Parking - do you pull into the opposite space?

[Simpler Simon]

For anyone on TZ who drives a car: when you pull into a spot at your local place of choice and notice the space directly opposite yours is empty, do you inch forward and park in that spot so its easier to drive out later? Or do stay in place (and reverse out when its time to leave).

When I got my full license last year, the instructor said to take the open spot to save yourself trouble later. But the examiner chided me for it, saying you're robbing the person in the other lane of a spot, its more likely to cause accidents, and if you wanted to drive out of the spot you could always reverse in.

What's your preference? And is the examiner's point strong enough?

[Romanesque]

But the examiner chided me for it, saying you're robbing the person in the other lane of a spot, its more likely to cause accidents, and if you wanted to drive out of the spot you could always reverse in.If I'm understanding this correctly...

I can't see how pulling ahead "robs" anyone of a spot. To effectively "rob" someone in the other lane of a spot, you'd have to assume a crowded lot and need complete knowledge about your lane and the adjacent lane. I also can't see how pulling ahead leads to a state any different than reversing in. He may be correct about it being more likely to cause an accident... in some situations... maybe. Depending on your vehicle and personal experience, backing in / out may well be more accident prone.

--Romey

[Scirel]

For anyone on TZ who drives a car: when you pull into a spot at your local place of choice and notice the space directly opposite yours is empty, do you inch forward and park in that spot so its easier to drive out later?

Yes, ALWAYS.

I hate backing out because it's really easy to cause damage to another car.

In fact, I often park farther away just to find a spot where I can pull into.

I don`t see how it caan possibly rob someone of a spot. The only way you can do that is to take up two spots.

[SilentBat18]

ofcourse i would take the opposite spot! the easier it is to park and get out(for me) the less dmage i do to surrounding cars :p .... i suck at parking.... how bad? well i failed my first drivers test cause i hit a cone while parking... uh straight-in parking :sweat: not parallel (florida doesnt have parallel during tests).... the only person who actualy taught me how to park was the only person who herself DIDNT know how to park.... thanks a lot MOM:p

[silverwings]

Yep. I dislike backing out of spaces mostly because of other drivers sucking and not stopping even when they SEE me coming out.

The only way you rob the space is if someone else is trying to pull in as you take the space. ;)

[Michael24]

I've done it occasionally, but most of the time I'll just pull in, park, and get out. I don't mind backing out; I just make sure the lane is clear before doing so. No problems so far.

[Sr.Infierno]

Dude, why would I pass up a drive-through? I love those.

[Xipe]

Most of the time I will. Other times, I won't.
Really depends on where I'm at.

[The Falcon]

when you drive a suburban, it really doesn't matter ;)

[Swordfish_II]

If the lot has two-way lanes, I will if the opprotunity presents itself. It makes it easier to see to get out when you end up between huge trucks.

[EinBebop]

Allow me to hijack this thread to express my frustration with people who who drive around parking lots, looking for the closest possible spot to the front, then park and wait for someone who's getting into their car, effectively blocking the three cars behind them from doing anything for the last five minutes.

"We could be in the store already if you'd just taken that first empty spot in the back." :shrug:

[Ajax]

"We could be in the store already if you'd just taken that first empty spot in the back." :shrug:Dude please, not everyone is young. My mom does this alot, but only because her knees are beyond repair and she literally can't take all the walking. Not only that but if she's buying gorceries, its even harder for her to carry all that stuff back to the car. A lot of people do this only because walking is not there best friend. I never see younger people doing this so I don't know how this could fustrate you if means saving some poor soul a lot of steps.

[Temple Fugate]

Allow me to hijack this thread to express my frustration with people who who drive around parking lots, looking for the closest possible spot to the front, then park and wait for someone who's getting into their car, effectively blocking the three cars behind them from doing anything for the last five minutes.

"We could be in the store already if you'd just taken that first empty spot in the back." :shrug:That's what I told my roommate from last year ALL THE TIME. I didn't have a car and he did, so whenever we'd go to a store he'd drive up and down and up and down the aisles until he found a spot within 5 spaces of the store. He calimed he was lazy, but it seems to me it would be lazier to park farther back and not bother driving around the lot for 5 minutes trying to find a good space!

Comic Book Guy, my grandmother has a similar problem with her knees and she was able to obtain a handicap permit. Has your mom tried applying for one?

