Do you reverse into your driveway?

[Alan Drover]

That's some driveway.

[g6anz]

I drive in and reverse out. Reason: I live in a cul de sac and there is plenty of room to turn when reversing out. Secondly, if some one wants to take it illegally its more difficult to reverse and turn it than just driving off.

[Alan Drover]

Mine wouldn't be easy to move illegally from the driveway with this on the offside rear wheel.

[Beowulf]

When I learnt to drive a car, my instructor told me to always reverse into parking spaces and driveways unless the situation prevented it. Years later, my HGV lessons were also very explicit, reverse in and drive out, its easier and much safer.

I made an embarrassing mistake when I drove a lorry from a main road into a narrow lane even though it looked too narrow. I should have got out and checked out the lane but I stupidly continued while assuming there would be a place to turn around, but there wasn't. I then had the embarrassment of asking someone to see me out backwards into the main road. 

As for car parks, unless they explicably say drive into spaces, I always reverse (my works car park has signs up telling drivers they must reverse into spaces). When driving into a space, the rear wheels don`t follow the same track as the front wheels, so its more difficult to end up properly aligned. And when reversing out of a space, you`re looking over both shoulders and still watching your front wing and all the time your arse is entering moving vehicle/pedestrian/children space, the view is not good enough to see everything. Perhaps its a little easier in our Land Rovers and other high seated vehicles but when so many new cars are also large, that advantage is lost.

A colleague who's recently passed his test, tells me the Highway Code says don't reverse into the road and to reverse into a driveway, but I don't think its an offence in law to do it the other way. However, if there` an accident, the driver might be charged with driving without due care and attention at the very least.

In my very humble opinion, its easy to reverse into a space and a doddle to drive out of and very much safer.

[Exile]

Picking up on Wittsend's method of pulling forward into the space in front, and parking with loads of empty spaces around you, that is exactly what I do at Sainsbury's when I'm driving this very early One Ten with no power steering.

As you will see, it is quite long and has the spare wheel on the back so barely fits in a standard space.

Although the space behind is empty when I park, someone always chooses to park behind, so that I can't open the rear door or get the trolley to it.

So one day I thought I'd try leaving the rear of the vehicle partly in the space behind (more so than in the attached photo) so that it is clearly too short for anyone to park behind me.

Did this work?

Nope!

As I approached the vehicle with my full trolley, a female chose the very part-space behind me to park - even though I was surrounded by empty spaces.

She eventually gave up, reversed out and chose one of the empty spaces all around.


Can someone please explain the psychology of these people?

[w3526602]

Can someone please explain the psychology of these people?

Hi Exile,

Because it's there?

602

[JReid]

Always reverse in to the garage, otherwise brakes bind on when trying to get out....

[Kev]

I reverse in during the summer,🌞 and drive in tight against the house in the winter to try and protect the front end from the weather.👍🇬🇧☃️

[Richard]

This psychology isn't restricted to parking behaviour. We were on a camping trip in France and found a very quiet camping à la ferme in Bellecombe-en-Bauges, kinda midway between Annecy and Aix-les-Bains. Beautiful entourage. Late spring, glorious weather, gentle slopes of lush grass, enchanting vistas everywhere you looked. We were the only campers. 'Anywhere you like,' they said, on a pasture the size of half the Alps, and we found a spot near a fence. I put up the tent, took a shower, had a beer, had another beer, we ate our baguettes with camembert and went to sleep. Shortly there after another couple found the camping à la ferme. 'Anywhere you like,' was probably what they were told. And on this pasture the size of half the Alps they choose the spot right next to us. A meter away. At the most. I kid you not. He – or she – snored like I have never heard snoring before. Or after. The Snore from the Apocalypse...

Richard

[Wittsend]

I'd love to know the psychology of why people park next to the only other vehicle in a (large) car park.
I feel a university grant application coming on.

Technically reversing in (to a garage) is better than reversing out.

Brake binding may be one thing, but shouldn't happen. In winter, in freezing conditions don't apply the handbrake as the shoes may freeze to the drum. In snowy/cold weather park the front of the vehicle up against a wall or hedge, reduces the effect of driving snow and freezing wind.

[William]

This psychology also applies to the ticket gates at London Victoria - at rush hour (or what passes for it these days) there'll be a queue at one exit gate while the adjacent ones are empty 

Although everyone in the queue being on their mobile probably explains it 

[diffwhine]

Not sure on the crazy parking next to you mentality, but I have delivered a number of security driving courses for embassies and such like over the years. My mantra has always been "turn the horses for home". That way for safety reasons, any quick exit does not involve reversing.

[Alan Drover]

Like a J turn?

[diffwhine]

No - J Turns work fine for the Sweeney in old Granadas. Don't work so well on a Range Rover with permanent 4WD, an electronic handbrake and Dynamic Stability Control. I teach the basics. I leave the flash stuff to the military instructors at Catterick. I mean just making sure that you can drive out forwards from any parked position. 

[Gareth]

Yes I too park as remotely as possible. I guarantee somebody will feel need to be part of the herd and park next to me!

My Defender has got reverse traffic monitoring which is a great help if you do have to reverse when there is traffic or people around, and does prevent you reversing into somebody or into traffic.