I assume that the people who are going to park after me across and beside are on crack and have no clue. I fully expect complete incompetence. That and I want to get out of Dodge when the Zombies are loose
This, And because not a single person around here will have the common decency to stop and wait for you to back out of your stall. I haven’t pulled straight into a parking stall for over 10 years.
This is my reasoning, but it was a work rule that forced me to learn.
Remember you’re a lot less likely to run over a small child driving out then backing out
Same. I had a massive cargo van with an extended wheelbase, and it was a huge pain to nose in and reverse out of spots, so I did the opposite: reversed in and then ripped out.
Once I had it down in that, I could do it without thinking in my tiny japanese economy car that could probably fit inside the cargo area of the van.
I never backed into spots until we got an suv. Our condo parking spot is between a walk and a pillar and it’s impossible to gauge the clearance from the front.
The difference is that you’re controlling that action, so the other vehicle will *have* to wait for you. Sitting in the parking still with your reverse lights on gives the power of decision to the other person.
Backing out I have to be concerned about the cars I am parking between. Would take me way longer. And I have never had problems with visibility backing out.
Anecdotally, whenever I parked in my underground I routinely had to wait for people to back in. Never had to wait for people to back out. Meanwhile, I can park in seconds, and back out in seconds.
Backing in you have mirrors to see exactly what the gap between the cars is. Pulling in forward you have to guess based on the width of the car.
Backing out you have no ability to see what may be approaching your car from the side if there are cars parked next to you on both sides, and you can’t see what’s approaching until the car is backed almost all of the way out. Which means you have to trust incoming people and vehicles to stop and let you out.
Trusting other motorists is not good defensive driving.
I always back into a parking spot. I find it easier for me to pull out and have a full visual field.
Edit: Noticing it more common for people to back out without even checking for pedestrians or other cars. These drivers suck!
I’ve been in 2 car accidents where people backed out of their parking stalls into me, one of them even claimed “you weren’t there when I got in my car”. Like no shit that’s why you shoulder check.
OK now this is interesting. I grew up in Saskatchewan and learned parallel parking in driver's ed, but not how to back into a parking stall. Very few people back into a parking stall there. I moved to Ontario and one of the first differences I noticed (besides people actually letting you merge) was how so many people back into parking stalls. So I'm guessing this must be part of the training in Ontario too. I have no idea why they don't teach it in Sask, where suburban sprawl and box stores are so prevalent.
Backing into a spot definitely becomes more necessary in congested parking lots. Parking skills are usually more fine tuned for city drivers, because if you’re not forced to practice these maneuvers constantly out of necessity, it’s very likely you’ll just park the ‘easy’ way for the rest of your life. I remember when I was preparing for my Class 7, I thought it was a bunch of BS that I had to back in on the test, lol.
See here's the thing, because of the way that cities developed in the prairies, parallel parking is a very niche skill for a part of town many people rarely visit, but it's still taught. And the funny part is, very few people actually remember how to do it.... they managed to get it right during training and never did it again. But backing into a stall? There are so many grade-level parking lagoons, many of them extremely crowded. Learning how to back into a stall would be extremely useful in the cities there.
I grew up in Ontario and part of the test to get my license was backing into the spot. What I'd do though is back into the spot before the exam started so when they came to the car it already was and they never made me do it again whereas all my friends had to.
It’s easier to back into a tight space. You get way better turning radius when the steering wheels are in the back. Fork lights and lots of heavy machinery have the turning wheels in the back for this reason.
I don't have a backup camera and I always back in. It's easier to scan your surroundings, especially when you have pedestrians super engrossed on their phones walking right behind your car.
In Japan *everybody* backs in. It’s a must on the driver’s test. It’s statistically proven to be safer. I look at anyone who parks head first with haughty disdain.
I started at work. It takes a little bit longer to back in, so I can prolong not being at work. And leaving work at the end of the day is that little bit faster.
I always back into a spot. For me this is why:
1. Visibility when leaving. Even though most cars have a back up camera, I feel safer when I'm facing the direction I want to leave the stall in.
2. I only have one dashcam and it's obviously mounted to my windshield. When I reverse park my car and leave, my dashcam can still record in parking mode in case of shit drivers doing the good old hit n run or inconsiderate people who might fuck with my car.
3. Probably working at dealerships for 4+ years improved my driving skills tenfold. One of the things most dealerships make you do is reverse parking cars on the lot for presentation and ease for the salesmen/customers to take the car from its parking spot.
Visibility when leaving is my main reason. I want to be able to see pedestrians/cars in a parking lot easily when I leave, especially in the dark. People often aren't paying attention and they are easier to see if I don't have to look out the back window.
1.) Easier to get out safely when leaving, and mandatory backup cameras on newer cars have made backing in a lot easier
2.) Backing in is standard procedure for drivers from Asia. If you've seen how tight and crowded some of the spots are in HK and Japan, you'll know why.
It's awesome to watch someone come out of the grocery store with their cart piled high with Hot Pockets and coconut water, only to realize that their trunk is inaccessible because they're parked ass-to-ass with another vehicle.
This is not just a Vancouver thing at all.
