Is reverse parking usually frowned upon?

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cherrycokeicee@reddit

I have never heard of it being illegal to reverse into a parking spot. I do it all the time (I have a backup camera, don't be impressed).

you might be thinking of angled spots? in angled spots, you need to pull in the correct direction so that you don't end up driving the wrong way out of the spot.

none of this has to do with license plates. plates & basically everything about them varies by state. some states have front & back plates, some just have back, etc.

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6a6566663437@reddit

I have never heard of it being illegal to reverse into a parking spot.

Well, now you have: It's illegal in the state of California to back into a parking spot.

The odds you will get ticketed for it are less than the odds of you winning the lottery 6 times in a row.

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_R_A_@reddit

Thank you for giving me another reason to stay on the east coast.

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It does have to do with license plates in paid lots in states that don’t require front plates. If you back into a spot, your plate isn’t accessible and they can’t scan to see you’ve paid for parking.

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Ok_Researcher_9796@reddit

Loads of people around her reverse into angle spots. Then they drive the wrong way down one way lanes and give you dirty looks for going the right way.

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wwhsd@reddit

I think most of the lots that I’ve seen signs saying to not back into spots do it so that license plates are visible to someone driving down the rows. Some states don’t require front tags and even in states that do, something like registration stickers might only be on the rear plate.

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velociraptorfarmer@reddit

The parking ramps in the city I used to live in didn't allow reverse parking for exactly this reason. The way they charged you for parking was making you enter your plate number at a little kiosk and prepaying for the amount of time you planned to park there.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

parking ramps

Never knew about that. I grew up in Pasadena and currently live in Timonium, but I've never really spent much time in Annapolis.

In other words, to me reverse parking is parking with the car facing in the opposite direction from how most people parked naturally in that place, regardless of whether it’s backing in or pulling through from an adjacent spot.

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BobQuixote@reddit

parallel parking

OK, that is not what I was imagining. Some parking spots are angled 45 degrees. Usually the open end faces backward along the nearer lane, making it easy to pull forward into the spot from that lane. I think backward parking is actually illegal in these. But I was imagining backing across oncoming traffic to get into the spot.

I would never use "reverse parking" for parallel parking. That's parking on the left/wrong side of the road.

jeremiah1142@reddit

You’ll see signs in parking garages when pipes or ducting might be an obstacle.

You’ll also see signs in some store parking lots. IKEA being one example that I’ve seen before.

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petg16@reddit

Tulsa has 45° angled spots that are reverse parking only so…

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AliMcGraw@reddit

The one place in my town that forbids reverse parking is where the spots pull right up to a structural brick wall and one too many pickups and minivans backed into it.

rikarleite@reddit (OP)

Define normal. Define men.

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CnC-223@reddit

Normal: the standard

Men: A man is an boy who has grown up...

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hatchjon12@reddit

No. All those posts are exceptions, which is why people post the situation in the first place.

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Not_an_okama@reddit

Reading this thread ia interesting because ive really only ever seen back in/pull through parking discouraged in anglrd lots with one way traphic lanes.

Oh, this is my giant pet peeve.

If you take up any part of the sidewalk, you are too far back. Pull fucking FORWARD.

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Dolphopus@reddit

It’s almost always a pavement princess in a truck about 8 sizes too big that has never hauled anything heavier than a grocery run.

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klef3069@reddit

And why is the hitch on? Why!!!!!

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HR_King@reddit

Some places don't allow it so the police can read the plates as they drive by

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Thelonius16@reddit

I frown upon it if you are holding me up in a long line of cars.

Reverse parking shows me that you care more about your own time than mine. It’s faster to go in front first.

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Sledheadjack@reddit

Why wouldn’t someone care more about their own time than yours? That’s just idiotic.

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Thelonius16@reddit

You’re not familiar with a concept called courtesy?

When you back in, everyone waits for you. Like you’re the fucking king or something.

When you back out, you wait for everyone, like you’re a normal person who lives in a society.

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Sledheadjack@reddit

You obviously haven’t been in many parking lots recently. People back out without paying any attention at all. It’s dangerous as hell.

I understand courtesy. My time is just as valuable as anyone else’s, and so is my life, and my vehicle. If I want to back into a spot, I will. I’m also not an idiot, and I know how to back my vehicle up. You can wait 5 seconds. But trust me, I’ll never be parking anywhere that you are.

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Thelonius16@reddit

But trust me, I’ll never be parking anywhere that you are.

Weird assumption.

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Sledheadjack@reddit

Dude, our proximity is an educated guess (and no, I DO NOT live in a parking lot… like WTF?!) I live over an hour outside of a major metro area where the majority of people drive large trucks and are very considerate.

