Why do pickup drivers back into parking spaces?

Bridgewater Betty

I back into parking spaces all the time. I even back into my garage at home. I have a large driveway and I can turn around before backing into the garage, to avoid backing all the way up the driveway. It's a little challenge for me and I have fun doing it. I try to use only my mirrors to back into my garage space, without ever turning my head or cheating (viewing the camera).

There are several reasons that I do it:

First, it is easier to position the car more precisely and more straight when driving in reverse. I have problems if I have to turn tightly to get into a parking space moving forward, because I can't always complete the turn in a restricted space, meaning I will have to move forward and backward until the car is straight.

Second, many accidents happen in parking lots, when a vehicle backs out from a parking space and contacts another passing vehicle.

Third, when one backs into a parking space, there is no traffic to contend with. You are effectively backing OUT of traffic, rather than into it.

Fourth, visibility is very limited when backing. A car is designed to move forward, so the windows are designed around visibility in the front of the car. I don't know about other vehicles, but my Range Rover HSE is very hard to back, because of the limited visibility and high back window. It has a park sensor and camera, but you have to actually drive the car so you still can't watch it 100%. Also, when driving forward, one does not have to turn one's head around, effectively cutting off vision from one side.

Fifth, in an area that might have children or pedestrians around, I find it much more reassuring to drive forward where I can see everything, than to drive in reverse, where I could mistakenly back over a small child, if one were to wander into my vehicle's path when I was unaware or could not see. It takes only a split second for a small child to run off, and I would hate for that to happen. Vehicles have so many safety features, but I don't want to rely on them, when I can simply rely on my own two eyes looking out the front of the car.

ambers1006

It is soooo much easier to get out of that way! With a long bed it is hard for us to back out of spaces and see if anyone is coming!

jtexas

I usually drive an Explorer, had a rented F150 for a week -- it is so much easier to back into a spot than to back out.

It's cause when you're backing up, you're steering with the rear wheels (I mean the following, not the leading axle). Try pushing a grocery cart backwards, you'll see what I mean.

thud.fan

As with all motor vehicles, the back wheels follow a different track than the front ones while making a turn. If I am not real careful pulling into a parking space, I'm gonna clip something. Pickups and SUVs generally have longer and wider wheel bases than the general sedan population.

Therefore, it is much easier to do half of that 3-point turn that a lot of folks go through on the road test. Plus it is much easier to pull out into traffic than trying to back out, unless there is a spotter.

dirtytricksracing@sbcglobal.net

Cars do it to show off. But pickup are the one exception they are safer pulling out rather than back out. Cars are not safer it is just a excuse to say Hey look at me.

UCANTCME

It is easier to get out and less chance of hitting another vehicle..

superchad2

it is a good back in if you have a truck with the long wheel base it is hard to back out of small parking spot. if you back in you can drive straat out and not have to go back and forth if someone is hitting your car maybe your parking to far forword in the space.

Discovery

Not just pickup drivers, any driver who does it does so because it is easier to maneuver that way.

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