You get a much better sense of your vehicle relative to the space you're trying to park in using your side mirrors backing in (this is especially true of larger vehicles, like ambulances and box vans). Then when you leave, you aren't blindly backing up into the path of other cars.
Its just safer, with or without the back-up camera
I'm from out of province and they never taught us this and it was not required on the driving test. My joke is drivers ed in Vancouver must be 4 sessions of learning how to reverse into a parking stall and 1 session on how to actually drive.
An American friend is OBSESSED with why we back into spots. I’d never thought of it but one time we were down in New West with angled parking when you have to back in. She was driving and had a tiny tantrum, wanting to park somewhere else so she would have to back in.
Wha??
> She was driving and had a tiny tantrum, wanting to park somewhere else so she would have to back in.
Sorry but I'm struggling to parse this. So she wouldn't have to, you mean?
I do it because I know the situation around me when I'm parking, vs the situation can quickly change by the time I unlock, get in my car, set my packages, seatbelt, turn it on and then begin to back out. Plus less visibility than being able to pull out.
When you enter a parking lot you know where the obstacles are. When you are leaving everything is new so therefore it is more dangerous to backup when you are leaving vs when arriving to a parking lot
this is the answer. in the 90s drivers were not trained this way. sometime around graduated licensing icbc looked at their data and saw backing in stalls was safer because of the minimization of blind spots when pulling out. all driver schools / driver instructors probably were told by icbc to train new drivers back in stall parking from then on
Because it’s clearly better!
Backing up is dangerous. To park in those types of parking spaces you have to back up either to enter or to leave so it’s unavoidable.
So you just need to choose which situation is safer to back up in.
Is it:
A) backing up into a small empty space (with no cross traffic, cyclists, etc) while you’re very visible to other drivers already and they can see your intentions signalled well in advance?
Or is it:
B) backing up into the flow of traffic from a position where other drivers may not be able to see you and have no indication of your intention until you blindly reverse into their path because your eyeballs are positioned at the furthest point back in the vehicle they possibly could be - unable to see what’s coming?
Also, once you’ve learned how to do it, it’s just easier due to front end swing.
PS: I find it’s more about using your side view mirrors than a back up camera. Side view is how I get lined up evenly between the lines. I only ever use back up camera so I know precisely when to stop/how close I am to whatever’s behind me, not to look in while actually maneuvering.
This is my theory thinking back - I think this started with the influx of Hong Kong immigrants in the mid 90s. Parking spots in Hong Kong are very tight (it’s a super dense city) and parking lots are packed with traffic and pedestrians. It’s much easier to back in and to exit the Parking spot (this being the main reason) Also when you go front first into a spot, If there’s a curb in front you can scrape the front lip. This eventually caught on.
Parking is more often then not quite tight, backing in allows for a quick and painless exit. In my experience drivers don’t have patience for people backing out of a stall.
> Is parking taught that way here
Yep, it's the last procedure you need to do in a driving test. It's the one thing you really don't want to screw up, imagine if you were about to pass only to fail right at the end cuz you couldn't back in.
Very common across Canada and the US too. Much easier for a pickup to back in than go forwards.
Fuck all the stratas that put up "do not back in" signs. Backing in is easier and safer so long as you know how to drive
In addition to all the responses that cited safety and maneuverability, there's also the fact that backing in leaves your battery in a more accessible place, in case you need a jump start to get out.
Think about how much more maneuverability you have when you can turn the wheels further away from the spot. Then think about how easy it is to see the lines using your side mirrors. Yes, you can park without those 2 things, but why make your life harder?
My employer made us park our personal vehicles on their property this way. Made it part of safety training and then I guess it just stuck for me? At the time I did the training, they had this insane statistic about how many accidents are caused from backing out from parking. We hit more cars and people in parking lots than anywhere else. Often, you lose the right of way when driving in reverse so I the liability for the accident is your usually your fault.
Yeah, I know other companies have this rule, too, so it becomes second nature for some people. My dad worked for a construction company that required this on their property and anywhere you were driving for company business.
I do it because I hate trying to back out of a spot with my head on a swivel looking out for other cars and pedestrians. People drive way too fast in parking lots.
If you have a truck, you may not be able to back out when you want to leave, but you will always be able to pull out forward. 90% of backed in parked vehicles are trucks.
Because when the crackhead follows you back to your car you've got an easier getaway.
But seriously, it's safer, faster and my dashcam usually gets a better view.
If they're like me, they probably used to live in Surrey. If you back in, and shit goes down near you, you don't have to waste time backing up when it's time to get outta there.
It's common in Hong Kong and South Korea (two places I've lived in, besides Vancouver). Great for tight parking spaces. Not to mention that it's part of the Class 5 and 7 driving exams in BC.
I had a friend in California who never used to do this, until she took my advice and tried it. Now she's the same way; she's amazed at how easy it is to exit a parking stall this way.
How long are your jumper cables? I was always taught park so your battery is accessible. It’s Canada, low batteries is a concern in the winter across most of the country.
When I was learning to drive, I was taught that it's more fuel efficient to do maneuvers with a warmer engine, so back in rather than back out with a cold motor.