But if I am required to go anywhere near the metro with a busy parking lot, I can guarantee there are plenty of entitled people, inexperienced kids too busy texting on their phones and/or absolute flaming idiots that just back out without paying attention to their surroundings.

I’ve considered leaving my hitch on as a deterrent, however it is worth a ton of money, and basically makes my full-size truck even longer, so I choose to back in to spots instead.

Typical reddit answer, though. Good job representing the majority of people on this app, although not a great representation of Americans

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poindexterg@reddit

I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anything forbidding reverse parking anywhere. I’ve seen it required in two different places. A number of industrial complexes require reverse parking so that evacuating in an emergency can go more quickly and smoothly. I’ve also seen angled parking in the old downtown that required you to back in.

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Except it takes a f-ing long time waiting for someone to back into a spot they could easily pull into headfirst and not inconvenience everyone else waiting to get past them.

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MattCW1701@reddit

Is that any different than waiting for someone to back out of a spot?

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ermghoti@reddit

Yes. It's a lot easier to back into an open lane than between cars or even a marked space. Nervous drivers take forever to back into a spot. Competent drivers still have to pull past the spot, stop, and reverse in, versus just turning into the spot. This is done with the assumption other drivers will recognize what they are planning, if not a driver behind will pull up too close to allow reversing in, and the parking driver will either have to wait until the second driver realizes what's going on and goes around, or give up on the spot. Backing out doesn't have this problem, as the driver then picks a moment when the way is clear, and a late braking driver doesn't impede leaving the spot.

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_WillCAD_@reddit

That's exactly what I used to think, but over time I've realized that backing in is better because it significantly improves your sightlines when you pull out forward.

I think people just get upset about it because if you're behind one of these vehicles when they're parking, in that moment when they appear to be driving past the parking spot you get your hopes up that you're going to snag it, just to see their reverse lights come on.

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ermghoti@reddit

If you're waiting for somebody to pull out, then definitionally they're not backing into an open lane.

I made no mention of waiting for someone to pull out.

Backing into parking spots is a lot faster and easier, specifically for large vehicles. When you're backing in you only really have to pay attention to the locations of parked vehicles during the lower visibility reverse stage of the process. Your turn radius is much better in reverse, so you can generally avoid the three-point turns that are often required to park a large vehicle the other direction

It can be if the space is tight, but the average person is bad at reversing, and a lot of modern cars have miserable sightlines out the rear.

Yes, a large vehicle has a tighter turning radius reversing, but again, without a competent driver, which is not the norm, this turns into an extremely slow process.

The vast majority of parking lots aren't tight enough for this to be an issue, in which case pulling in forward is clearly more time efficient.

I think people just get upset about it because if you're behind one of these vehicles when they're parking, in that moment when they appear to be driving past the parking spot you get your hopes up that you're going to snag it, just to see their reverse lights come on.

I'm sure some do, and as I said earlier, a lack of awareness leads to closing the gap when the rear driver doesn't infer why the lead driver is stopping, then they are both stuck.

I understand there is a statistical advantage to back-in parking when it comes to collisions, but I can't remember myself or anyone I know getting in a collision in a parking lot. Yes, anecdotal, I know.

What I have experienced is, for example, pulling into the lot of a coffee/donut shop to get a beverage for my commute, finding someone backing into a spot as I arrived, and leaving with my coffee before they had gotten out of their vehicle. This was several minutes. Nobody needs several minutes to nose-in or back out of a spot.

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kahrahtay@reddit

I live in Texas. More than half of the vehicles on the road are large suvs, or large trucks. I've literally never seen somebody take as long as you described to park. I've seen plenty of people dick around in their car for a few minutes before they get out. Parking forward and parking in reverse require the same movements just in a different order. Parking forward just means you're doing all of the reverse driving as you leave. Parking reverse means you do the reverse driving as you park. Literally the only difference is whether you were doing the more difficult part with your ass out in traffic navigating around hard to see pedestrians and moving vehicles in your blind spot, or with your ass pulling into a relatively safe, empty parking space.

Either way, I don't see the utility in this argument. If a person has made a habit out of backing into a parking space, that very strongly implies that that person finds that method to be easier and or safer. Maybe you disagree. If so, then don't do it when you park. For large vehicles, parking forward is not any faster either in theory, or even in practice, as evidenced by the easily observable fact that people who drive in large vehicles are much more likely to prefer parking in reverse than people who drive in small sedans.

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ermghoti@reddit

Parking forward and parking in reverse require the same movements just in a different order.

As I posted originally, in order to reverse, you have to pull past the spot, stop, reverse into the spot, and stop. Pulling forward you turn into the spot and stop. There are fewer actions, so it's more time efficient. You do have to perform the same actions in the opposite order leaving, but you can do so when the way is clear, whereas reversing in you have to rely on the courtesy of other drivers.

