AIBU to think that you shouldn't buy a huge 4X4 if you cannot reverse it?

[MythicalKings]

DH and I went to a National Trust house yesterday. It's accessed down a narrow twisty lane with a few passing places. We go there a lot so know the road well.

We came round the corner and there was a 4X4 coming towards us. Our nearest passing place was more than half a mile back and we knew there was one 150 yards or so behind the 4X4 so we waited for the driver to reverse. She just sat there. So did we.

When she realised we weren't moving she gestured to us to reverse. DH stuck his head out of the window and said there was a passing place not far behind her and the one behind us was considerably further away. She said that wasn't so but DH pointed to where it could just be seen. She started to reverse and went into the bank, a few further fumbles ensued before she stopped and said she couldn't reverse her car so we'd have to.

So we did. But why on earth would anyone buy a car that they can't drive properly? Not wanting to drip feed so I'll point out it was obvious from the paint job that it was her car and not the family car that she didn't usually drive.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

yes if you are going UP a hill, then you should reverse for the person coming down.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Kungfupannda - I immediately thought of you and non-reversing woman when I started reading this - and then there you were on the thread!!

I learned to reverse using a prism in the back window of our first car - a Sierra. It meant I could look in the rear view mirror and see down to the back bumper of the car, which made parallel parking a doddle. We didn't transfer the prism to the next car we bought - a Granada (if I recall correctly, dh said the slope of the back window was too steep, so it wouldn't work) but I found that, doing lots of parking using the prism had helped me learn to reverse without it - if you see what I mean.

I almost always reverse into parking spaces - I think it is easier and safer to reverse into a parking space than to have to reverse out of it. But judging by the number of cars I see parked forward, in car parks, I am in the minority.

I have reversed round the odd corner too - despite having declared, on passing my test, that I was never bloody well doing that again! It has come in handy a few times.

I had a hospital appointment recently, and an elderly gent watched me reversing into a rather tight space - it was not too tight either side, but there was a car parked acrossways, opposite the space, which made reversing in a bit of a challenge - but I managed, and later on, his wife came up to me in the clinic and told me how impressed he had been with the quality of my parking!

All that said, I have found it can be a lot harder to reverse in a straight line than round a corner/into a parking space (either parallel parking or into a carpark space) - I know it sounds barking mad, but I do struggle more, if I have to reverse to a passing place, than I do if I am parking the car or reversing round a corner. I still do it, though - if there is a more convenient space behind me than behind the other driver - that is just good manners.

[Sidge]

I'm shit hot at parking generally and tend to reverse into spaces rather than drive in - it's far easier and I never understand people who spend ages trying to drive into a space with 39 manoeuvers when you could reverse park it in 2.

I actually had to park a woman's car for her in a multi-story car park once; she wanted a spot quite close to the entrance but took so many tries to park her Nissan Micra in that space the traffic built up to the extent people were queuing down the road. It was narrow enough in the car park that you couldn't get past her but she just couldn't park her car.

I jumped out and offered to park it, which I did in 2 goes.

I do think if you can't park your car you shouldn't be driving it.

[DownWithThisTypeOfThing]

VivaLeBeaver
Problem is some people wouldn't be able to reverse no matter the size of their car. I came across a bloke on a country lane in Wales once in a little Punto. He was terrified by the thin mountain road with a big drop one side. Nowhere to turn round and he couldn't reverse. I ended up having to reverse it for him.

Oh in fairness I share his fear! We took a wrong turning once (although the right turning according to satnav) and ended up on some tiny mountain track in Wales. I held my breath and prayed no-one would be coming in the opposite direction. The drop was terrifying.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Yes but if you can reverse then you can reverse out of such a situation, even if you have to reverse quite slowly.

I reversed it back about 500yards as fast as I could and wheel span it into a little passing place to turn it. I was only 17yo at the time and fearless. . Car owner was a Japenese tourist and I had to then endure a photo shoot!

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

I've recently been complemented on my reversing by an elderly gentleman too! They're of the generation that's impressed by women driving at all.

If anyone wants some real non-reversing fun, visit the Isle of Wight during peak tourist season. The locals are all perfectly able and happy to reverse to the nearest passing point if it's nearer to them. Not so the overners.

We're off to the Isle of Wight this summer and I also drive a 4x4. I'm a good driver though, I promise. It's actually nearly a foot shorter than my old car, a VW Passat estate, which was mahoosive.

What gets my goat is when people expect you to drive up a grass verge to get out of their way without being able to see where you're going. I know it looks like a big grass verge but I drive that road often and I know there's a bloody great ditch behind the grass so no I'm not driving into it, you can glare at me all you like, snotty woman in Fiesta.

[muminhants]

We took a wrong turning once (although the right turning according to satnav) and ended up on some tiny mountain track in Wales. I held my breath and prayed no-one would be coming in the opposite direction. The drop was terrifying.

The most terrifying experience of my life was going up to the Sleave League in Donegal. We were going to park in a car park down below and then people coming down said it was quite a walk (ds was 2) so we'd be better off driving. It was a sheer drop off the cliff into the sea with no barrier. Fortunately nobody came the other way. I have never ever been so scared in my life. We got to the top and there was a BUS up there! And very relaxed calm people! Was it just us? Fortunately on the way down we could hug the cliff wall and we did meet people coming up but they had to go near the sheer drop.

