To think that if you're totally and utterly incompetent at reversing you should practice/take lessons

[DonutMan]

This isn't a rant about people who are crap at reverse parking, more the type of people who seem utterly unable to do even the most simple reversing manoeuvre.

I regularly have to drive trucks between depots for my job, and sometimes have to navigate some pretty tight lanes where I encounter cars. I'm never a bully as I realise a big truck can be intimidating, and often I'll reverse up if it's safe to do so, to prevent the other driver from getting flustered. However, I've had two incidents this week which have really caused me to question whether some people should be on the road.

Yesterday, I encountered a woman driving a mini whilst on a pretty tight lane which had passing points every half mile or so. There was a passing point literally 10-15 feet behind her, and she had a good few feet clearance on either side. All that would've been necessary was to reverse back in a straight line and then drive into the passing point. However, she refused to do it.

I would usually have just reversed back myself, but i knew it'd be around 0.5 miles to next passing point, and my wing mirrors were pretty much in the hedge meaning that I couldn't see down the side of the truck for foliage - it'd have been very easy to put a back wheel onto the verge and sink in as I couldn't see the curves in the road - obviously I don't have a rear view mirror or back window.

I had to climb out into the hedge and politely explain my predicament. She suggested that I reverse her car back for her, which I did. No harsh words were spoken and it all turned out ok, but it's pretty shocking IMO to not be able to literally reverse 10 feet in a straight line. People generally have to do manoeuvre in their practical test, so I can only think that some people just forget everything they've learnt.

I hate parallel parking but only because I’ve built it up in my head. When I do it, it’s fine and I can do it without fuss.

I think too many people pass their test when they really shouldn’t or buy a car they can’t really drive. It’s also become acceptable. ‘Oh look at me. Aren’t I a terrible parker! Haha!!! Never mind!’ No! Learn to park!

Yanbu, but, I remember this happening to me shortly after I passed my test. Or, it wasn't a passing place, just a narrow lane, but I could (now) have reversed a bit and gone a bit into the bushes iyswim to let a very big van pass. I had a go, but I for some reason couldn't manage it. Fortunately the van driver saw I was shit at reversing, waved at me that it was alright and drove round.

But yeah, I think generally, you should be able to reverse. I never forward in to parking spaces as we had a whole training session once at work on office safety (thrilling) and one of the sections was on parking and how reversing in is safer. So I always do that. Feverishly trying to prove I can reverse now .

Of course people should be able to reverse, it is a basic skill.

I do think it depends on where you learn and drive. I learnt in a big city, and so needed to up my country driving skills when we moved.

I'm also a whizz at a parallel park (due to big city parking) but didn't learn to reverse bay park as part of my test. I'm not very good at this still although I do practice when I get a chance.

Personally I find pulling into tight spaces going forward much harder than reversing in, so I don't get it. Though someone could be criticising me for that too so I guess we all have our weak points. Mine is probably more of an issue.

Totally agree! I regularly leave for work when parents are delivering their children to school. Rather than park at the local shops and walk they drive down my narrow street. Cars parked down one side, room for one car only. They don't understand who has right of way. Sit there looking like a deer caught in the headlights panicking about what to do.

Quite pathetic. But when you see so many people on here panicking about driving in the dark, or the wind, or on the motorway, or in an unfamiliar place, you realise there are a lot of crap drivers on the road.

I'm much better at reversing now my car has sensors and cameras.
My problem is people watching. No idea why but it puts my anxiety through the roof and I always fuck it up.

Treaclepie19

Yours is more logical. The turning point of the car is the reason it’s harder to park forwards. You need the swing room.

They don't understand who has right of way. Sit there looking like a deer caught in the headlights panicking about what to do

I bet they DO know, but don't want to reverse.

Hate some of the school drop off drivers, so I am being a bit jaded here.

I hate driving although I've been doing it for over 30 years. I become a ball of anxiety if someone is watching me and hate reversing out of small spaces. I cope with all normal city and motorway driving though and refuse to drive when we go to Cornwall or Lake District if there are really narrow country roads.

I'm not sure if YANBU or YABU OP but reversing for that lady was kind of you.

I’ve the exact same issue! I was driving a horse box with horses inside, other driver was driving a small car. She saw me as she was approaching a passing place, didn’t stop and continued, coming to a stop right in front of me. She then said she couldn’t reverse and refused to get out so I could reverse her car for her. I ended up having to reverse the truck a much greater distance to the previous passing place.

The problem is that in the dark, it can be impossible to see where you're going.... I had to reverse down a country lane and around a cirner last night, pissing rain, no visibility whatsoever and had to ask somebody to guide me.