For the marginally skilled driver, backing into two empty lanes is easier than into a single marked parking spot that is often flanked by other vehicles.

If the wheelbase of the vehicle is too long for the parking area, you do what you have to.

I'm emotionally invested either way, the post I originally replied to asked how backing in or going forward differed, and I explained it.

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kahrahtay@reddit

As I've said, it's only fewer actions if you're completely disregarding the fact that you eventually have to leave. Backing in is marginally slower while parking, and much faster while leaving. Parking forward is slow while parking a large vehicle because you have to make multi-point turns, and it's also very slow while leaving, since you have to reverse, mostly blind into a high traffic area, that will still probably leave you having to make multi-point turns

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ermghoti@reddit

As I've said, it's only fewer actions if you're completely disregarding the fact that you eventually have to leave.

From the post you just replied to:

You do have to perform the same actions in the opposite order leaving, but you can do so when the way is clear, whereas reversing in you have to rely on the courtesy of other drivers.

You're just refusing to acknowledge that when backing out a driver can wait when the way is clear, but when backing in they must stop any traffic behind them or give up on the spot.

Backing in is marginally slower while parking

Backing in is minimally twice as long as driving straight in, as the vehicle has to progress completely past the spot, come to a complete stop, (at which point the driver pulling in forward is taking of their seatbelt) then back in, all the while mandatorily blocking the lane of travel.

much faster while leaving

We've already established it's the same operations in reverse order, it's not possible for one to be marginally slower in one order or much faster in the other. The difference is whether you have the option to perform the slower maneuver when traffic is clear, which is the case when pulling out in reverse.

have to reverse, mostly blind into a high traffic area, that will still probably leave you having to make multi-point turns

You're operating under the assumption the driver is using a large vehicle, so they are never "mostly blind," and you have previously and correctly stated a large vehicle can pivot in a shorter radius when backing up, so there's no scenario where a multi-point turn is required when backing out of a spot if the driver is competent.

I drove a 20' refrigerated box truck at my job for a year, so I understand what large vehicles are like.

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kahrahtay@reddit

This is getting pretty silly.

Backing in is minimally twice as long as driving straight in

Minimally? Really? You can imagine no scenario where it doesn't take twice as long to back in as it does to pull in forward? If your imagination is this limited, then I don't see how we can make it any further in this conversation but I'm going to give this one more try. If you're driving a long enough vehicle to justify parking in reverse, then you're going to find yourself in parking lots where you don't have the turning radius to simply pull in. You have to pull in about halfway, then back up while turning, then pull forward again just to be able to get your vehicle between the lines, simply because of your limited turning radius, and the distance from your front wheels to your back. If you ever have to execute this maneuver, then you are taking longer to pull in forward then to reverse, which only requires a single direction change, versus your two.

You're just refusing to acknowledge that when backing out a driver can wait when the way is clear

I thought we were talking about reducing the time this process takes? So your solution to optimizing and minimizing this process is to wait an indefinite amount of time in a potentially crowded parking lot? Then there's the problem that this suggestion completely ignores the fact that in order to determine with any accuracy that the way is in fact clear, you have to rely on your ability to know exactly what's in your blind spot. In case you're not following, the problem is right there in the name, "blind" spot.

there's no scenario where a multi-point turn is required when backing out of a spot if the driver is competent.

Here's an experiment for you. Go park, front-in in a parking spot with cars on both sides of you. Once you're in park, turn your wheel all the way to one side, maximizing your utility of your turning radius, and start backing up. As you collide with one of the cars next to you, you should start to understand that having a sharper turning radius does you no good if there are obstructions there that prevent you from utilizing it. That's why backing up works better. The same improved turning radius that helps you get into the spot, also helps you leave.

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ermghoti@reddit

If you're driving a long enough vehicle to justify parking in reverse...

Stipulated many posts ago. I'm speaking of 99% of the time when the lot has enough room for either option. It doesn't apply if you choose a mall terrain vehicle as your daily driver and frequent European scale parking lots.

I thought we were talking about reducing the time this process takes?

I am. A driver has to wait until there's space in traffic to leave a parking spot irrespective of whether they are backing out or pulling forward. The driver pulling in forward always makes the turn faster (with the aforementioned stipulation), and never runs the risk of a distracted and/or discourteous driver blocking their way, which occurs pretty regularly.

Once you're in park, turn your wheel all the way to one side, maximizing your utility of your turning radius, and start backing up.

No, I won't do something absurdly wrong like a "don't you hate it when" commercial. The next time you're pulling out forward, start by turning the steering wheel to full lock, and as you collide with one of the cars next to you, you'll realize what reductio ad absurdum means. If there is room for a vehicle to travel in either direction, there's room to pull halfway out then pivot at least far enough to be able to turn into the correct lane of travel. As a bonus, I mention for about the eleventh time, the driver can choose to pull out when the way is clear, the exact option that does not exist when choosing to back in.