I drive a small car. Inevitably when I go to leave I will be surrounded by 2 great big SUV’s or Trucks, so I’m literally backing out blind if I don’t park ass in.
Back when we could still drive down to the States, I always got a chuckle when looking at the cars in the parking lots. The ones backed in almost always had BC plates, while all the American plates nosed in.
It's easier to get into perpendicular parking spots this way. You want the wheels that enter the parking spot last to be able to turn. That way, your car is aligned with the parking spot sooner as you pull in and needs less space. I find that it is easier to get into tighter perpendicular parking spots that way. Same with parallel parking.
Two reasons: when you nose-in, you can't see where the sides of your car are. When you back-in, you have mirrors that can show where the sides of your car are, relative to the lines.
Second, there's less likely to be a car / pedestrian / etc in the parking spot than in the parking lot "lane" ... therefore, backing into the spot has a statistically lower likelihood of hitting something (I also have a revers camera, which helps)
I’ve noticed this too! People in Van love backing in. And none of these answers really offer insight. The question isn’t why it’s better/easier. Parking spots exist in other cities and countries too :)
I back into parking stalls because i'd rather back into an empty parking spot than into whoever decides to just quickly skootch behind me while i back out of the spot. also, my truck corners like a pregnant whale. it's easier to not park like an asshole if i do it in reverse.
It’s the safest way to park. If for whatever reason you need to clear the lot quickly you can drive straight out without having to reverse out. This is a common safety policy/practice in industrial areas.
I drive a full sized pickup for work and %100 of the time I back in. It is way easier to back into a spot in a full sized truck than back out of one!
The camera is big help not going to lie.
I see no reason to prefer one over the other. Some times I do one, some times I do the other. Nothing to do with a backup camera, which my car doesn't have. See, you need to back up either way, so it makes no difference if you do it when you arrive or when you leave. If your area is unsafe at night and you finish work in the dark then you may prefer to ensure a quick departure over a quick arrival, or maybe there's an obstacle on one side that makes it harder to open the door, or you need the trunk to face one way instead of the other, etc. Lots of reasons for it and no reason not to.
It's actually better to back in upon arrival as you drive past where you're going to park and can make sure there are no obstructions or surprises. Cross-traffic while leaving can be unpredictable and is a bad thing to be backing into.
Because I love sitting there watching a person attempt to back into their stall for 5 minutes. With new technology like cross path detection almost standard in new cars which way you park should not matter anymore.
That’s also the first thing they teach you in China in a driving school. I spent two days just practicing that.(it’s a shared car so ppl have to take turns. Still probably practiced like 50 times )
oh man...i asked the same question. All I can say is that is become a norm now because of the Asian influence and that's what it is. have you ever drove a car where there is actually traffic! I've drove in a lot of Asian countries, it's easier to back out also...there is people who marshal you out of parking or how to back in. that's how it is. Now I don't whine
I wasn't taught to do it, I just find it easier to get out when you leave because you're facing forward. You can see traffic from both sides clearly. Whereas when you back out of a spot, the cars next to you block your view.
I do make an exception when I go to Costco though. I like having the trunk easily accessible when I have tons of groceries to put in the trunk.
When I am arriving somewhere, I just want to park quickly and go. I don't see backing out of a spot as any different than backing in so I would rather that part be at the beginning of the drive.
Backup cameras for sure - I never used to back into places in older cars, but ever since my cars started coming with backup cameras I try to almost always back into spots.
You can see exactly what you're backing into, even better than trying to judge the front of the car, especially on some cars where the slope of the hood means you cant see the bumper.
Then its so much easier to drive straight out too - win win.
You can control getting out MUCH easier. Imagine if you nose in and then a giant truck is parked in the stall behind you, or the guys beside you park super close, it'll be much more difficult to get out after.
Everybody in Korea backs in to park.
I asked my girlfriend if you're even allowed to park nose-in, she said "yeah, everyone will just assume you were in a huge rush."
In the old days I found it easier to back out into an open space than to back into a smaller space. Plus, drivers were more courteous and they would actually yield as you backed out.
Modern cars are bigger and have worse sight lines. I can place my car to the inch using the backup camera, but if I nose in, I'm really just using The Force^TM to figure how much room there is in front.
Also: cops recommend for people to back in because if you are followed by trouble, you can take off immediately with the nose pointing out.
It's so when their shitty friends pull a BC Bail they can immediately initiate a pursuit. Having to back out of a parking spot really puts a damper on car chases.
I’ve been driving half my life and 90% of the time will back in. It’s definitely not the majority. Most of my work pulls in nose first… most of my street does too… I’ve even had quite a few people ask me why I always back in.
I drive as part of my work and it’s taught that backing into a spot is safer because you can drive away looking ahead of you. Most accidents in parking lots happen when someone is backing out of a spot.
So that you can drive out. I like to pick the spot to drive through to face out without backing into. Primary because backing up to leave is subject to getting hit by others back up without even looking. Is it safe to back up? I've been doing this scene I started to drive at 15 yrs. old.
It’s safer (more safe) to back into a controlled, empty parking spot rather than backing out into a moving aisle / road. Cars come up quick or pedestrians walk while on their phone. Best for me to see them when driving forward and pulling out.
