to reverse out of my driveway?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Any parking thread on here where someone says it's difficult to reverse out of their driveway becayse of a badly parked car leads to hordes of responses about never reversing out of a driveway, you should always go in forward.

We live on a fairly busy road. I go swimming most mornings at about 6ish, when the road is quiet. However, when I get back home at some point between 7.30 and 8, the road is much busier. There are usually people very close to me. If I go past my house and then try to reverse into the driveway, there are often about 5 or 6 cars that have to reverse in order to let me do so. It can take ages. Whereas if I swing in forwards that issue doesn't occur.

So in our case, reversing in isn't always the best option I don't think. AIBU for going into the driveway forwards or should I be holding up half the town by insisting on reversing onto my drive and making the whole queue reverse as well?

Sometimes it isn't clear until the car starts reversing as you can't see the driver and don't realise until they suddenly start reversing.

Out of interest would you say the onus would be on a driver on a road passing by a reversing vehicle or on the driver reversing out to make sure it is safe to proceed?

The OP can reverse in, they just don't want to.

It is not safe to reverse onto a busy road, which the OP is doing every day.

That bit about not reversing in the street isn’t to do with parking though.

I am much better at reversing out than reversing in for some reason. So that's what I do. Been driving 35 years and never been a problem (apart from when I once went to visit a client site and they had a notice up saying all cars must reverse into the spaces - that threw me!)

I always reverse out of my driveway, I literally couldn’t reverse in if I tried.

TwinklyAmberOrca · Today 16:49

Highway code #201Highway code #201

Or perhaps you feel the highway code is for others and you're more superior...?

Thanks, you saved me from posting it! It may not be illegal, or the Police may or may not pull you up for it, but in the event of a crash, it will mean that you are at fault.

I see that some posters justify it because it's easier and they lack confidence. I've long given up caring what other drivers think, if I'm carrying out a legitimate manoeuvre. In the OP's case, I'd probably pull in on the left, just pass the drive, put the indicator on and the car in reverse, (showing the reversing light) then wait for a gap and do it.

My cousin's boyfriend was killed, when a woman reversed out of her drive on a 40 limit and knocked him off his motorbike. I've had a few near misses as well, but locally, I tend to go a bit under the limit, where there are drives people reverse out of.

wby not @BeSpoonyAquaHare ?

I always drive in, partly as I hate others watching my manoeuvres and partly because I hate holding traffic up. Reversing out means I can take my time, and if I'm waiting in not holding anyone up.

Visibility isn't an issue for my drive, it's no more likely for me to not see a pedestrian than going forwards, though I accept a small unaccompanied cat or dog could be at risk from either Beverley if a very low wall.

I'd prefer the delay to be mine, rather than someone else's.

🙈🙈🙈

Yabu.
I used to quite enjoy annoying bad drivers who got angry when I had the audacity to reverse into our street car park.

I am same as you. Not busy at 6 when i leave so I reverse out. It's busy both ways when I get some so easier to pull in forward

If there is someone behind me I pull in across the drive, and wait til they go past, before pulling out and reversing in. Appreciate that might not be possible for you OP if it’s a narrow entrance

And I’ve been reversed into too by a car which was parked on a drive, and partially on the pavement. Luckily they were moving very slowly but they obviously couldn’t see me walk up to them, and I couldn’t see their reversing lights because they were overhanging the pavement. It was scary. I thumped on the boot to stop them moving.

I thin’ the ‘reverse into drives/parking spaces’ orthodoxy is bonkers. Reversing in requires other people to wait. Going in forwards doesn’t. Reversing out requires me to wait for a bigger space then coming out forwards. Inconveniences nobody but me. This seems the less selfish option.

Quite.

In car parks I can see that visibility is less when reversing, but in a lot of driveways it isn't. You can see both directions just as well when going forwards or backwards.

The problem is more people pulling out without looking properly, than them going forwards or backwards.

And I could reverse into my drive, but similarly to the OP, it’s awkward to and would cause an obstruction on a busy road, so I also reverse out and completely understand why the OP does too.

@bergamotorange but that's not what I'm doing. I tend to be leaving my house at 6am, when the road is very quiet. I return at about 8am when it's busy. So I either reverse out when it's quiet or reverse in when it's busy.

Hazards will help because if a person with more than one brain cell is behind you, they will hold back and give you space. If they don't, you can be a bit forceful and say well what the fuck did you think the hazards were for!

Slow approach, Hazards, reverse, done!

Reverse in. Every time.

Stuck in traffic along a very busy main road, I noticed one house had a turntable in the front garden so they could drive both in and out nose first. What a good, if expensive, idea. I'd never want to live on a main road (cul de sac all the way for me, with a usable garage and plenty of off street parking too) but if I did, I'd seriously consider that.

I drive in and reverse out. It's not really an issue on my street.

I have the same issue. After reversing out and hitting a car that I didn't see, I NEVER drive in forwards.

I indicate very early, then change that to hazards as I approach and swing the car round making it obvious I am manoeuvring to reverse, and reverse in.

If people have to wait, they have to wait. It's the safest option.

Just thinking more on this because I was just driving home!

When I’m coming towards my drive from the left, which I typically do (that’s the direction my work, town centre & nearest motorway junction is) in order to reverse in I’d either have to…

Pull onto the other side into oncoming traffic, and then reverse in
Or pull up on the same side and reverse across potential oncoming traffic when there was a gap

I’d love to know how anyone can think that’s possibly safer than just driving in, and no I’m not going to purposely drive out of my way to approach my house from the other direction.