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kahrahtay@reddit

Dog, you have completely failed to make your point, and at this point I'm just repeating myself because you don't seem to understand what I'm saying. For a competent driver, backing on is very nearly as far as pulling in forward. And pulling out into traffic is much faster is much faster than backing out. The larger the vehicle, the more true this is.

It's not reducto ad absurdum to demonstrate how an argument about theoretical turn radius fails in practice in a scenario where you cannot utilize your full turn radius.

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Slab8002@reddit

I drive a midsize truck with a relatively long wheel base. It's difficult to pull headfirst into a parking spot without having to back up at least once to straighten it out. I would submit that backing into the spot once is probably faster and more convenient for everyone.

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Aint2Proud2Meg@reddit

I said that in a different comment. I would be annoyed if it’s a busy lot and we all have to stop everything and wait for someone in an F-250 to do a 16 point turn to back in.

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gman2391@reddit

You've obviously never driven a truck before. 10/10 times it's faster and easier to back into a spot that pull straight in. On the other end, also much quicker and easier to pull out of the spot

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Aint2Proud2Meg@reddit

I’ve almost exclusively owned trucks. Don’t take it so personally- I’m talking about a niche situation I would find irritating and it’s rare, but it tends to be people in larger vehicles in general.

Same people who feel entitled to multiple spots and park right next to you in an almost empty lot.

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kahrahtay@reddit

The core of your argument seems to be that by backing in, the large vehicles require greater numbers of turns and adjustments to pull in. It's simply not true. As long as you know how to use your mirrors, and don't make stupid mistakes, it's much easier to navigate a tight corner in reverse. Your turn radius is much better.

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Same reason they stand so close to you in the checkout line you can feel their razor stubble (or lack thereof) - some people simply have no concept of personal space.

BananerRammer@reddit

Question from someone who's lived his entire life in a flat part of the country...

Oh man I fucked up in SF and put my wheels the wrong way on a hill. A pedestrian yelled at me to fix it. They are apparently pretty serious about it.

Like I knew you had to do it but I went full 180 in the wrong direction and a pedestrian noticed.

I really like SF but it is also a horrifying place.

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ThePurityPixel@reddit

I really like SF but it is also a horrifying place.

My whole time there, I was absolutely terrified of my car getting broken into. I know SF is a place where you can't have any belongings visible in your car, but I was in the middle of a cross-country move....

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CupBeEmpty@reddit

Yeah I kept my car cleaned out when I was there. Not even having charging cords visible. Thankfully no issue but I was warned by my BIL who lived on the city to do that.

I wasn’t even that careful parking my car on the street in south side Chicago when I lived there. Only place I ever got broken into was Providence. During the day and nothing got stolen but I still had to pay for the window glass. Thankfully my insurance had the glass rider on it so it didn’t cost me anything out of pocket.

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blackhorse15A@reddit

unless it's specifically marked not to (I've never actually seen this but it's probably a thing somewhere)

I've seen this for spaces that are right against a building with occupied basement/half-basement rooms. The windows are basically ground level and so you can't back in because they don't want car exhaust fumes going into those rooms.

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Cruitire@reddit

I lived in SF for 25 years. I moved over seven years ago and I still curb my wheels out of habit.

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ITrCool@reddit

I live in the Ozarks. I was taught from the beginning to curb my wheels.

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Purplehopflower@reddit

The places that don’t allow reverse parking charge for parking. They need to see the license plate to know how long a car has been parked. If they can’t see the plate, they’ll charge the maximum amount of time. So it behooves you to not do it.

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Hopeful_Ad_7719@reddit

There is a subset of idiots in America who think it's bad, inconsiderate, or even illegal.

They are generally wrong, since you either have to back into, or back out of, most spots (excepting cases where you can drive-through the entire spot), so it's broadly speaking no-less considerate either way.

Some places have a bizarre idea that vehicle exhaust will kill landscaping if people back in... Which is a bizarre cope argument.

Others claim that it's somehow only legal for on-duty police to back into spots, in case they need to leave in a hurry. I have *never* seen any law establishing this in any jurisdiction. Even if such a law existed, it's a stupid law.

shelwood46@reddit

I used to do it when I was a volunteer firefighter, never knew when a call was coming in. Even backed into my own driveway. Don't respond now so I don't bother, and it's usually better to have the rear/trunk accessible, outside the aisle, if I'm shopping or whatever.

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shelwood46@reddit

lol, I just realized I do back in at home, because my parking space is on a downslope and if I don't, my driver's door tries to close on me when I get out.

