places!!
1.They usually take ages and cause queues of cars behind them, as no-one can move either direction while they faff around trying to reverse in.

1. The car ends up with the boot close up to either a wall or to another car on the 2nd row. So, shoppers come out with a loaded trolley and squash it between 2 cars trying to get it close to the boot. If they'd parked properly the boot would be outward facing!

The British seem uniquely gifted at designing ridiculously awkward car park layouts, but that's a whole other thread!

I have noticed people will speed up so as to walk behind your vehicle if you are reversing.

There must be some psychological reason for this.

Its the same when you are cycling and stick out your arm to indicate turning right - cars will speed up to overtake you, which is quite dangerous, rather than letting you move over and turn.

Just look where you are going. Its not rocket science. I've never hit anyone yet, and I don't have the rage when anyone walks behind me in a car park either. If it annoys you that much then you have a problem. You need to check out your surroundings properly when in charge of a car.

I'm with 80smum. I know you are supposed to reverse in (who made that rule, anyway?) but it does hold people up far more than doing the opposite. When reversing out, you can wait until nobody is passing to be delayed, reversing in you just have to do it, regardless of others. In the supermarket it is particularly stupid, as you can easily end up not able to access your boot (especially with large trolley bags) and delay yourself/others more, or cause damage to cars.
People in general need to be more aware of what is going on around them!

A lot of the car parks round here dont have pedestrian walkways so regardless of whether you drove in or not, you have to walk behind the cars to get to the shop. Inevitably that means coming across cars reversing to get out. Pedestrians have the right of way so tis how it is.

I was taught that reversing in is much safer in case you're being chased and need to get away in your car quickly probably after hitting a pedestrian

Why are you supposed to reverse in? That makes no sense at

When you have a huge shopping trolley fully of bags you wouldn't be able to unload it into your boot. Well, not easily, it would take twice as long and leave a trolley precariously untended at the front of the car.

Who says you are supposed to reverse in?

Me

I think reversing is safer as you don't have to worry about cars as well. Though I accept if you have loads of shopping its tricky. I try and reverse into a space with a walkway behind me so I can get to the boot still.

I used to work for a company where the staff carpark was mandatory reverse parking into spaces as research apparently proves its safer.

But, how do you get your shopping in the boot? That makes it much harder to load up.

Well I hope all the people saying you should reverse in won't mind when I pull forward out of the space and then stop and get out the put the shopping/pushchair in the boot as neither a trolley nor the pushchair will fit between two cars.

You are supposed to reverse in because 1) it is much easier in a tight space, it's why fork lift trucks for example which have to maneouvre in very tight spaces, have rear wheel steering. 2) It is much safer than reversing out.

Didn't everyone learn this on their driving test?

The online driving course that I have do for work said that you should always reverse into a space unless you need to access the boot. I think it was because it is safer in come out forwards as you have more visibility.

The safety aspect to reversing into a space is because your car door would be a barrier between you and anybody else. If you were followed, you can get into the car and block anyone else. Plus it is easier to drive off quickly than worry about going backwards in a straight line.

Didn't everyone learn this on their driving test?

Nope. They didn't do that on the driving test 24 years ago.

Both DH and I passed our driving test 22 and 23 years ago, it wasn't part of our tests.

YABU as annoying as it might seem when people bimble about carelessly.

You absolutely should expect people to do it, not because they shouldn't do it but because they will anyway :)

i try and park as far away from the store as possible, to save myself killing pedestrians

If you ask people: "What colour are reversing lights?"

9 out of 10 say:
.
.
.
.
"Er... red."

won't mind when I pull forward out of the space and then stop and get out the put the shopping/pushchair in the boot

Nah. I wouldn't mind. Lifes too short. I'd prefer to wait a bit than you run over a small child you couldn't see.
Driving can be very dangerous. It is not a race. Shouldn't rush. No matter how late you are.
Would you break the speed limit if someone minded you sticking to it?

Safety first. Relax.

This place is weird most of the time now sometimes.

Joysmum you are NBU to expect people to have some common sense and not walk behind a moving vehicle - but it's clear to see that many people think it's their god given right to be as stupid as they like, then blame someone else when they get hurt People doing it in the dark really get the award for complete and utter fucking stupidity - but hey, it's their 'right' isn't it

Reversing into a space is definitely something taught these days .