Should it be compulsory to reverse into car park spaces?

[Notters]

That's bollocks for a start. Inept parking is one of my irrational dislikes. When you see a badly parked car that's across a marked bay it'll be a forwards parked vehicle 9 times out of 10. Reversing gives you far better perspective with the door mirrors.

I'd be interested to see which method any professional drivers on here use/prefer.

More importantly reversing allows you to control the whole car whereas when going forward the rear wheels follow (at an angle).

First sensible post ever from the Rev?

 

[Notters]

Funny I see it the other way round get annoyed waiting for someone trying to reverse their car into a space giving it 4 or 5 turns. Just bloody put your nose in first and let others past to find a space

Come off it, it's ALWAYS people who go in forwards who get in the way because it's near impossible to get it right first time.

 

[Cian]

It should be encouraged for straight spaces; but reversing in to an echelon space should be an instant lifetime ban, forced to burn your licence there and then.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Stupid idea - if you park badly first time just straighten it - it isn't difficult.

 

[Surrey Seagull]

what about the pricks that park diagonally across two parking spaces
regards
DR

You should try working in a car park PPF! Parking across 2 bays is nothing, I once saw someone manage to park across 3 bays and then wonder why I was asking them to re-park their car.
Oh and as for this reversing in 1st nonsense, nothing is more guaranteed to cause a fight on a busy Saturday than someone trying to reverse into a space only for the car behind to nip in and take the place.

 

[BensGrandad]

As the old story says a man in a merc trying to reverse ino a bay is beaten by a chap in a mini. "You have got to have a small car to be able to do that" man gets in his merc and rams the mini " you have got to be rich to be able do that".

 

[AnotherArch]

If you work at a large oil refinery or petrochemical plant, reverse parking is compulsory, even in the external car parks on the outside of the fence.
With the state of alert in this country at the moment, this might be a prudent system in some large car parks.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

As a terrible driver myself, I simply cannot condone this proposal.

 

[Wexford Gull]

I work at a Flavour Manufacturing Plant as Security and all employee's,visitors and contractors have to reverse park in case of emergency (quick get away) it is amusing watching some of them but they learn, practice makes nearly perfect. But in a supermarket/shopping mall or just on the high street. Feck it park which ever way you are comfortable with.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Nothing annoys me more than people reversing in to parking spaces. The only people who try it seem to be unable to actually do it. Backwards/forwards/backwards/forwards, then no room to unload the boot. It's so pointless. It's harder and it's slower than driving straight in. A bit like thick people who use longer words because they think it makes them sound cleverer, such as saying myself when me is more appropriate. They think reversing in makes them look better drivers. No, No, No. Front first is best.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

nearly 20 mins..

 

[maltaseagull]

Be careful what you wish for. One day you will become an 'old folk' - and inevitably overnight you will lose your ability to reverse.

Maybe us old folk have the wisdom to determine the best way to park rather than being egotistical and reversing into a space because it's a challenge?

Edit - Talking about car parks not street parking.Then always reverse park.

 

[Notters]

As a terrible driver myself, I simply cannot condone this proposal.

Nothing annoys me more than people reversing in to parking spaces. The only people who try it seem to be unable to actually do it. Backwards/forwards/backwards/forwards, then no room to unload the boot. It's so pointless. It's harder and it's slower than driving straight in. A bit like thick people who use longer words because they think it makes them sound cleverer, such as saying myself when me is more appropriate. They think reversing in makes them look better drivers. No, No, No. Front first is best.

I'm sorry but no, it's so much easier both theoretically and in practice. I've always struggled to understand why people don't do it. Except when doing a large shop and needing to use the boot. Even then I feel bad going in forwards. And it's not about looking a better driver, its about being one.

 

[Aveacarlin']

More likely to hit another car reversing into a space than reversing out

Unlikely. More likely the other way around

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I'm sorry but no, it's so much easier both theoretically and in practice. I've always struggled to understand why people don't do it. Except when doing a large shop and needing to use the boot. Even then I feel bad going in forwards. And it's not about looking a better driver, its about being one.

Yes, but you are only a better driver if you can do it. Well done you, but most who try it are rubbish at it it.

 

[Tight shorts]

The Instructor on an AITC Health & Safety training course raised this point and said it was far safer to reverse into a parking space where possible. I find it much easier to park in between two cars in a narrow space if I can reverse in, using wing mirrors to guide me.

 

[drew]

Notwithstanding who is driving at the time, a vehicle is more manoeuvrable when reversing, given the small spaces in supermarkets its pretty impossible to drive in and align the vehicle centrally in the allocated space first time, it can be done easily when reversing.Most supermarkets have a central pathway for access to your boot.Not everyone in a car park uses the boot, so there's no argument for driving in and having no access.Reversing out from a car parking space provides no visibility to the driver and in supermarkets, out of town shopping areas or entertainment facilities there are children and older people walking in the area where the vehicle is reversing into.

I have often seen incidents of vehicles reversing out of parking spaces and wondered how long it will be, if indeed it has not already happened, before someone is killed or seriously injured by this dangerous manoeuvre.

Surprised this rule has not already been enforced.

Correct. It is far safer to do the reversing bit when going in than when coming out. However, there are reasons why people can drive straight in. Shopping in the boot is one (although most people I see put their bags on the back seat) or maybe if you are walking the dog when you obviously need to get the tailgate open.

That said, the DVSA have a new test on trial which includes driving straight into a bay and then reversing out safely.

Nothing annoys me more than people reversing in to parking spaces. The only people who try it seem to be unable to actually do it. Backwards/forwards/backwards/forwards, then no room to unload the boot. It's so pointless. It's harder and it's slower than driving straight in. A bit like thick people who use longer words because they think it makes them sound cleverer, such as saying myself when me is more appropriate. They think reversing in makes them look better drivers. No, No, No. Front first is best.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Correct. It is far safer to do the reversing bit when going in than when coming out. However, there are reasons why people can drive straight in. Shopping in the boot is one (although most people I see put their bags on the back seat) or maybe if you are walking the dog when you obviously need to get the tailgate open.

That said, the DVSA have a new test on trial which includes driving straight into a bay and then reversing out safely.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Yes, yes of course it should be compulsory

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

You should try working in a car park PPF! Parking across 2 bays is nothing, I once saw someone manage to park across 3 bays and then wonder why I was asking them to re-park their car.
Oh and as for this reversing in 1st nonsense, nothing is more guaranteed to cause a fight on a busy Saturday than someone trying to reverse into a space only for the car behind to nip in and take the place.

yep, see two cars parked diagonally next to each other in the multi story down Brighton marina , what makes these tossers so important
regards
DR