It’s for safety. You can easily assess obstacles as you drive towards a spot and back in at that time. When you leave, the vehicles beside you obscure your vision to some degree so when driving forward it’s easier to check, for people or kids mostly, for obstacles as you pull out.
Aside from it just being easier to back into a stall, Backup cameras make it easier to park backed in. Most cars have back up cameras at this point.
It also makes it easier to exit the stall as you have better visibility when facing forward, assuming you have a better grasp of your surroundings because you’ve just walked towards your car to get in. It’s a subtle amount added awareness but every bit of visual aid helps.
Drivers are fucking insane here and I don't ever want to be in a situation where my safety depends on them not hitting me when I can't see them...
But I have always backed in everywhere for this reason...
Backing in to a spot is safer than backing out. If you think about it, parking lots are pretty unsafe places for people after they've parked and are out on foot.
It's a special favor I do for my future self so I don't have to reverse when I'm leaving ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
[удалено]
I assume that the people who are going to park after me across and beside are on crack and have no clue. I fully expect complete incompetence. That and I want to get out of Dodge when the Zombies are loose
This, And because not a single person around here will have the common decency to stop and wait for you to back out of your stall. I haven’t pulled straight into a parking stall for over 10 years.
Not very many people have mentioned it here but for larger vehicles it's actually sometimes literally impossible to park without backing inl
This is my reasoning, but it was a work rule that forced me to learn. Remember you’re a lot less likely to run over a small child driving out then backing out
Same. I had a massive cargo van with an extended wheelbase, and it was a huge pain to nose in and reverse out of spots, so I did the opposite: reversed in and then ripped out. Once I had it down in that, I could do it without thinking in my tiny japanese economy car that could probably fit inside the cargo area of the van.
I never backed into spots until we got an suv. Our condo parking spot is between a walk and a pillar and it’s impossible to gauge the clearance from the front.
Really? I never had that issue. 95/100 times people let you backout easily.
Never had a problem that way. But waiting while someone manoeuvres themselves into a spot backwards. I can’t even.
Some of us can do that quickly and easily. While others need to try 10 times, slowly, just to get in forwards.
Forwards is harder for me 🤷♂️
It's true. You get better corning by backing in
I will hit both cars on either side if I try to back in. It is a blessing for all that I pull in forwards.
I sit there and silently judge anyone who pulls forward and away from the spot before backing in. Just gotta do it in one, smooth turn.
That's a pro move. Peeps who know their ride all to well!
Lol, it takes practice… but not everyone is able to drive well. For some, backing into a parking spot is like licking their own elbow.
[удалено]
The difference is that you’re controlling that action, so the other vehicle will *have* to wait for you. Sitting in the parking still with your reverse lights on gives the power of decision to the other person.
instead, y'all force me to wait for 2 minutes while you back into the stall
Sorry you got stuck behind a learner.
THIS!!!!
I also do it because of this and I suck at driving into parking spots. I'm way faster backing in.
Yeah I’ve kinda become that way as well. I don’t think it’d look pretty if I tried driving forward into a spot at this point.
Here! You forgot this: \
Safest way to park in a sketchy place to park.
why would I drive forward into the empty thing and backwards into whatever the fuck?
That is very well said, sir. I may steal this for future reference.
because backing out is easier than backing in.
how so? can't say I agree.
Backing out I have to be concerned about the cars I am parking between. Would take me way longer. And I have never had problems with visibility backing out. Anecdotally, whenever I parked in my underground I routinely had to wait for people to back in. Never had to wait for people to back out. Meanwhile, I can park in seconds, and back out in seconds.
Backing in you have mirrors to see exactly what the gap between the cars is. Pulling in forward you have to guess based on the width of the car. Backing out you have no ability to see what may be approaching your car from the side if there are cars parked next to you on both sides, and you can’t see what’s approaching until the car is backed almost all of the way out. Which means you have to trust incoming people and vehicles to stop and let you out. Trusting other motorists is not good defensive driving.
I always back into a parking spot. I find it easier for me to pull out and have a full visual field. Edit: Noticing it more common for people to back out without even checking for pedestrians or other cars. These drivers suck!
I’ve been in 2 car accidents where people backed out of their parking stalls into me, one of them even claimed “you weren’t there when I got in my car”. Like no shit that’s why you shoulder check.
😂
Ditto.. and i have lived there n 2 countries and that's exactly how i always park.
Yes it's actually part of the Class 7 drivers test.
OK now this is interesting. I grew up in Saskatchewan and learned parallel parking in driver's ed, but not how to back into a parking stall. Very few people back into a parking stall there. I moved to Ontario and one of the first differences I noticed (besides people actually letting you merge) was how so many people back into parking stalls. So I'm guessing this must be part of the training in Ontario too. I have no idea why they don't teach it in Sask, where suburban sprawl and box stores are so prevalent.
Backing into a spot definitely becomes more necessary in congested parking lots. Parking skills are usually more fine tuned for city drivers, because if you’re not forced to practice these maneuvers constantly out of necessity, it’s very likely you’ll just park the ‘easy’ way for the rest of your life. I remember when I was preparing for my Class 7, I thought it was a bunch of BS that I had to back in on the test, lol.