I do agree with you.

It’s not easy though for everyone. I was fine reversing my small car. Then we had our third child when my daughters were 10 and 7 and we got a much bigger one. For the first few times I drove it I recall planning my route so I’d avoid small lanes! I practiced and got better at it. But if that were me meeting you on my first time out in the bigger car I might have done the same!

But when you see so many people on here panicking about driving in the dark, or the wind, or on the motorway, or in an unfamiliar place, you realise there are a lot of crap drivers on the road.
That's true!
Or people who defend dithering way below the speed limit because it's so much better to be cautious/maybe they're nervous.
Or people who can't park within the lines and it's become acceptable to joke about "ha ha ha... I can't park. Isn't it funny?"

Yanbu. Though i do have to confess i once had to ask someone to reverse for me. As i turned my head to check the road behind i pinched a nerve or something, never felt such pain in my head and neck, and could barely turn to look at my mirrors. Luckily, she was did it for me and i was able to get to the near garage and call my dh.

I used to work somewhere accessed by a single track lane. In the summer I'd often meet tourists who "couldn't reverse".

Two that stick out are the man who said his car was incapable of reversing (surely not roadworthy then?) and the woman who said she couldn't turn her neck due to an injury (again, should she have been driving?).

In general I did reverse anyway, because I knew I was quicker, but if the passing place was a few metres behind them and mine was closer to 100m away then I'd usually hope they would reverse.

I always wondered what the non-reversers did if they met farm machinery or horseboxes etc.

I'm one of those people. I've had to ask someone to reverse for me on 2 occasions.

One of those times was on a lane in the dark and the other driver literally had to run out and bang my window- I hadn't realised I was about to reverse off the ledge to a 20ft drop (there were no barriers only a grassy slope that I was already on). I was too flustered to continue (and had baby in the car so was scared), so he completed the manoeuvre for me. Other time I had tried reverse parking at Gatwick but had reversed into a pillar and mashed up my car trying to rectify my error. A passer by saw my struggles and completed the parking for me . That was £2,000 worth of damage.

I completely agree with you- I've even had extra driving lessons but it didn't help. Not sure what to do at this point and can't afford a car with a camera for reversing (which I think would help with parking at least). Something about being in a state of reverse completely skews my sense of direction and coordination.

I live in the country and the inability to reverse down a country lane frequently gives me the rage!! I often end up reversing long distances because I know I can, and that watching someone reverse their shiny new SUV really badly is even more irritating!! 😡

I can reverse my car or pick up truck no problem but god reversing the pick up and horse trailer is difficult. It gave me huge stress for ages but I have just about conquered it now. If I can learn to reverse round a corner and bay park that lot then there is no excuse for not being able to learn to reverse a standard car down a country lane.

If you can't do it go out find a quiet spot and practice. Try using your mirrors and try taking your seatbelt off and turning your whole body (arm behind the passenger seat can help) see which you find easier.

When you buy a new car check out the rear visibility. Decent sized windows make a big difference as does minimal overhang at the back.

Recognise that reversing a trailer is really difficult. Visibility behind can make it impossible to do safely without a banksman so if you meet a towing vehicle you need to be prepared to reverse.

My mum will not reverse at all, she’ll drive to the supermarket and if there are no “drive-through” spaces she’ll come home again. It’s pathetic, I’m constantly telling her she should have some refresher lessons because if you can’t control a car you shouldn’t be on public roads, what would she do in an emergency?

@willowsmumsy

It's more frustrating to watch someone reverse, albeit badly, than to reverse a long distance yourself?

I am great at reversing into a car park space, and sticking my car in a hedge if I need to, having grown up in the countryside. But parallel parking just defeats me and I don’t know why, I just can’t do it.

@nestisflown

You shouldn't be driving. You almost reversed your car off a 20ft drop? You shouldn't be driving. Visibility isn't the excuse there; you knew the road and were find driving forwards. You can reverse back the same route without driving way off the road and down a cliff side. If you cant, then you shouldn't be on the road. You're not a competent driver.

@nestisflown I too feel like reversing skews my sense of direction. I frequently drive further than I need to to find a space I dont have to reverse into. Though in 15 years od driving have never had a an accident so the rest of my driving must be okay! Rather embarrassingly my husband was a driving instructor and on occasion I drove his learner car emblazoned with BSM around 🤦‍♂️

But OP yanbu. I would have reversed if I were the lady driving the mini in your predicament albeit slowly!

nestisflown you can get a reversing camera and fit it to your existing car, surely worth the cost if the alternative is reversing down a cliff?!