PING Rod Peterson

You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?

It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into parking spaces with the company truck, so I can drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!

Reply to
Bob Flint
Loading thread data ...

parking spaces with the company truck, so I can

dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing

You may be more in hurry when you leave then when you park. You may want to protect the rear doors of a van against a wall to prevent theft. Backing into traffic in that particular place may be more difficult than backin out of the lane and into the parking spot. Old habits.

Mauro

Reply to
MG

Easier to jump start the vehicle if the parking spaces on both sides are full.

parking spaces with the company truck, so I can

dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing

Reply to
Leon

spaces with the company truck, so I can

course... I didn't mention that backing

Well, as pointed out in the first response, the truck situation could certainly be a whole different ball game. I was speaking more to cars. As I think I said in my rant, the part of parking/unparking that requires the most precision is done with the least precise effort when folks back their cars into parking spaces.

Thank you for visiting my site.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

formatting link

Reply to
LRod

spaces with the company truck, so I can

course... I didn't mention that backing

Our company has the same policy. Park facing out, unless it's posted as prohibited.

First choice, pull through. Second choice, back in.

Why? When backing in, your vehicle is moving slowly. When backing OUT, you risk getting clipped by another vehicle traveling too fast through a parking lot. They have literally 60 years of data to support this.

We also have a policy that requires marked company vehicles to have cones placed at each end of the vehicle. This includes my little car, even when parked in a restaurant. The cones are not to prevent people from hitting the vehicle. They are there to force the driver to do a "circle check" before driving away.

The "circle check" is a walk around the vehicle to check for obvious problems, like a tire down, freshly placed objects, left out tools, or small children that may present a danger or loss upon driving away. Our trucks also have a sticker on the door displaying a circle with a check mark inside.

Circle checks make a lot of sense when you think about it. Little kids LOVE to check out utility trucks, and some test sets can cost $40,000, so walking around prevents injuries to kids and lost tools. I'm sure railroaders, construction equipment operators, firefighters, etc... know exactly what I mean about the kids.

FWIW, I got a free DeWalt jobsite radio from the side of the road because a contractor didn't do a circle check!

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

Works real well for angled parking, I imagine. Surprises folks who don't expect traffic from the wrong direction as _they_ back out.

I for one would avoid dealing with any company whose logo was displayed on a vehicle so parked.

parking spaces with the company truck, so I can

dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing

Reply to
George

Boy Scout camps around here require it. They say 1) faster, less confusing, evacuation in an emergency 2) easier if snow accumulates overnight. Not said, but probably true, easier to see pedestrians.

--

parking spaces with the company truck, so I can

dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing

Reply to
Pounds on Wood

spaces with the company truck, so I can

course... I didn't mention that backing

That may be true, but it depends a lot on situations. My only point was that you have to back up sometime, and you can't guarantie which time may be safer in all situations. For example, lets say I pull past a spot at the mall, stop, and start to back into it. I then hit the person who was following me and zips into the space they thought I was passing! This has happened so often it isn't funny! (Not that I hit them, but was close, plus I lose the spot)

The time I came closest to having a collision in a parking lot - was when I was going out front wards, so I'd say it depends! BTW I've been a field tech since 1970, no accidents.

I have the circle check as well.

Being one of the above, I concur!

Cool! All I even get is screwdrivers and tape measures!

Reply to
Bob Flint

Since they can't go foreword, and backing up is the only option, someone who would be surprised by this action would have incredibly low brain power... The whole idea of angled parking is safety in pulling in and backing out at a low angle.

I'd LOVE to see you park backwards in angled parking!! That would require some maneuvering in the street! What would you have to turn? 270 degrees? The only place in this town with angled parking has absolutely no room for my truck to turn around!

Good !

Reply to
Bob Flint

have to back up sometime, and you can't

past a spot at the mall, stop, and

space they thought I was passing!

That's what signals, mirrors, and rotating necks (head checks) are for. If you back into a car that stole your spot, the accident is probably your fault.

going out front wards, so I'd say it

Glad to hear it. From 1930 to 1982, the Bell System had tens of thousands of vehicles that were driven and parked every day. From

1982 on, many of the ex-Bell companies continued to share safety data. That's where our data comes from. The numbers say that backing in creates less bent sheet metal.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

maneuvering in the street! What would

absolutely no room for my truck to

Backing in to angled parking is illegal in most locales, so it's precluded from "back in" driving policies.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

Clever fellow. You're probably one of those who can't figure out why everyone's giving you the finger as you drive north between two rows of south-facing parked vehicles. Of course, had you not pulled through or driven the wrong way to back in....

Brain power? LMAO

who would be surprised by this action would

safety in pulling in and backing out at a low

Reply to
George

Reply to
Bob Flint

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.