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Squippyfood@reddit

Losers who back in are sooo full of themselves. "Wow hehe I saved 3 seconds of my life leaving after spending 5 minutes blocking the parking lot with my circus acts."

cdsbigsby@reddit

The only place I've ever seen this is at a junkyard I go to, because if you reverse in, the trunk of your car / bed of your truck is right up against the fence bordering the junkyard, and people used to throw stuff over the fence into the back of their truck to steal it.

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02K30C1@reddit

I’ve seen it not allowed in some paid parking lots, usually so the rear license plate is visible

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tigerlily4501@reddit

I've literally never heard of it not being allowed or signs banning it. I know people on social media like to bitch about it, but that's just because they are impatient. With the rise of giant SUV's It's a necessity in some places. If you are driving a small car and are surrounded on both sides by huge SUV's you cannot see anything and to try and back out of a spot into a busy parking lot or worse - a busy road - it's simply dangerous.

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manfrombelmonty@reddit

Got a ticket for backing into a parking spot in MA once. Was a two story lot, I backed in by the pavement next to the emergency exits to a cinema.

Fwiw I get irrationally irritated by people who back into parking spots at the supermarket. Generally you’re putting your shopping into the trunk of the vehicle so why back in? Now you have to maneuver your shopping cart between other parked cars to try to get to the trunk. Totally inconvenient. Makes no sense

I tend to park as close to their trunk as possible to minimize their space just to be a passive aggressive dick 👍

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Sledheadjack@reddit

Huh… a trunk? Can’t even imagine driving anything that has a trunk… Most people I know put their groceries in the back seat of their TRUCK and generally prefer to back into parking spots.

I think “irrational” is a perfect description for people who have a problem with how someone else parks, whether it be forward or backward, as long as that person is centered between the lines.

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blueponies1@reddit

It is my preferred method and I have never heard of anyone having an opinion nor a law against it, personally.

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scottwax@reddit

Where my grandmother lived in the late 80s and early 90s didn't allow back in parking. Part of the reason was people backed up too far and blocked the sidewalk and also dripping tailpipes would leave rust stains on the sidewalk.

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Alternative-Quit-161@reddit

When you live in a disaster prone area, one that will have everyone leaving work or home very quickly to evacuated, it makes it much easier to leave a parking spot and not have to back into traffic. The one time you eveacuate with your whole neighborhood you learn this quickly.

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frr_Vegeta@reddit

I've never seen an area where reverse parking is disallowed. I do see a lot of people reverse parking at my job. I know there are claims it is safer to do so however I never do because I don't believe the arguments apply to my situation.

When I arrive the lot is pretty much full, I pull in forward and park normally. The agency I work for closes 30-60 minutes later than the rest of the agencies in the building, so when I leave the parking lot is empty besides my car and one or two of my coworkers. If I'm in the center aisles of the lot I just drive forward and leave, if I'm parked on the perimeter I back out with nothing behind me and leave. Furthermore, the back up camera on my car is outstanding so if there is a car or two still in the lot I can track them easily.

Since driving forward is safer than backward, and the lot is full in the morning and empty in the evening, reversing in would be counterproductive.

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To be fair, I’ve seen people need multiple try’s to pull in forwards and get centered.

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Parking_Champion_740@reddit

I don’t really understand why people do it and I find it terrifying for some reason

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Mad_Dog_1974@reddit

If the parking lot has 90° parking, it makes sense to back into the spot, but I usually only do it with my truck and not my car. Both are acceptable. I don't know that I've ever seen a 90° lot that prohibits reverse parking. If there is 45° parking, backing in makes no sense at all.

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I wasn't aware that this was frowned upon. I've traveled to 40 states and have lived in 3 of them. People do this everywhere. Parallel parking is another story. For some reason a lot if people seem to lack that skill.

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rdi_caveman@reddit

It makes it easier to check license plates/tags. Some states only have rear plates and all states have registration tags on the rear plate.

If you are paying to park by entering your plate number, operators want to have all the plates visible as they drive through to check.

Police also want to be able to easily see everyone’s registration tags.

So, at least sometimes, it’s frowned upon.

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Responsible_Side8131@reddit

CT doesn’t have any registration tags on the plate or on the windshield.

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UglyInThMorning@reddit

This has been so weird for me, I’m from NY so every time I don’t see the sticker for my inspection and registration in my windshield I feel like it’s gone missing.

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people who hate reverse parking are just insecure of their inability to move shape backwards into a hole.

DesertWanderlust@reddit

I live in Tucson, and there's a whole street (University Boulevard between Park and Euclid) that has reverse-in spots. It's a mess. You can see people can't handle it.

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The parking enforcement at the hospital I work uses these cars with cameras that captures and checks license plates automatically. Florida, we only have rear plates.

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Constellation-88@reddit

Not where I’m from. Maybe in big cities?

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seidinove@reddit

Yes, there are places that prohibit it. I prefer to reverse my mere sedan because I'm usually surrounded by "suburbitanks" -- SUVs and minivans. I hate having to back out of a parking space with visibility impaired by larger vehicles.

