Jump to content
 

The non-railway and non-modelling social zone. Please ensure forum rules are adhered to in this area too!

The Which Way Round to Park the Car Thread


edcayton

Recommended Posts

This is not of great moment, as the second leg of the question implies, but I prefer reversing into a kerb-on position. It is easier to align the vehicle correctly when reversing in, and vision for leaving is far better and thus safer. There is a car park across the road in the business estate in which I work am employed which requires reverse parking, presumably for safety reasons.

 

I am not sure about this aspect, but I have an automatic transmission car, and it is noticeable when cold that the engine needs to work a lot harder to get into motion in reverse than forward, suggesting to me that there may well be more stress and wear in doing so, so it may be that positioning the car in such a way that cold starts are forward may result in less wear.

 

It was also pointed out to me years ago that cars are designed to go forward and that all the gear trains and so on are purposed to do so, so travelling in reverse increases wear on drive train, worse when cold.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I always reverse in. Much better placed to drive out. No brainer really.

 

I think I saw that the driving test now includes an element of reversing out of a car park - what are they on?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I have seen a car park with angled spaces, so as you drive in you can slide directly into the space. This means you need to reverse out each time.

 

No problem for most drivers, but quite amusing to see the driver who decided to reverse in, so had to do a 15 point turn in the narrowish main drive through to get in, then presumably the same when trying to get out again later...

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I tend to reverse into spaces when I can - unless unloading layouts!

 

At supermarkets, I tend to look for 'lazy spaces'; i.e. those I can drive into and out of forwards (normally a fair distance from the supermarket itself, but I don't mind walking (which means they are a bit of a misnomer!)).

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

what are they on?

certainly not the full leaded stuff.

 

Always reverse in ... as it enables a fast getaway.

 

Reversing out just means you need a handbrake turn ... not an easy manouvre in traffic.

 

;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

At supermarkets, I tend to look for 'lazy spaces'; i.e. those I can drive into and out of forwards (normally a fair distance from the supermarket itself, but I don't mind walking (which means they are a bit of a misnomer!)).

 

Yep, totally agree. Why work harder than you need to...

 

If I can't find one i'd reverse in, much safer as you can normally have a better idea what else is moving in the vicinity when you back in, than when you're trying to reverse out blind from between the van and SUV that have parked either side of you...

Link to post
Share on other sites

When I lived in a flat it used to drive me absolutely nuts when people reversed into the spaces just outside.  Then ran their engines while they cleared their windscreens etc in winter, pumping exhaust fumes into my and others' flats. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

  certainly not the full leaded stuff.

Always reverse in ... as it enables a fast getaway.

Reversing out just means you need a handbrake turn ... not an easy manouvre in traffic.

;)

I think you should consider shopping at a nicer supermarket? Are there any Waitrose stores near you?
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

I think you should consider shopping at a nicer supermarket? Are there any Waitrose stores near you?

2 Waitrose, 1 Tesco, 1 Sainsburys, 1 Azda, 1 Coop, 1 Morrisons and even a Lyedle (if you really slum it) all within about 4 mile radius.

 

Far too many if you ask me - none seem to have all the groceries of my choice. Could do with a bit of rationalisation.

 

It is decent pubs that we are short of.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Generally reverse in, with one major exception and that is at supermarkets, as if you park that way round you can't get the trolley to the boot to put the shopping in.

Or you need to get tools etc out. Sometimes with commercial car packs, due to space, you have to back in any way. This means reversing 3/4 of the way in, opening the tailgate (I have a wagon) take tools out and clear space - the last thing you want to do, is run over your own tools, that you just took out!). Then reverse rest of way.

 

If I need to go back later for more tools, I have to move forward, take tools out, then back in again. Obviously the reverse is carried out when finished. The joys of working in Melbourne's CBD! No wonder every job ends up expensive for the customer. Not to mention the parking cost. Fortunately I don't go so often these days.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The highway code (which is a actual document of law, relating to the use of public highways, despite the poor choice of name), does actually specify parking on the road as you reverse into parking spaces, as this allows better vision when departing. And it also states you must park in the same direction as the traffic, not facing. In fact, most things in the highway code are usually done as to minimise risk, like who`s right of way at a junction is usually the one of less risk.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have owned cars with such a reliability record that I always parked 'nose out' so that the jump leads reached! If I've a boot with stuff in parking against a wall so that the tailgate can't be opened more than a few cm's is also a good idea.

 

I hit an odd problem with my Imprezza - I always backed off the drive in the same direction and apparently this caused the differential across the front axle to eventually 'wind-up' to the point where when I pulled out (left) at junctions the inside wheel would bounce up and down because the diff wasn't doing its job properly. Having seen the reports on the owners forums I was sceptical of the diagnosis and even more so of the 'cure' being suggested - was I being wound up when it was suggested find an empty carpark and reverse round in circles at full anti-clockwise lock to 'unwind' the diff? After desperation set in I decided that it was worth the effort trying I found a quiet carpark and did a few backward circles, and to my surprise and relief the problem was solved!

 

Jon

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I always reverse in. Much better placed to drive out. No brainer really.

 

I think I saw that the driving test now includes an element of reversing out of a car park - what are they on?

 

Not just yet, but they are trialling this as a possible change/addition to the driving test, including driving forwards into a bay space. Other trials are pulling up and moving off from the "wrong" side of the road. Despite the highway code advising otherwise.

Another element to the test may be following the instructions of a sat-nav.

 

Maybe they should include driving a 4x4 up the pavement?

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

Link to post
Share on other sites

I just drive in and park and reverse out in the morning.

Although it is not illegal to reverse onto the Highway,  the Highway Code advice (200 - 203) is not to.

Contravening any advice the HC gives is not an offence automatically. However, if you contravene advice from it and either cause danger to other road users or, indeed, have an accident, the fact that you ignored advice contained in the HC could be used as evidence against you.

Not saying I don't do it, but..........

That's why in some places the local authority require you to have either a 'Y' shaped drive on your land - so you can drive on and into one leg of the 'Y', reverse into the other and ready to drive forwards onto the road, or a turntable.  West Cornwall seems to have these requirements and when I lived in Malvern, we definatly had to install turntables on the roads by the North Hill.

Meanwhile, I try to always reverse into a space, on the assumption I'm probably a bit more in tune with the car, thus able to reverse with some ease, having been driving for a while, rather than trying to reverse etc., from a cold start (both the car and myself).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...