EDIT: Oh, and on the topic of the post, yes I drive up to the next space every time I can. I got in a minor scrape with a car backing out of a space one time (both our faults, really; I was backing out of my space, he was backing out of his across the aisle, neither of us saw each other till the last second) so any way to avoid that sort of thing in the future shouldn't be looked down upon by the DMV.

[Mynd Hed]

Dude please, not everyone is young. My mom does this alot, but only because her knees are beyond repair and she literally can't take all the walking. Not only that but if she's buying gorceries, its even harder for her to carry all that stuff back to the car. A lot of people do this only because walking is not there best friend. I never see younger people doing this so I don't know how this could fustrate you if means saving some poor soul a lot of steps.

Two words: handicap spot. That's what they're there for, dude.

[Ajax]

My mom isn't handicap though. I'm saying that when she walks its really a burden on her. Plus the point of my example is that I'm sure people over the age of 50 don't want to be taking those far parking spots when they can find better closer parking spaces. Why that would annoy anybody is beyond me.

I mean if it was your grandmother would it annoy you?

[purplehairedwonder]

Plus the point of my example is that I'm sure people over the age of 50 don't want to be taking those far parking spots when they can find better closer parking spaces.
Gross generalization here. My parents are both over sixty and more than capable (well, my dad a little more slowly, but still able) of walking from the end of the aisle to the store. I can understand the point of view of someone like your mother doing it, but that doesn't make it any less annoying when you're trying to get around someone doing that. I've seen plenty of younger people doing it as well, so I always take my time and do everything slowly to make a point to the people waiting.

As to the topic, yes, I always pull through when I get the chance. It's so much easier to get out of the lot and seems safer to me.

[Temple Fugate]

I mean if it was your grandmother would it annoy you?My grandmother annoys me all the time anyway. :p But my point was it's annoying when people--like my 22-year-old ex-roommate--who are perfectly capable of walking an extra ten parking spaces do anything they can to get closer.

By the by, I'm more inclined to park in a far away space that I can drive right through rather than take a back-out space closer to the store. What some people have against walking is beyond me. :shrug:

[FireStarterLE]

well when I'm driving and coming up the aisle (or down) i will normally park on the opposite side that i'm driving. Say I'm driving up the aisle (normally facing the place) it's a whole heck of a lot easier for me to just turn left and park than it is the swing out to the left and turn into a spot on the right then put the car in reverse, adjust and pull in straighter.

But usually i'll just park away from the store, where abaility to drive doesnt really affect those around you since there normally arent many people around you to start with. It's just easier for me to park and not worry about it and also i get the exercise :)

[Shawn Hopkins]

I always pull through. It's one of life's small pleasures.

[Ninja Murasaki]

If I can, I will. I love driving straight forward out of a spot. It's so much quicker and easier. I also pull straight out if there is not car in the spot in front of me.

[Elven Moon]

I will if possible. I hate backing out, especially when I'm sandwiched between two SUVs (man I hate those :sweat: ). The only way I could "rob" somebody of a spot is if I'm one of those people who park crooked and take up two spots. Those people need to be shot.

[K-S-O]

I like to do that occassionally. It is pretty easy when the lot isn't so crowded (and when the spot is far away from my destination) but when it is crowded, I have to be extra careful that no one else will take the spot as well.

[jrh31584]

I will pull through if possible. I've never been good at parking and it gives me a little more room to straighten out.

[Mynd Hed]

Regardless of how we feel on this issue, can we at least all agree that anyone who sees someone about to pull out of a good parking space, and attempts to lay claim to that parking space once it is vacated by positioning their car so close to the person's car who is pulling out that that person does not have enough room to pull out of said space, should be shot without trial?

I'm not a cruel man. I just don't feel that these people should be polluting our gene pool.

...And when I say "shot," I mean twice through the kneecaps, then again through the heart and head about a half hour later, once they've had the chance to suffer a little.

Okay, maybe I am a cruel man. Cruel but just.

[K-S-O]

...And when I say "shot," I mean twice through the kneecaps, then again through the heart and head about a half hour later, once they've had the chance to suffer a little.

Okay, maybe I am a cruel man. Cruel but just.

Hey now, don't go picking on others just because they're different! We all have our own way of getting into parking spots, don't we?

[Swordfish_II]

Regardless of how we feel on this issue, can we at least all agree that anyone who sees someone about to pull out of a good parking space, and attempts to lay claim to that parking space once it is vacated by positioning their car so close to the person's car who is pulling out that that person does not have enough room to pull out of said space, should be shot without trial?I'd probably just back into them.