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Derwin0@reddit

Not at all.

People do it all the time as it’s safer to pull forward out if a spot as opposed to backing into traffic.

Only

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Iwishididntexist69@reddit

Some places where you need a parking permit only allows front-in parking. For example my university I went to. Everybody thinks is a stupid rule but they try to enforce it.

Everywhere else it’s my choice to decide

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BlahBlahILoveToast@reddit

If the parking is angled rather than perpendicular, it can mean you're pulling out of your spot the "wrong" direction and going through the parking lot against the expected flow of traffic. I have seen memes on social media about how people who do this are dicks.

Otherwise, nobody cares and people often point out that it's safer.

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biddily@reddit

So, I live in Boston.

A consequence of that is that the parking lots are small. Backing into a spot is a little more time consuming, a little trickier, and that means your blocking the lot access while your putzing around trying to thread the fucking needle on a spot you could have just pulled into.

If you're in a big car its even worse. Jesus fuck. Suvs barely even fit in these garages and yet you watch one try to back into a fucking spot for ten god damn minutes cause it's so tight.

People from Connecticut love backing into spots. We haven't figured out what it is yet.

I work as a contractor for industrial plants. We're often required to back in. To the point that I've started doing it in my personal vehicle out of habit.

It's seen as a safety thing. I don't have to back up to leave, so no worries about limited visibility, and it means I can leave quickly in the event of an emergency.

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NoContextCarl@reddit

Backing into a parking spot is totally fine. The idea of the plate being obscured isn't really a concern as most states have front back plates, but even in those that don't these nothing forbidden about doing so.

It genuinely depends how efficient you are.

If you whip it in first try nice and straight bc you have practice, and you dont have a large vehicle that takes up all the passing space while you maneuver, go for gold. If its a tight parking lot or you have a giant car, or you need to re-do/straighten out, its usually considered incondisterate.

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FivebyFive@reddit

Well, I hate it.

Most people have no idea how to do it.

Also it looks objectively takes longer even if you do know how.

If you're at a concert or event where leaving is going to be hard if you have to back out, the sure go for it.

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grammarkink@reddit

It's not illegal, people who don't mind their business just find that it affects them somehow.

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CaptainAwesome06@reddit

This is just speculation but I wouldn't think it would be due to license plate visibility. Especially on private property.

My guess is because, when all the cars are facing one way, and someone parks the opposite way, their mirrors can get in the way of opening the doors on the adjacent cars.

Reverse parking is said to be safer. I don't really care when people do it unless they parked next to me and I can't open my back doors or if I'm forced to sit there and wait while you try to reverse park your land yacht on 20 attempts.

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ban_circumvention_@reddit

Why are you guessing if you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about? Have you ever driven a car?

It's 100% about the license plates. Some parking garages even state this explicitly in their signs.

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CaptainAwesome06@reddit

Why are you guessing if you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about?

Do you know what a guess is?

It's 100% about the license plates.

Why would a private parking lot need the license plates to be visible?

Have you ever driven a car?

Yes, plenty of times. But I've never parked a day in my life.

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ban_circumvention_@reddit

I really have no idea how to reply to you in a way that will convince you, since it's clear you have neither the desire to learn or the ability to accept that there are things you don't know. Are you 16?

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CaptainAwesome06@reddit

Are you 16?

No. I just don't give a shit about you trying to teach me something. Instead of responding in another condescending way, read this instead:

https://www.khon2.com/news/drivers-surprised-frustrated-with-tickets-for-reversing-into-stalls/

In Honolulu it's illegal because of safety.

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ban_circumvention_@reddit

Interesting that your link doesn't say anything about rear view mirrors. Why do you think that is?

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CaptainAwesome06@reddit

Probably because it's a safety thing? The difference between you and me is that I explicitly said I was guessing.

I reverse park every chance I get. It's so much safer to pull out going forward than backward.

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GOTaSMALL1@reddit

FYI… I’m in the trades and we are taught (sometimes required) to back trucks/vans into parking spaces.

For a lot of reasons it’s much safer.

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dead0man@reddit

I don't recall ever seeing a sign saying it wasn't allowed, but I have heard of them. People back into spots around here (Omaha) all the time.

I suspect it might be something you only see in sketchy parts of town and I generally try and avoid those in my old age.

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ToBePacific@reddit

Never seen or heard of this being an issue.

Also, some states require plates on both front and back while other states only require the back.

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(Also, why do you assume all cars have backup cameras?)

Well, it's been a legal requirement for nearly a decade and was pretty common on cars before that, so while it isn't all cars I'm guessing it's a large majority at this point.

