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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Supermarket Car Parks

163 replies

Markymark20 · 15/07/2018 10:54

AIBU to think it is incredibly selfish of people to take extra time to reverse their car into a parking space in a car park when it would take a fraction of the time to drive in front first. Usually there is a queue of traffic behind them waiting for them to slowly reverse in!!!! They couldn’t car less about wasting other people’s time. They live in their own SELFISH bubble.

OP posts:
LearningCrochetTipsNeeded · 15/07/2018 11:27

Here is why you reverse in...

BewareOfDragons · 15/07/2018 11:30

It's easier to reverse in than reverse out in tight supermarket parking lots. And safer.

IfYouDontImagineNothingHappens · 15/07/2018 11:30

Reverse parking is safer.

If you can't reverse park you shouldn't be driving.

There's a car park near me where you are only allowed to reverse park because it is safer.

blackfootdaisy · 15/07/2018 11:32

I don’t care if it holds you up for a millisecond
Lots of people only look over one shoulder when reversing out
It’s so dangerous

QuestionableMouse · 15/07/2018 11:33

How does that work for disabled drivers who need full access to the boot?

beluga425 · 15/07/2018 11:34

you could just as well write
"AIBU to think it is incredibly selfish of people to drive into a space as they need to take extra time to reverse their car out of the parking space in a car park when it would take a fraction of the time to drive away front first. Usually there is a queue of traffic behind them waiting for them to slowly leave!!!! They couldn’t car less about wasting other people’s time." etc.

Olikingcharles · 15/07/2018 11:35

This must be a UK thing as where i am it's all drive in parking. Never seen anyone reserve park in the carparks here. Hmmmm

Firesuit · 15/07/2018 11:35

As a master of deferred gratification, I usually used to reverse in. Then I realised that logically, it made no sense. It's easier to manoeuvre a car forward than backwards, and easier to move out of a confined space than into it, therefore you keep the maximum level of difficulty down by not combining the two more difficult options. Even if you have no problem reversing in and so aren't aware of it, you are still making life slightly harder for yourself by reversing in.

That's just looking at the parking the car aspect. With regard to safety, I suppose there was a time when I worried about reversing out, but it's probably been 30 years since I've worried about it. But I guess it's fair to say it must be better not to reverse, even if the difference doesn't bother me. The vast majority of motorists don't reverse park, so it seems not to be an issue for them either.

Someone who visited a company in Germany mentioned that reverse parking was banned in the underground car park, as they didn't want exhausts discolouring the walls.

I've heard that in the US reverse parking is illegal, as cars only have number plates on the back and police want to be able to drive along a row of cars seeing all the number plates.

The safety advantage from reverse parking can't be that big if it is actually banned in various places.

Sparklingbrook · 15/07/2018 11:36

I always reverse into any car park space. I can do it really quickly.

Meh.

Firesuit · 15/07/2018 11:36

better for safety to reverse, obviously

HunterHearstHelmsley · 15/07/2018 11:38

I don't mind the reverse parking. I do mind the half wits who don't indicate their intention and just slam into reverse. Happened about 5 minutes ago and I couldn't reverse out the way because of another car behind me.

BrokenWing · 15/07/2018 11:38

We always go nose in so the trolley can be unloaded, which is the way most supermarket car parks are designed. While it is harder to leave the space, it can be done as safely as reversing into the space in the first place.

If you can't reverse park you shouldn't be driving.

Hmm If you can't exit a car parking space in reverse a supermarket carpark safely you shouldn't be driving either.

AirForce0ne · 15/07/2018 11:38

They have learned to park safely, that's why.

They are not hurting anyone by doing so, but you should really see someone about your rage.

reallybadidea · 15/07/2018 11:38

I'm utterly crap at reverse parking, but I've been driving without any accidents for more than 20 years, so I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that I shouldn't be driving at all Grin

User467 · 15/07/2018 11:39

Much easier to reverse into a space particularly in a bigger car. The length of my car means that in a typical car park you can't really get the bonnet round enough to drive into a space if there are cars parked on either side. I'd have to go in a bit then reverse back again. It's also much safer than reversing out.

I really can't see why it annoys you quite so much

Oldraver · 15/07/2018 11:40

Nope reversing in is much safer and less chance of scraping a car as you pull out (of the teeny spaces) as you have to go at less of angle. I think nose inners are lazy.

It does seem to be a thing now that people mostly pull in. Almost all the cars on my street do this then have to reverse out onto the road which is more dangerous...especially as lots of houses along the road ours is off have tall hedges

TheClaws · 15/07/2018 11:43

Do you have to be somewhere so quickly, OP, in those extra 30 seconds or so might have to wait?

emummy · 15/07/2018 11:44

Don't move to Aberdeen OP! The rules for most of the oil company car parks say you must reverse park for safety so most people do it in other car parks too. I feel like a rebel if I don't reverse!

IwantedtobeEmmaPeel · 15/07/2018 11:46

Gosh, what is it like to be so busy and important that you don't have a few minutes a day to wait for people to park - who are you - The Donald?

JurgenKloppsCat · 15/07/2018 11:49

Whichever way you do it, can everyone please park straight, and not leave your car at an angle like a scene from The Bill? Ta.

WhoKnowsWhereTheW1neGoes · 15/07/2018 11:51

I don't do it in supermarkets because you then can't get to the boot with the shopping (none of our local ones have the path behind the spaces thing, although I have seen it elsewhere), but I do reverse in everywhere else, it's safer and easier.

YearOfYouRemember · 15/07/2018 11:52

Are you pretending to be this dense, OP?

If they drive straight in you still have to wait while they reverse out..

SerenDippitty · 15/07/2018 11:52

And don’t straddle two spaces, that really is selfish twattery. I think some people do it so S to protect their car doors from other car doors but it is still selfish.

CocoaGin70 · 15/07/2018 11:52

I don't get why you reverse in, as surely it's more difficult to get to your boot and load it in Hmm. But as a rule I avoid supermarkets like the plague - that's why Ocado was invented. I can't stand the twattery in the car parks and check outs.

HildaZelda · 15/07/2018 11:52

I take it you're not able to reverse park so OP?