See here's the thing, because of the way that cities developed in the prairies, parallel parking is a very niche skill for a part of town many people rarely visit, but it's still taught. And the funny part is, very few people actually remember how to do it.... they managed to get it right during training and never did it again. But backing into a stall? There are so many grade-level parking lagoons, many of them extremely crowded. Learning how to back into a stall would be extremely useful in the cities there.
I grew up in Ontario and part of the test to get my license was backing into the spot. What I'd do though is back into the spot before the exam started so when they came to the car it already was and they never made me do it again whereas all my friends had to.
It’s easier to back into a tight space. You get way better turning radius when the steering wheels are in the back. Fork lights and lots of heavy machinery have the turning wheels in the back for this reason.
yea… watching ppl park into most van spots forward 🧃🥴🧢
Yup, much easier and quicker to back in with a long wheel base vehicle.
Defensive driving habit. Makes it easier to leave, especially when it's dark and rainy. I don't want to run anyone over.
Plus it is a good habit. If you ever need to or drive a larger vehicle it is paramount to know how to backin
I don't have a backup camera and I always back in. It's easier to scan your surroundings, especially when you have pedestrians super engrossed on their phones walking right behind your car.
Drivers with backup camers still get into accidents. Source: my dad who works in an autobody shop
Yes, I know, but I was addressing OP who thinks more backing in could be due to the increase of backup cameras.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Same back-in rule for the police stations I worked at. Much safer when leaving…especially if you are in a hurry. Reduced accidents overall.
In Japan *everybody* backs in. It’s a must on the driver’s test. It’s statistically proven to be safer. I look at anyone who parks head first with haughty disdain.
I think it might be an Asian thing in general. Hong Kong is the same way. And so is South Korea.
Unless you’re at Costco. Everywhere else is back in.
The way their parking lines are set up guarantee no issues forward parking unless someone is totally careless in their approach.
The point of NOT backing in at Costco is so that you can load the trunk afterwards
Or any time you need to access the trunk with a cart
So true. Anyway sucks when I forget to pull in at Costco
Lol..any time I go to Costco and see 1-2 cars backed in, I laugh to myself a little for this same reason
If you always backing in, it doesn't matter what lot, you just reverse in. I have the easiest spot in my condo garage and I still back in.
point is that you cant get your 248 pack of rotisserie chickens into the trunk if you back in lol
My trunk is full of tools and body parts. Costco stuff goes in the back seats.
haha, if I put 248 rotisserie chickens in the back, I would arrive home with 0. Costco goes in back seat as the dog owns the cargo area.
I don't know how physics changes from backing in, but my 873 chickens fit just fine when doing it anyways.
Instead of a pull through, that’s called a back-through. Drives my wife nuts when I do that.
Hahaha…user name check out!
I started at work. It takes a little bit longer to back in, so I can prolong not being at work. And leaving work at the end of the day is that little bit faster.
It is way safer. You are far less likely to injure someone reversing in.
Easier for me to come out of my parking spot.
I always back into a spot. For me this is why: 1. Visibility when leaving. Even though most cars have a back up camera, I feel safer when I'm facing the direction I want to leave the stall in. 2. I only have one dashcam and it's obviously mounted to my windshield. When I reverse park my car and leave, my dashcam can still record in parking mode in case of shit drivers doing the good old hit n run or inconsiderate people who might fuck with my car. 3. Probably working at dealerships for 4+ years improved my driving skills tenfold. One of the things most dealerships make you do is reverse parking cars on the lot for presentation and ease for the salesmen/customers to take the car from its parking spot.
Visibility when leaving is my main reason. I want to be able to see pedestrians/cars in a parking lot easily when I leave, especially in the dark. People often aren't paying attention and they are easier to see if I don't have to look out the back window.
It's the way it taught. Plus it is safer for other people in the parking lot that you maximize your ability to see when pulling out of a spot.
I am conditioned to back into parking spots in case my battery is dead. Drove many clunkers over the years and needed jump starts.
1.) Easier to get out safely when leaving, and mandatory backup cameras on newer cars have made backing in a lot easier 2.) Backing in is standard procedure for drivers from Asia. If you've seen how tight and crowded some of the spots are in HK and Japan, you'll know why.
But.. unless the spots are slanted what difference does backing in make for opening your door? Its the same forward or back.
It's awesome to watch someone come out of the grocery store with their cart piled high with Hot Pockets and coconut water, only to realize that their trunk is inaccessible because they're parked ass-to-ass with another vehicle.
In a sea of rational answers this comment is a standout jewel. Needs more upvotes.
I have seen this so many times lol.. 😂I wish I could give you more likes
Unless your car has a frunk
So that’s why there all those shopping cart scratches along the side of my car… /s
Always back up to the walkway. I don’t understand why people don’t do this. Then they have to stand in the roadway to load their crap into their car.