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UglyInThMorning@reddit

There’s definitely a large contingent that don’t have functioning backup cameras. I had rear-end damage to my last car that wasn’t worth fixing and rendered the backup camera unusable. There’s definitely plenty of beaters out there where people just go “fuck it” when the reverse camera stops working, whether it’s from electrical issues or physical damage.

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abbot_x@reddit

The insurance industry, companies with large fleets, and driving experts disagree with you on the safety point. They monitor losses. It’s statistically proven head-in/back-out parking is less safe than back-in/head-out parking. The main reason is that even with mirrors, backup cameras, etc., it’s safer to drive out of the space forward than backward.

That neither you nor I have ever been in an accident this way doesn’t change the overall pattern. We are just a bit luckier and more careful than the average driver.

I agree this safety fact doesn’t necessarily make head-in parking better or appropriate for all situations. It takes longer and may hold up traffic. You may not be able to access the trunk, so parking head-in at a supermarket would be silly. And some lots want license plates visible.

But head-in parking is safer and people who do it aren’t idiots.

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DecemberPaladin@reddit

I wouldn’t mind if they didn’t seem to always slam on the brakes with no blinkers, stop to collect their thoughts or something, and then creeeeeeeep backwards into their spot. And it’s a pickup more often than not.

They’re only doing it for attention.

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AnybodySeeMyKeys@reddit

While 2-3 other drivers have to wait for them to do it.

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MortimerDongle@reddit

It's generally fine. I've seen lots with signs banning it but they're not that common.

Personally I don't care as long as you don't suck at it and block the lot while you figure it out.

Some people claim it's safer to back in. I can see the argument with some vehicles, especially trucks that don't have backup cameras. I drive a smaller car that has a wide angle backup camera and rear cross traffic alerts so I feel pretty comfortable backing out. Plus, it's generally easier to load stuff into the car if you park head in.

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vingtsun_guy@reddit

I'm not sure what you're describing here. The only situation where I can see it being not ok to reverse park is on a public street, where the car has to face the way of traffic.

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baddspellar@reddit

I've never heard of this. I suppose someone may have had a bad experience waiting for someone to do this. It's a lot harder technically to back in than to back out, since backing in requires more maneuvering. Backing out just requires going straight.

I am.a volunteer hike leader, and I take people out in very cold winter conditions. I.recommend people back into trailhead spots so it's easier to give them a jump start if needed

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You back in so you can escape quickly…. At least that’s all I can determine is the reason.

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wwhsd@reddit

There are some people that find backing into spots annoying.

It does frustrate me in busy parking lots where I’m driving up and down the rows looking for an empty spot to have the car in front of me drive past an empty spot only to start backing in as I’m beginning to pull into the spot myself.

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UJMRider1961@reddit

The only places I've ever seen that have signs that prohibit backing in are places where there are air intakes near the parking lot and the reason is they don't want exhaust fumes to go into the building.

I drive a full size pickup and try to either back in or pull all the way through a parking space so I can just drive straight out. It's easier for me to back in to a spot than to back out of one.

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ViewtifulGene@reddit

It can be annoying on crowded streets with traffic lights. Go around the fucking corner and find a parking lot, asshole. The light will be red by the time you've backed in.

Nobody cares if it's a parking lot, driveway, or side street.

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TsundereLoliDragon@reddit

You mean backing into spots? I pretty much only do this.

I see some many references to parking spots not allowing cars to park in reverse

I have never seen this. The only time it would make sense is when pulling into angled spots.

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Trick_Photograph9758@reddit

I've seen signs too, normally in places where everyone arrives at once, like for an event. They don't want people slowing up the parking by stopping to back into spots.

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WFOMO@reddit

Not that is has anything to do with your question, but there are places where reverse parking is actually required. Many of the petrochemical plants I worked in required reverse parking for easier escape in the event of a chemical release or other emergency.

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Froggypwns@reddit

I reverse into a spot 99% of the time, and that other 1% of the time is where I am able to drive forward through a spot into the spot behind it so that my nose is still facing the exit. It is significantly safer and easier than reversing out of a spot.

Llamawhispererguy@reddit

They have the signs around someplaces for on street parking that is at an angle to the curb. It would create a traffic mess if someone were to try and back into them.

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bluerog@reddit

No. Reverse parking isn't frowned upon or illegal. A viewable license plate isn't necessary.

But... If you're slowing down a bunch of other people backing into a parking spot, you may be being inconsiderate.

I watched a parking lot for 30 minutes one time (was waiting on wife and listening to music). Every single back-in person inconvenienced 2 or 3 other people just trying to get through a parking lot lane or trying to back out.

See, backing up takes longer and is slower because of lack of visibility. There's more room behind you when you back out of a spot you fronted into so you can be less accurate and not worry about it.

