Poll: Back in or pull forward when parking?

[mustang84]

I have a habit of backing my car into parking spaces. I'd say 85% of the time my car is backed into a space...about the only time it isn't is when I'm in a lot where it's busy or I'm in a hurry. My dad does it all the time and it's rubbed off on me.

So, do you pull forward into a parking spot and then have to back out when you leave, or do you back in first so that when it's time to go, you're all set?

[NOS2006]

I, too, usually back in.

[sciguy_0504]

I usually pull in but if the spot across from me is empty and no on is pulling into it I'll pull straight through and park.

[DetroitNut90]

Backing in's my preference, but...

if the spot across from me is empty and no on is pulling into it I'll pull straight through and park.

203090[/snapback]

[ToniCipriani]

Back in for me. I find it hard to remind myself not to do it when shopping for groceries.

[scharmer05]

I back in rarely...only when i happen to drive past a spot and then decide i want, do i back in.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Doesn't much matter to me.

[razoredge]

All the way to the back, where theres are no cars and drive through. Or even better in the curbed parking lots, take an empty back corner. Then walk the distance and figure the exercise is doing me good. I never park beside cars, I hate door dings.

[Paolino]

I usually pull forward... I'd say I very rarely back into a parking space. But it really depends on the space. I might back in if the person next to me has parked close or over the line, and I want to leave enough room for us to both get in and out of our driver-side doors without hitting each other.

[trinacriabob]

Hah..you, as an architect in the making, will have to deal with parking lot design around your buildings. That being said:

if it's angled parking, I will pull in forward

if it's 90 degree perpendicular to the drive aisle, I will do either, depending on what's easiest.

if it's parking where the space beyond is unoccupied, I will definitely pull up the whole way so I can drive out forward.

All of the rules of thumb regarding parking design are somewhat interesting. I deal with it about 3x a year.

[mustang84]

All the way to the back, where theres are no cars and drive through. Or even better in the curbed parking lots, take an empty back corner. Then walk the distance and figure the exercise is doing me good. I never park beside cars, I hate door dings.

203128[/snapback]

We have a grocery store chain here called Hy-Vee, and one of the employees has an '87 Buick GNX. He parks it way out in the boonies where there is a curb area for only two cars, angles it, and puts a little foam padding running the length of the passenger side to prevent dings. For a daily driver, that car looks brand new.

[Northstar]

Usually I pull in, though I got prety used to backing cars into spots during the summer at work. I do, however, back in if it's easier, but that's pretty rare.

[mustang84]

Hah..you, as an architect in the making, will have to deal with parking lot design around your buildings.  That being said:

if it's angled parking, I will pull in forward

if it's 90 degree perpendicular to the drive aisle, I will do either, depending on what's easiest.

if it's parking where the space beyond is unoccupied, I will definitely pull up the whole way so I can drive out forward.

All of the rules of thumb regarding parking design are somewhat interesting. I deal with it about 3x a year.

203140[/snapback]

Yep, we're getting into parking more this year. For our project right now, we are required to have 100 spaces in an underground garage...there's a lot of things about parking lots that you don't think about until you design one.

[loki]

back in against a curb in lots if i can....

most of the time it's just pull in

[Paolino]

The question should be, what direction does your LS460 park your car for you?

[bobo]

I'm with razoredge, park in the back and walk.

An interesting trend is back-in angle parking on the street. That takes away one of the biggest drawbacks of angle parking--backing up blind.

[Intrepidation]

I usually pull in but if the spot across from me is empty and no on is pulling into it I'll pull straight through and park.

203090[/snapback]

me too!

[Robert Hall]

Pull in, always. At work, I park in a garage, all angled, and I usually park in the same spot on the same floor every day..

I generally try and watch where I park in restaurant lots, shopping center lots, etc...try and center myself in the space, avoid parking where there cars on either side that are too close, or giant trucks or vans on either side, or near beaters.

[Cory Wolfe]

I always pull in. At school, I used to back in so it would be easier to get out and avoid the massive rush of cars. Although, I only got the idea to do that once I saw others do it. Usually I would pull in. But either way, I always parked in the back corner. It was "my" spot.

[FAPTurbo]

Usually I just find the nearest handicapped spaces and pull into them taking up about three spaces...

I have a HUMMER mentality when parking

[sciguy_0504]

At school, I used to back in so it would be easier to get out and avoid the massive rush of cars.

203249[/snapback]

Oh yeah. The first week of school after I received my parking permit I had to back up to get out of a spot and learned it was nearly impossible. School was the only time I backed into a parking spot.

[tama z71]

My Canyon has the turning radius of a Peterbilt. Backing in is the way to go.

[intrigued]

I back in much more often if there is a car already parked to either side of my space, I find it much easier to judge backing in with the visual references.