[muminhants]

Maybe because they use them at the weekend for something? My DH toddles to work in his 4x4 in the week, then we spend as many weekends as we can driving up windy mountainous roads or narrow country lanes to get to some amazing place. Unfortunately we can't afford a commuting car and an adventuring car, so we have to use the same one for both. Is that OK?

No I live in aspirational commuterland. They are a status symbol. We're a long way from the narrow mountainous lanes of Scotland or Wales. Very few people in my area are one-car families (I am one, because I work from home and hubby commutes by train so we don't need more than one car).

Anyway you say your hubby drives to work so he does at least use the car. I'm just surprised at people who can afford to spend £30K plus on a car that sits in a car park 5 days a week.

[SistersofPercy]

It's not limited to 4x4 drivers. I have both, DH's car is a 4x4 which I drive occasionally if its there, then I have the extreme opposite, a tiny Fiat 500. I can drive both, reverse both and am happy and confident in both.

Sat on the health centre car park on Monday and watched a 500 driver try and fail to get into the widest space in the world. She ended up taking one and a half spaces. She just could not reverse the car at all. She got out, looked it at and walked off probably thinking 'that will do'.

[TheFnozwhowasmirage]

Thank you Eve I'll try and remember that.Our farmyard gateway is such that you can't reverse in from one direction at all and the other is tricky,especially if the people opposite park their cars directly opposite and don't give you enough room. I know I can do it if I put my mind to it,when I was 16 my dad had me manouevering a tractor and 20ft trailer around haystacks whilst he loaded it up.

[geekymommy]

I'll tell you what the problem is, at least here in the US. You can't have both a car culture where lots of people have to drive or be driven everywhere and a driving test that a significant fraction of people are going to fail. South Africa has tried that. The result is lots of unlicensed drivers, and even less safe driving conditions. You either have to have it be reasonably easy to get a driver's license, or make it so that people can get around relatively easily without driving.

I recently got a new Subaru Outback with a backup camera. I'm not that great at reversing, which I used to get around by being very cautious about reversing (and never reversing into a parking space). I will never drive another car without a backup camera, at least not if I have a choice. It's been revolutionary.

[violetwellies]

Why not have it like motorcycle licences? The bigger bikes need a second test. Then all the idiots who can't drive will be taking up less space and annoying less people in smaller cars.

[geekymommy]

Why not have it like motorcycle licences? The bigger bikes need a second test. Then all the idiots who can't drive will be taking up less space and annoying less people in smaller cars.

I think it would make some sense, but I suspect the car manufacturers would throw a shit fit if we tried to do this here in the US. They have money, and money talks in politics (here, at least).

Then, if it somehow passed anyway, the carmakers would find some way around it. They classified SUVs as "light trucks" in North America for years to get around emissions and fuel economy regulations. I'm sure they'd find some similar creative accounting to figure out how to sell big cars to people who want them but can't drive them.

[lampygirl]

Anyone who wants reversing practice can come to work with me. Today's challenge was an extra long wheelbase Mercedes sprinter van, 250 yards uphill and round a corner into a narrow loading dock. Event venues aren't very forgiving with your ability to reverse.

I always reverse park. It makes much more sense. Easier to get in the space and easier to pull out forwards. I drive a 5 series estate, so not quite as big as a 4x4 but people still seem to assume I can't park it because I'm female, even though it's tiny compared to the work vans.

[Greaterthanthesumoftheparts]

It's funny I can reverse park so easily but I can't park forward for toffee, very embarrassing at times!

[Momagain1]

Oh, is kungfupandas reverse standoff in classics, or just legendary? I wanna read it!

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

DH has a 4x4 which I end up having to drive occasionally. I would say my parking and reversing skills in it are adequate but not spectacular.

I'm a bit shocked at how macho people are being on this thread though. I think sometimes people like to crow about their driving and parking skills, because they are traditionally male skills, and therefore have more perceived value.

No one really brags about how good they are at baking and sewing and pours scorn on people who are a bit crap at them.

It's getting from A to B and putting your car in a space. Wow.

[exLtEveDallasNoBollocks]

I'm shit at reversing. Bloody awful at reverse parking. I blame the Army - my driving lessons were all in Landrovers - proper Landrovers - none of this pussying about around corners or into straight line spaces...it was all muddy banks, vertical hill climbs and ridged ditches! Country lanes are like runways compared to that.

I dream of owning an Ex Mil rover - it'll be green, held together with black and nasty, have a coat hanger aerial and a couple of muddy Spaniels in the back. One can only dream...

[HappenstanceMarmite]

No one really brags about how good they are at baking and sewing and pours scorn on people who are a bit crap at them.

Ummm...yes they do.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Really Happen? Well I must have missed all those threads where people pour scorn on other people's efforts at the bake sale.

[HappenstanceMarmite]

I wouldn't know about bake sale threads. But I've heard plenty of snide comments from competitive Stepford Wife sorts.

[HelenF350]

Try driving in Aberdeen! Full of people with unnecessary 4x4s (lots of BMW/Audi/Range Rovers that can't bloody park or drive them. Gets right on my wick.

[TheCatsMother99]

That's shocking. You should be in control of your car, going both forward and backwards, at all times.

[woodhill]

my driving and parking skilks improved greatly working in education and having to park in staff car parks where there is limited space.