Sunday, December 16, 2018

How to Park

As I begin to be more housebound in winter (and it is winter here, no matter what the calendar says), blog fodder becomes scarcer. As Christmas approaches, even JJ's hockey is winding down with a three-week break although he has some practices scheduled..So, yesterday, when I chose to consider how people park, I decided that something was better than nothing. You are free to disagree.

I went to Cat Lady's Christmas bake sale yesterday. She was doing a good amount of trade in the corridors of local high school, but there was still plenty of space in the parking lot.

It surprised me, however, how many cars had backed into their space so that they could drive straight out when it was time to depart. But I chose to drive straight in and back out.

For me, it makes sense to back out into the bigger space rather than trying to align the car by backing into the smaller parking space. I just don't get that concept although I'm sure there must be occasions when it works best that way.

Maybe if my neck swivelled better, I would feel somewhat differently, but even then, I think backing out into the bigger space would be easier than into the smaller space.

Recently, when I came home in the rain with a load of groceries, I chose to back into our driveway to be nearer the door and managed to drive over the snow-remover's sign in the process. Because I drive an SUV-style vehicle and have that stiff neck to boot, I failed to see that obscure sign.

Mind you, I don't have a backup camera. I had access to one once and managed to get the car into a pretty small space quite handily all by myself. If I had tried that in my own camera-less vehicle, I would have required much outside guidance.

Certainly, in a parking lot, if I can possibly manage to drive into a space that I can drive out of directly, I will do it. In fact, I will go to the outer end of the parking lot in order to do just that. But if such a space eludes me, I do drive in and back out. It's just easier for me.

What is your preference, and if you're a backer-inner and driver-outer, what is your reasoning?


13 comments:

Shammickite said...

If there's a double parking space available, I drive right through so I can drive out of it. I'll park a long way from where I'm going just to be able to do that. I'd rather back into a small space and be able to drive out because stupid people insist on walking behind my car, even if I am obviously moving backwards. And other drivers are most inconsiderate and often totally ignore a driver backing out of a parking space.

Joanne Noragon said...

I pull in at home, and am closer to the door. I back in if I need to unload from the back.I parallel park whenever I have the opportunity AND can delay a bit of traffic to admire my ability to flawlessly drop my car into the spot. I keep my hands on the wheel and my body turned and watching, so no one thinks I have a nine year old car that parks itself. But that may be futile soon; folks are more ignorant daily.

William Kendall said...

Shammickite's solution is pretty much the same one that I would be inclined to use. I don't mind if I might have to walk a good stretch.

Tabor said...

I agree that I like to drive in. Many here are doing the backing in thing. I really do not get it, because it takes more time!!

Mage said...

Pulling straight in is far easier. Here, with the garages off a narrow alleyway, we back in to our garage. I never get quite close enough to the truck for dear G, but he is happy if he can get in the car easily. We are on our 3rd garage door because a neighbor keeps backing out of his garage into it. Now we have a camera. LOL

Marie Smith said...

Myhusband always backs in...I back out. I hate either though. I will walk further to avoid the same.

Jim said...

I'm a pull in back out kind of guy. The only time I have a problem is in a parking lot and get a big truck or SUV next to me. My car, a sedan, is lower and it makes it hard to see when backing out. I hate to parallel park, but I do it in our "downtown" area as that's all that is available without having to walk a good ways from a parking lot. With arthritis, walking isn't my thing! (I have a "handicap" license plate, but rarely use it to park, and I will never take the last spot if one is available.)

Jenny Woolf said...

Here in central London any kind of parking is a nightmare, you need to be within about 2 inches of the kerb or you get a parking ticket for being outside the parking box, and the box is designed so you have inches either side. At least it does in our car, (Ford Mondeo) which feels massive when you try to park it.
The answer is usually to go by public transport....

Ruth said...

I prefer to back my car in when I park. At work the parking spots are narrow and scarce so I had to learn to do this. Driving out of a spot is easier and safer. That being said, I love the way my CRV handles but my husband's larger vehicle is more difficult for me to park. Our current vehicles have back up cameras which work very well if the lens if not covered in dirt and slush that comes with our Canadian winters.

Vicki Lane said...

I agree with your reasoning and prefer to back out, where there's more room. Even though I have a back up camera.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Like so many others, I fail to see WHY many people like to back into a parking space. And the only reason I can figure out is that they want to be able to just drive out quickly. That said, I prefer to drive into a space, but I will usually try and find one farther away and then walk to my destination and, whenever possible, I do pull forward into the next space...but always when no car is parked there first!

Jenn Jilks said...

I drive in, just to get it over with!

MARY G said...

I drive in, and so does JG who has the same swivel neck problem you mention.