Watch 40 cars park and pull out of a parking lot and you'll notice it too. Or even better, if you're a "back in" person, challenge a friend to park and back out of 20 spots in a tight parking lot... Front parkers will win everytime.

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gregsw2000@reddit

Front parkers will win every time because they just back out, not being able to see shit, and force other people to stop or hit them

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morose4eva@reddit

Where I live, there's no signs specifically prohibiting back-in parking, but you will get a ticket if you drive a vehicle that has any part of it hanging over and/or blocking the sidewalks.

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Reverse parking in an apartment lot is often against the rules because the car’s exhaust gets sucked into the apartments.

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Sleepygirl57@reddit

What? Never heard of such a thing.

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I've definitely seen signs forbidding it, though rare.

I typically reverse into parking spots as well, unless there's a sign saying not to. My understanding is it's a theft-deterrent, because they want to disable your ability to have a quick getaway.

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MorrowPlotting@reddit

Twenty years ago, fewer people did it. It was a rare quirk that usually only off-duty cops did.

But then they put back-up cameras in everybody’s car, and now, backing into a spot is a fun little video game. Anybody can do it now! Heck, it’s easier to back in now than pull in the “regular” way.”

I’ve seen old “true crime” stories, where they caught the bad guy because he backed into his space back in the ‘90s, which stood out to the cops searching for him. That wouldn’t work today. Over 80% of my apartment garage spaces today have cars backed into them.

gregsw2000@reddit

No, absolutely not, and it is in fact usually promoted in driving school.

There are folks who never put their car in reverse unless it is an emergency and are afraid of backing - which is funny, because they'll knee jerk pull into a parking spot, and then have to back out of it, which is way more difficult than backing in.

But, so little backing is required in many suburban areas that you couldn't convince people.

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JudgeWhoOverrules@reddit

I drive a lot and I don't like people who do.

Backing into a spot takes a lot more time than just driving right into it which causes more traffic in parking lots and ties up people's time
Backing into a spot is massively more likely to damage the cars around it.
I'm in Arizona which is a back plate only state so people who back into a spot generally are looking to avoid getting their car repoed or identified. Because the type of people that would do this generally also make other bad choices again more like to damage other's car.
It can be confusing in parking lots with diagonal rows or one-way traffic

This doesn't apply to mining sites and some other heavy industrial spaces where back in parking is generally mandated as a matter of safety to get out quick.

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JMS1991@reddit

Not frowned upon, but it's a rule in some lots in states where there are only rear plates and the lazy parking enforcement officers don't want to get out of their golf cart to check a plate.

The only other exception is in garages or street parking where the spaces are angled, but it doesn't really make sense to reverse park in those kinds of spaces.

I see some many references to parking spots not allowing cars to park in reverse

What references are these? I can't think of any.

even illegal

I have no idea how you would reach that conclusion

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digawina@reddit

Unfortunately, it's allowed everywhere I go. It's a scourge unless the lot is empty and there's no traffic. There's nothing more frustrating than the person in front of you suddenly throwing it into reverse to back into a spot so they can take 5 times as long to park as they do to pull out.

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Helo227@reddit

I haven’t heard of it being illegal, but i know a lot of people are annoyed by it. People who do it argue it saves time when pulling out, however it takes more time to back in when parking. A study i read basically said that at best it changes where you spend the most time. If you back in you spend more time parking than pulling out, if you park normally you spend more time pulling out. However, many people overall take a lot more time to back into a parking spot and actually waste more than someone who pulls in forward and backs out. So it doesn’t save time and can actually cost you more time.

It annoys some people because they see it as inconveniencing those around you by taking so much time to park.

Antitenant@reddit

There are some parking lots or spaces where they will post a sign saying forward parking only or something like that, but the majority of parking is open to do whatever you want. I prefer to reverse park most of the time and have had no issues with other people.

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revengeappendage@reddit

I live in a front plate only state and have literally never seen or heard of not being allowed To back into parking spots.

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lifting_liberty@reddit

Reverse parking is usually only a problem in places that parking in monitored by license plate. Parking Garages, private parking lots, etc.

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ReallySmallWeenus@reddit

We call it “backing in” and it’s common but not the standard for parking.

There are two spots in my town I can think of where it isn’t generally allowed. One is a parking lot with angled stalls and one way roads that facilitates “forward” parking. The other is a restaurant where the parking stalls are next to the sidewalk and backing in was causing blocking of the sidewalk (rear overhang on a lot of vehicles is often longer than the front).

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BouncingSphinx@reddit

All the “rules” here about not backing into a spot are usually apartment complexes or similar. They might have a database of allowed vehicles (tenants), and since every state requires a plate on the rear, they can scan the plates and make sure it’s a vehicle that’s supposed to be there. Or they may have a sticker or something for the dash, and having no reverse parking allows someone to walk along the sidewalk to check those without being in the actual driving lane.

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