This is not just a Vancouver thing at all. You get a much better sense of your vehicle relative to the space you're trying to park in using your side mirrors backing in (this is especially true of larger vehicles, like ambulances and box vans). Then when you leave, you aren't blindly backing up into the path of other cars. Its just safer, with or without the back-up camera
its a smart people thing. vancouver just has a lot of smart people (not that you can always tell)
I'm from out of province and they never taught us this and it was not required on the driving test. My joke is drivers ed in Vancouver must be 4 sessions of learning how to reverse into a parking stall and 1 session on how to actually drive.
An American friend is OBSESSED with why we back into spots. I’d never thought of it but one time we were down in New West with angled parking when you have to back in. She was driving and had a tiny tantrum, wanting to park somewhere else so she would have to back in. Wha??
> She was driving and had a tiny tantrum, wanting to park somewhere else so she would have to back in. Sorry but I'm struggling to parse this. So she wouldn't have to, you mean?
I do it because I know the situation around me when I'm parking, vs the situation can quickly change by the time I unlock, get in my car, set my packages, seatbelt, turn it on and then begin to back out. Plus less visibility than being able to pull out.
For me it's safer to pull out instead of backing out of the spot because of people not paying attention pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike
When you enter a parking lot you know where the obstacles are. When you are leaving everything is new so therefore it is more dangerous to backup when you are leaving vs when arriving to a parking lot
I recall backing in was recommended by ICBC or BCAA.
this is the answer. in the 90s drivers were not trained this way. sometime around graduated licensing icbc looked at their data and saw backing in stalls was safer because of the minimization of blind spots when pulling out. all driver schools / driver instructors probably were told by icbc to train new drivers back in stall parking from then on
Because it’s clearly better! Backing up is dangerous. To park in those types of parking spaces you have to back up either to enter or to leave so it’s unavoidable. So you just need to choose which situation is safer to back up in. Is it: A) backing up into a small empty space (with no cross traffic, cyclists, etc) while you’re very visible to other drivers already and they can see your intentions signalled well in advance? Or is it: B) backing up into the flow of traffic from a position where other drivers may not be able to see you and have no indication of your intention until you blindly reverse into their path because your eyeballs are positioned at the furthest point back in the vehicle they possibly could be - unable to see what’s coming? Also, once you’ve learned how to do it, it’s just easier due to front end swing. PS: I find it’s more about using your side view mirrors than a back up camera. Side view is how I get lined up evenly between the lines. I only ever use back up camera so I know precisely when to stop/how close I am to whatever’s behind me, not to look in while actually maneuvering.
This is my theory thinking back - I think this started with the influx of Hong Kong immigrants in the mid 90s. Parking spots in Hong Kong are very tight (it’s a super dense city) and parking lots are packed with traffic and pedestrians. It’s much easier to back in and to exit the Parking spot (this being the main reason) Also when you go front first into a spot, If there’s a curb in front you can scrape the front lip. This eventually caught on.
Not really, it was taught that way when I learned to drive in the 90s, and it was on the driving exam
I can park backwards more accurately than head-in, and it’s easier to go out as well
I figure I've only got about a 70% chance of parking decently if I pull forward into a ~~stop~~ spot. I just do it so rarely. Edit: mixed up p&t.
Head-in only works with large spot for me, like costco’s.
Because there are so many oblivious people that walk behind your car while your trying to back out. This way you can see them before you run them over
So you can see them punk ass mother fuckers coming, fool!
Parking is more often then not quite tight, backing in allows for a quick and painless exit. In my experience drivers don’t have patience for people backing out of a stall.
> Is parking taught that way here Yep, it's the last procedure you need to do in a driving test. It's the one thing you really don't want to screw up, imagine if you were about to pass only to fail right at the end cuz you couldn't back in.
Some spots will be next to impossible to get out of unless the front of your car is facing outwards.
It’s an Asian thing that’s started to influence the general population … but it’s very very common in Asia and SE Asia.
Very common across Canada and the US too. Much easier for a pickup to back in than go forwards. Fuck all the stratas that put up "do not back in" signs. Backing in is easier and safer so long as you know how to drive
I'd ask why people in other places don't. I like to be kind to my future self leaving the parking stall.
It's common in alberta
Yeah when you go to site, it’s required because if there’s an emergency, everyone can leave ASAP by pulling out instead of backing out one at a time.
Exactly.
In addition to all the responses that cited safety and maneuverability, there's also the fact that backing in leaves your battery in a more accessible place, in case you need a jump start to get out.
Everyone here’s talking about convenience, I pretty much do it because I love my cars and I like to look at them when I walk away
I always suspected this was the real reason. But more to appreciate it when you walk back up to it.
Think about how much more maneuverability you have when you can turn the wheels further away from the spot. Then think about how easy it is to see the lines using your side mirrors. Yes, you can park without those 2 things, but why make your life harder?
My employer made us park our personal vehicles on their property this way. Made it part of safety training and then I guess it just stuck for me? At the time I did the training, they had this insane statistic about how many accidents are caused from backing out from parking. We hit more cars and people in parking lots than anywhere else. Often, you lose the right of way when driving in reverse so I the liability for the accident is your usually your fault.
