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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I am baffled by reverse parking

121 replies

PookieDo · 07/09/2018 23:42

This might make me sound like a total nut job but today I went to 2 really big multi story car parks which just blew my mind, and I just have to ask people why they reverse into spaces? It is becoming a really irrational thing to me - being held up by 20 people on my way in or out very very slowly reversing back into spaces. I just swing my car in the space front first, then reverse out in one complete movement (unless pedestrians present obviously). No 28 point turns required

In my brain it doesn’t make any sense. It’s much harder and time consuming to reverse into a space than out of one. If you are shopping, your boot is now around the back of the car, close to the wall/another car and you can’t get a trolley down the side of the car so you have to carefully take all the bags down the narrow-ish gap, minding your car and the car next to load your boot.

Am I a loony for letting this annoy me so much?

OP posts:

ColdNeverBotheredMeAnyway · 08/09/2018 09:17

Supermarkets and Multi storeys are terrible for people wandering in front of reversing cars without looking. The number of times I nearly didn't see someone in my blind spot whilst reversing out of a space frightened me.

I reverse in to spaces every time. Because you can see there's no one in our space before you reverse in, whereas you can't guarantee there's no one walking behind your car when you reverse out.

MrsJBaptiste · 08/09/2018 09:21

I never understand people who live on main roads driving into their driveway then having to reverse out onto the busy road

To be honest, it's crap either way. I live on a main road (busy bus route) and you often have cars right behind you when you're approaching your drive so it's far easier to just swing on head first into the drive. It's not too bad reversing out as you have the knack of doing it quickly when there's a gap in the traffic. Cars will slow down to let you out but don't seem to want to slow down to let you pull in!

MrsJBaptiste · 08/09/2018 09:22

If you can't reverse into a space without taking 5 minutes to do it do everyone a favour and give up your license Harsh but true!

MsJuniper · 08/09/2018 09:28

I agree it's safer and easier to reverse into spaces but with a buggy it is a pain if the spaces are small, so sometimes I go in forwards. Of course if there's a P+C space that makes things easier and safer for everyone, but I hesitate to mention the subject as I know some people are angry they exist at all...

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 08/09/2018 09:38

I nose park for anything requiring my boot, places with guaranteed room to turn such as big drives and anywhere busy if I can't park away from people with room to manoeuvre because I'm dyspraxic and don't like to risk other cars if I judge it wrong. If I can reverse, I will! The only time I've had to make someone else reverse my car out, I had a full boot at the supermarket and someone had parked next to me with a huge chelsea tractor. I was a newish driver, couldn't see round her in a tiny micra and we'd both parked near the same side (i'd been busting for a wee so parked in a hurry).

EBearhug · 08/09/2018 09:39

I nearly always reverse into spaces, except at B&Q where I'm likely to need to get at the boot easily. I don't like those diagonal parking spaces, because you don't have an option there.

Most times it's fine, but once in a while, I have a bad day, and just don't get the angle right and need to adjust so I actually have space to open the door.

CircleofWillis · 08/09/2018 11:44

I always reverse into a space and generally only have to adjust (go forward and back in again) when I am parked next to a car which has driven in on the slant. I try to be considerate when I park and always try to leave space for all neighbouring cars to open their doors even if they have parked over the line into my space.

CircleofWillis · 08/09/2018 11:46

I have seen plenty of cars reversing out of spaces in Ikea and my local supermarket car park which have to stop abruptly or cause pedestrians and other cars to move sharply out of their way.

Original poster

PookieDo · 08/09/2018 11:52

I proudly reverse Parked at Tesco’s earlier in one go 😛 didn’t need the boot. In my car it seems much of a much to be honest. It’s clearly designed to be very clear sighted blind spot wise and good turning because it’s small.

I would never reverse at speed, I’m not an arsehole. I just was baffled by why people reverse park when they find it so difficult (car size or technique) but now I know!

OP posts:

Sunnymeg · 08/09/2018 12:23

The Highway Code says that you should reverse into a parking space. It is far safer to drive out of a space than reverse out. You are taught to reverse in to a space when you are learning to drive, not how to reverse out.

Arrowfanatic · 08/09/2018 12:37

We have big cars and it's just so much easier to reverse. I don't know about you but our driving test will test you reversing into a space, not driving forward.

Supermarkets I usually try to get the spaces with the walkway so I can reverse and still access my boot otherwise I'll drive forward.

As for the pp who asked if anyone had ever had an accident from reversing out a space. I was knocked down by an old man reversing his enormous estate car out of a space, I'm assuming I must have been in his blind spot. I'd been stood there for a few seconds as he was parked next to the trolley park and I was just waiting to be able to put my trolley in so it wasn't even like I walked behind a car that had it's reverse lights on.

We have a multi story at our hospital that insists everyone reverse parks. My sister has a tiny tiny car and I had to park it for her as she couldn't reverse park it. This worries me, everyone should know and be capable of doing these basic moves to pass a driving test.

specialsubject · 08/09/2018 12:41

thought this was an old thread but it is someone else who shouldn't be on the road.

reverse in, drive out forwards. You run over fewer out of control kids that way. While MN doesn't give a stuff about the next generation as a general rule, I would think most wouldn't want blood on their shiny cars.

and if you have kids, don't let them scoot or run ahead on pavements or in car parks because as you see the world is full of foolish drivers.

hendricksy · 08/09/2018 12:48

Unless you get a good angle if you go in first you can end up at an angle or worse catch the outside corner of the car next to you or inside corner of your car . Plus a lot of people need to get to their boots for handbags / buggies / wheelchair etc so it's easier reversing .

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/09/2018 18:07

No one reverse parks in the States.

People can't drive in the States.

Do people also not understand why people parallel park backwards?

StripyHorse · 10/09/2018 23:22

MrsJBaptiste That makes sense. People must just be bad at it near me to need assistance reversing out!!

tillytrotter1 · 10/09/2018 23:38

No-one should be allowed on the road in a vehicle if they can't park properly and that means between the white lines not just abandoned.

Sparklyfee · 11/09/2018 05:11

OP - it drives me insane as well. I don't get it. People saying that they just reverse in in one movement don't. They have to pass the space, stop, put car in reverse, faff about looking in mirrors (or even worse, throwing arm around passenger seat and turning around)....and finally reverse into space. Usually with a bit of "straightening up".

Get back from shopping and can not put shopping in boot

Fwiw I've never run anyone over reversing out of a space or driving into one. Yet. 😂

CircleofWillis · 11/09/2018 07:18

Not that funny Sparkly as other people on this thread have said either they themselves have been knocked down or they have witnessed people being knocked down or near misses from cars reversing out of spaces. If you reversed into a speeding car it would be your fault as the person reversing is usually counted as being in the wrong.

Sparklyfee · 11/09/2018 08:14

Ok, sorry but it does drive me batty so I get where op is coming from (although after these replies I must concede that the majority think we are BU so fair enough)

Was being lighthearted and I'd guess many more people have been hit by cars in lots of different circumstances. It's about being legal and being careful. Which I try to be!

Teateaandmoretea · 11/09/2018 10:35

What drives me batty is the idea that there has to be an absolute right or wrong to all of these things. Drive in, reverse in do what you like as long as you do it carefully. Have patience if others do it differently to you. People then have to start coming out with predictable shit like 'if you can't reverse in you shouldn't be driving' oh big fat yawn.

Windmillsinsummer · 11/09/2018 10:39

I hated reverse parking until I got parking camera with my new car. I used to say i preferred driving in and reversing out because i was embarrassed to say i wasn't confident doing it!

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