Backing in and pulling out is much safer.
a bunch of us like to park backwards during the day when we arrived on site, so that when we leave at night in the dark we can see any pedestrians or other issues on our way out.
For me it is not more difficult at all to back into a parking space. In some tight situations it’s actually easier than pulling in forward. When leaving, it’s much easier and quicker. Visibility is much better pulling forward out of a parking space than it is when backing out so I don’t have to worry about an unseen vehicle or pedestrian unexpectedly crossing my path while backing out (not really a problem when backing in).
Agreed. In some areas it’s illegal. Not only does it take forever but it is dangerous because it’s hard to see what you’re doing and there are usually cars on both sides.
I unwittingly made some guy wish he hadn’t tried to do it though recently. We were in a parking structure looking for a spot. He was in front of me. First spot on the right at the end of the row. It was a little tight for his truck so he turned left to go to the next level or so I thought. In fact he was just maneuvering to back into the spot. Not realizing that though I took the spot. He was pretty steamed.
They have OCD
At my company it was a requirement, no questions!
Also an OSHA note:
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/motor_vehicle_guide.html
****
https://safestart.com/news/4-reasons-backing-parking-spaces-safer/
The “Smith System” of driving which was required training on the job, recommends parking like this. Either pull through the parking space or back into it. Their rationale was you can see better, and it’s less damage to get clipped on the front and less expensive to repair.
I have used their techniques for 20 years and it works.
Little boy syndrome. They think it makes them look manly.
At several companies I worked with it is part of the “safety culture”. Allegedly you have less chance of backing over someone backing into a spot than backing out. Never mind that it caused fender benders in the parking garage.
You could make a million dollar screw-up and nothing would happen at all. Fail to back into your parking space and you could get called into the manager’s office for counseling. Ditto for saying something that “offended” anyone which included telling them to shape up.
Because it’s 100% effective in preventing backing into some one! Works every time it’s tried.
I distinctly remember being taught in driver’s ed that the only vehicles that had the right to back into a space were police vehicles, and that they needed to do so so they could quickly pursue a lawbreaker in a vehicle. Otherwise, you should never back into a space because it’s more dangerous, e.g. if there was child, animal or object in the space you could not see.
Of course, this was almost 45 years ago.
One of my co-workers and I have a running joke about this. If one our vehicles is backwards, it’s because hubby had it during the day. We’ve decided its a guy thing.
Here in my hometown the cops are instructed to always back into parking spots at the donut shop, etc.
Try driving forward into a tight parking space with a 15 passenger van, and ending up straight in the space. Then try backing out when you want to leave.
Backing in to begin is 3x easier.
It’s called “operational commando” parking... for a reason. For bugging out, with extreme prejudice.
I’ve had the same question for years.
People like to arrive late and make a quick escape afterwards.
They also prefer to make you wait than have to wait to back out themselves.
Seriously, I do it myself for safer easier escape after an event.
You shouldn’t make people wait while you back in though.
There is a lack of common decency though, that seems to be ignored by some of the privileged these days.
They like to slow to a snails pace walking when the cross the road at the crosswalk too, especially if they can make a deplorable person wait. (Whitey)