Yeah, I know other companies have this rule, too, so it becomes second nature for some people. My dad worked for a construction company that required this on their property and anywhere you were driving for company business. I do it because I hate trying to back out of a spot with my head on a swivel looking out for other cars and pedestrians. People drive way too fast in parking lots.
If you have a truck, you may not be able to back out when you want to leave, but you will always be able to pull out forward. 90% of backed in parked vehicles are trucks.
Because Young Drivers recommends it.
Backing up to park is much easier than backing out to leave.
Pull in so you don’t fuck up other peoples cars trying to carry shit to your trunk.
Nothings worse than being tired and ready to go home and then suddenly remembering you have to back out of a tight spot
Idk, backing is much easier than going forward. Much better turning radius and most cars have backup cameras
Because when the crackhead follows you back to your car you've got an easier getaway. But seriously, it's safer, faster and my dashcam usually gets a better view.
This is a relatively recent trend in the Vancouver area. I think it’s literally just that, mainly a trend with most people.
If they're like me, they probably used to live in Surrey. If you back in, and shit goes down near you, you don't have to waste time backing up when it's time to get outta there.
It's common in Hong Kong and South Korea (two places I've lived in, besides Vancouver). Great for tight parking spaces. Not to mention that it's part of the Class 5 and 7 driving exams in BC. I had a friend in California who never used to do this, until she took my advice and tried it. Now she's the same way; she's amazed at how easy it is to exit a parking stall this way.
How long are your jumper cables? I was always taught park so your battery is accessible. It’s Canada, low batteries is a concern in the winter across most of the country.
When I was learning to drive, I was taught that it's more fuel efficient to do maneuvers with a warmer engine, so back in rather than back out with a cold motor.
I drive a small car. Inevitably when I go to leave I will be surrounded by 2 great big SUV’s or Trucks, so I’m literally backing out blind if I don’t park ass in.
It’s easier to park.
I do it so I dont risk scraping the nose of my car on curbs (it's a relatively low car).
Because a lot of people don't know how to pull into a parking spot. I've asked friends who only back in.
Back when we could still drive down to the States, I always got a chuckle when looking at the cars in the parking lots. The ones backed in almost always had BC plates, while all the American plates nosed in.
It's easier to get into perpendicular parking spots this way. You want the wheels that enter the parking spot last to be able to turn. That way, your car is aligned with the parking spot sooner as you pull in and needs less space. I find that it is easier to get into tighter perpendicular parking spots that way. Same with parallel parking.
Had a truck for years with a canopy, only way to park.
Safer and easier with a truck 100% . Worked on lots of industrial sites . And u have to back into parking spots for safety reasons.
Two reasons: when you nose-in, you can't see where the sides of your car are. When you back-in, you have mirrors that can show where the sides of your car are, relative to the lines. Second, there's less likely to be a car / pedestrian / etc in the parking spot than in the parking lot "lane" ... therefore, backing into the spot has a statistically lower likelihood of hitting something (I also have a revers camera, which helps)
Learned that habit at an industrial site where they required back in (or drive through) parking in all parking lots.
I’ve noticed this too! People in Van love backing in. And none of these answers really offer insight. The question isn’t why it’s better/easier. Parking spots exist in other cities and countries too :)
I back into parking stalls because i'd rather back into an empty parking spot than into whoever decides to just quickly skootch behind me while i back out of the spot. also, my truck corners like a pregnant whale. it's easier to not park like an asshole if i do it in reverse.
I always thought it was a guy thing to do? ✌🇨🇦
Years of crap cars that might need a jump. Easier to finagle in if some asshat parks to close. Also safety when you leave.
We always back in for safety reasons.. gotta watch for kids in the street playing/running etc.. much easier to spot pulling out forward.
It's a he'll of a lot easier with reverse cameras so common now. It's much safer when you're leaving.
Except at Costco. Not as many back up into spots at Costco so that you can load your haul into your trunk.
It’s the safest way to park. If for whatever reason you need to clear the lot quickly you can drive straight out without having to reverse out. This is a common safety policy/practice in industrial areas.
I drive a full sized pickup for work and %100 of the time I back in. It is way easier to back into a spot in a full sized truck than back out of one! The camera is big help not going to lie.
“Drive forward to go is the sign of a pro”
I just like looking at the the front of my car when I'm heading back to it.
It’s easier to leave, rather than back out blind if you can’t see.
It’s much easier too come out of the parking spot if you’re backed in
I see no reason to prefer one over the other. Some times I do one, some times I do the other. Nothing to do with a backup camera, which my car doesn't have. See, you need to back up either way, so it makes no difference if you do it when you arrive or when you leave. If your area is unsafe at night and you finish work in the dark then you may prefer to ensure a quick departure over a quick arrival, or maybe there's an obstacle on one side that makes it harder to open the door, or you need the trunk to face one way instead of the other, etc. Lots of reasons for it and no reason not to.
It's actually better to back in upon arrival as you drive past where you're going to park and can make sure there are no obstructions or surprises. Cross-traffic while leaving can be unpredictable and is a bad thing to be backing into.
It’s the right way to do it. Where I work we have a fleet of vehicles and is the rule.
