to ask why people don’t reverse in?

[Divorcedalongtime]

to parking spaces…
i know the safest is to reverse in and
drive out, so why do 95% of all cars drive in?
every time I go shopping I see cars desperately trying to get out of their parking bay with cars and walkers going past, whilst if they had reversed in they would get out so easily.

it makes zero sense.

Are you me? My dh insists on nosing in when it’s far easier to reverse park. Cue 3 backwards and forwards motions to perfectly centre the car between parked cars either side as his car is wide, which is grrrr. These days I have a blue badge so forward facing involves far fewer manoeuvres.

I do. Prefer to reverse into a parking space or get a drive through one....

They can’t do it. Parallel parking is a skill lots of people struggle with too (including me)

@MelchiorsMistress

because they don't easily reach over.

because if they do reach over they fuck the paintwork on the car
because I've had my shoulder replaced & it's quite difficult enough filling with the pump on the correct side.

HTH

I would rather reverse into my drive but no one will allow the time or space to do so on my busy road. I’ve nearly been hit so many times because people ignore the hazard lights or indicator , indicating I am pulling out into the middle of the road in order to reverse park . It does depend on the road (and the patience of the local drivers )

I am shit at reversing

Yep

Just that. I inwardly roll my eyes at people reversing into a space - and wonder how they will get shopping in to boot.

It wouldn't cross my mind to reverse into a parking space, wherever it was. There's absolutely no need unless you are an exceptionally bad driver.

Much prefer reversing, I find it easier than driving in forwards. It’s not always possible though if you need to access the boot. Car park spaces are often too small for modern cars.

1. Need access to boot for pram and to put shopping in.
2. I find is easier to reverse out - reversing in between 2 parked cars would genuinely take me multiple attempts and hold up the car park flow of traffic.
3. Im allowed to!?

@MelchiorsMistress sorry, not you @Doris86

This

Our neighbours always drive into their driveway and I don’t get it at all 😵‍💫 never mind the fact it’s dangerous!

Because its easier to get the shopping in the boot and the trolly behind the car to do that

Because its easier to reverse out, people know what you're doing and will wait, rather than reverse in with people not waiting while you're maneuvering backwards into the space

Last time I reversed into a spot I left enough room at the back to get the pram in and out. Some very kind twat in a Land Rover parked millimetres from my boot. I couldn’t open it. So I had to get baby in the car seat, pull forward into a busy car park while I held up traffic getting the pram in the car.

I find it easier driving in. Not everyone is the same, weirdly

What's dangerous?! Honestly, some people shouldn't be allowed to drive. Fucking hell. Someone reversing off their own driveway is 'dangerous' 🤣 How do you people cope day to day?!

Trying to get a shopping trolley round the back of tightly reversed cars is a nightmare.

A few weeks ago I had to climb into the passenger side of an elderly man’s car and drive it out for him because some twat had reversed in so tight he couldn’t open the drivers door. Bless him he was so upset.
Reversing into a space is easy but in some circumstances - stupid.

Pram.

I always reverse in, otherwise I spend my time worrying I won't be able to get out!

I’m with the majority. I will try and reverse into a spot but not at the supermarket. I also don’t like doing it when it’s busy but will usually just glare at anyone who gets too close whilst I’m doing it.
I always reverse park onto my drive.

To get shopping into the boot.

Because I once reversed in in what I thought was a quiet part of the car park. But when I got back to the car a lot more cars had parked round me and I couldn't get the pram between the sides of the cars to get to the boot. I don't even have a big car (just an Aygo) but the big cars either side took up the space and I couldn't squeeze the pram through.

I reverse in if I don't have the pram with me, and don't need to get a trolley. I find having a trolley is even worse because they don't have brakes, so if you can't get it between the cars to the boot, you have to leave it in front of your car and carry the bags round while the trolley starts rolling away.

I don’t get the ‘I’m bad at/I dislike reversing’ - you have to reverse at either end of the scenario, so do it when it’s safest at the start.

What do you mean? I reverse in when it makes sense (ie when I don't need access to the boot) but obviously if you are bad at reversing it's easier to reverse out onto a wider road, than reverse in to a tight space. There's much more margin for error reversing onto the road.

@begoneday the drivers you say have no patience - why do think they have more when you are reversing out of your drive when they had no idea you were about to do that and could potentially be very close to your exit? If you pull in front of your drive, wait for a gap and reverse, then they will be able to see what you are doing and wait appropriately (I get they may get annoyed - so what?!) A lot of people here concerned about people getting annoyed/impatient when the same applies for reversing out (onto oncoming traffic/pedestrians).

I don't care if I'm holding up traffic for a few seconds when I reverse in. Lifts my spirits if Mr Stroppy is rolling his eyes behind me while I reverse park.