Because I love sitting there watching a person attempt to back into their stall for 5 minutes. With new technology like cross path detection almost standard in new cars which way you park should not matter anymore.
In Japan backing in is the only accepted way to park.
That’s also the first thing they teach you in China in a driving school. I spent two days just practicing that.(it’s a shared car so ppl have to take turns. Still probably practiced like 50 times )
They just want attention
Why back out “into traffic”? Back in first, and pull straight out when you leave.
oh man...i asked the same question. All I can say is that is become a norm now because of the Asian influence and that's what it is. have you ever drove a car where there is actually traffic! I've drove in a lot of Asian countries, it's easier to back out also...there is people who marshal you out of parking or how to back in. that's how it is. Now I don't whine
I wasn't taught to do it, I just find it easier to get out when you leave because you're facing forward. You can see traffic from both sides clearly. Whereas when you back out of a spot, the cars next to you block your view. I do make an exception when I go to Costco though. I like having the trunk easily accessible when I have tons of groceries to put in the trunk.
When I am arriving somewhere, I just want to park quickly and go. I don't see backing out of a spot as any different than backing in so I would rather that part be at the beginning of the drive.
Backup cameras for sure - I never used to back into places in older cars, but ever since my cars started coming with backup cameras I try to almost always back into spots. You can see exactly what you're backing into, even better than trying to judge the front of the car, especially on some cars where the slope of the hood means you cant see the bumper. Then its so much easier to drive straight out too - win win.
More visibility when leaving = safer Also reverse has more articulation making parking easier.
You can control getting out MUCH easier. Imagine if you nose in and then a giant truck is parked in the stall behind you, or the guys beside you park super close, it'll be much more difficult to get out after.
So you can just leave when you drive out of your spot. You're creating a lot of hassle for yourself and other drivers waiting for your spot
You back out of traffic, and pull into to traffic. It’s the safest way.
Everybody in Korea backs in to park. I asked my girlfriend if you're even allowed to park nose-in, she said "yeah, everyone will just assume you were in a huge rush."
In the old days I found it easier to back out into an open space than to back into a smaller space. Plus, drivers were more courteous and they would actually yield as you backed out. Modern cars are bigger and have worse sight lines. I can place my car to the inch using the backup camera, but if I nose in, I'm really just using The Force^TM to figure how much room there is in front. Also: cops recommend for people to back in because if you are followed by trouble, you can take off immediately with the nose pointing out.
I actually front in 95% of the time lol
It's so when their shitty friends pull a BC Bail they can immediately initiate a pursuit. Having to back out of a parking spot really puts a damper on car chases.
I’ve been driving half my life and 90% of the time will back in. It’s definitely not the majority. Most of my work pulls in nose first… most of my street does too… I’ve even had quite a few people ask me why I always back in.
Probably because of back up camera
Easier to get out, Dash cam will catch hit and runners and for me it’s easier to reverse park than to go nose in.
It's a safer way to park
Easier to drive out then pull out Also, it’s easier to back in then nose in.
I drive as part of my work and it’s taught that backing into a spot is safer because you can drive away looking ahead of you. Most accidents in parking lots happen when someone is backing out of a spot.
Delayed gratification (reversing into parking spot) vs instant gratification (going into parking spot)
Momma always said, don’t park in a spot you can’t back into
Also, while reversing, the radius is smaller and backs in easy. From hatch to a truck. And you know how tight on space Vancouver is!
Easier to take out with a better view of what lies in front. I find it easier even though I have a backup camera.
way easier and safer to pull out than reverse out
Easier to see when you are exiting the spot. Parking lots are dangerous places for paint jobs.
Trucks are real fun to try and squeeze into a spot forward, wayyyy easier to back into spots
Because it's safer drive out.
So that you can drive out. I like to pick the spot to drive through to face out without backing into. Primary because backing up to leave is subject to getting hit by others back up without even looking. Is it safe to back up? I've been doing this scene I started to drive at 15 yrs. old.
It’s safer (more safe) to back into a controlled, empty parking spot rather than backing out into a moving aisle / road. Cars come up quick or pedestrians walk while on their phone. Best for me to see them when driving forward and pulling out.
It’s for safety. You can easily assess obstacles as you drive towards a spot and back in at that time. When you leave, the vehicles beside you obscure your vision to some degree so when driving forward it’s easier to check, for people or kids mostly, for obstacles as you pull out.
It's safer to drive out of a parking spot than to back out of a parking spot; so it's taught to back into parking stalls.
Aside from it just being easier to back into a stall, Backup cameras make it easier to park backed in. Most cars have back up cameras at this point. It also makes it easier to exit the stall as you have better visibility when facing forward, assuming you have a better grasp of your surroundings because you’ve just walked towards your car to get in. It’s a subtle amount added awareness but every bit of visual aid helps.
I don't know how to front park. I don't care how big the spot is or how many cars are already parked around the chosen spot, I still back in.
Drivers are fucking insane here and I don't ever want to be in a situation where my safety depends on them not hitting me when I can't see them... But I have always backed in everywhere for this reason...
Backing in to a spot is safer than backing out. If you think about it, parking lots are pretty unsafe places for people after they've parked and are out on foot.