To me, it seems objectively easier to pull into a parking space forward and then back out of the space when you are ready to leave. You don’t have to line up with the lines while driving backwards, and it’s easier to keep from hitting other cars as well. So why back in? To me, the only advantage I can think of is that you can get out quicker, technically.
Edit: I do not need driving instruction, just wondered why. The reasoning.
You can fit in way smaller spaces when backing in. Once you get the knack for it it’s not really harder than going in forwards either.
protip: look in your side mirrors and pretend it’s a video screen. if you want to go left steer left, if you want to go right steer right. Don’t even start thinking about “It’s on the left in the mirror so on the right in real life, but it’s backwards so…” or you’ll have a bad time.
It’s safer to back into a spot than back out of it and personally I find it easier especially if it’s a narrow spot. Also means that my car is then straight in the middle of the it.
In all honesty it’s something I do mostly because it’s what I’ve always done. I also like to paraller park into tight spots because I like the challenge.
coin flip pretty much
I prefer parking for a quicker exit, but if the particular parking spot is too narrow or there’s a lot of traffic in the lot I’ll just park normal no big deal
People who park forwards into a parking spot: why are you making your life more complicated?
I have a tiny car and no backup camera; it’s much easier for me to pull forward with the front-facing visibility of navigating a tight parking space and then just go straight back for a bit and have some clearance when getting out.
Personal preference and all but it just works. The time I would spend trying to get backing in just right isn’t worth my inconvenience and the inconvenience to others behind me as they wait.
And yes, I can parallel park when the time calls for it, it’s not my favorite thing to do though.
Practice more and parking in reverse will become faster (and safer).
You don’t need a camera for backing in, though. If you look in your mirrors and you see that your own car doesn’t cover the side of the car next to you, you’re good to go.
You’re going to reverse when you leave, in the end you have to reverse anyway!
You’re just out of practice, I was a valet for 10 years, reverse parking was an obligation, majority of cars didn’t have a camera, zero scratch to my record.
Backing in is a whole lot more work, takes longer and means I have to repark 3-4 times because I can’t tell where the lines are.
Without a backup camera it’s a whole lot harder and it doesn’t make sense to change a habit.
I just started learning to drive a year ago and I’m 40 years old. I can reverse park and get it in there in the first try.
The way I was taught was to align my left/right mirror to the line two spaces away from where I was planning on reversing into. I use the mirror/windows as a guide and I’m done.
I think you can do it, just gotta get the practice in. I mean, that’s only if you care enough. If you’re happy with where you’re at that fine.
I only occasionally drive into a space if I’m out shopping for groceries. So many times have I come back to find that I can’t load my bags into the car because someone has parked so close to the rear of my car.
I just hate that I have to do this because no doubt the biggest SUV with tinted windows will park along side me and reduce my visibility to that of a mole-rat.
Getting out quicker is always good.
But the main reason, there isn’t much traffic where you are backing in. But backing out sure as hell will have both passing cars and people assume you see them perfectly well. I also have no depth perception so the ass of my car is like a big unknown. So backing into a spot is easy because I can just use the side mirror to line up my position relative to there cars. Only issue is how far back I can go. Now I got a camera back there, and everything is much easier.
Tbh cause its objectively not, backing up your point of rotation is the part that gets parked first. Gibes a lot more time to manuvure the front into place once the back is done
This. Absolutely. If the parking lot is small it might be impossible to park in forward - well, not really impossible but it is if you want to avoid Austin Powers like three point maneuvers.
I don’t think you should have your license if you don’t know that steering with the back wheels gives you much finer control in you maneuver…
Why is why forklifts have rear wheel steering.
I learned to drive in the US and always pulled into spaces. Since moving to the UK I almost always back in. The difference is I find it much easier to back into a tight spot (as basically all spots outside of the US are) and then drive out rather than the other way around. For whatever reason backing out of a tight spot is much much harder than backing into it.
The rear of my car is ugly
Tesla autopark backs the car in.
If ever there was a case against backing in, I think we found it, boys.
I have a private parking spot off street in a city. I don’t like backing up towards the main road; since it has pedestrians and stuff. It’s a little harder to see.
So I back into the spot. It’s way easier than backing out - and pulling out is even easier. 
My work parking garage is already really tight. It’s another situation where backing in is easier than backing out - and driving forward our is even easier. So just some planning.
Have you ever seen a forklift? Ever noticed that it steers with the back wheels? That’s because it’s easier to maneuver at low speeds, in tight spots, with rear wheel steering. Since you’re driving backwards, you’re giving yourself rear wheel steering.
my tags expired in 2021
Police in my state stopped caring about tags since 21. You are in good company.
Lots of people with sound, logical explanations of why it’s better and easier but nobody talking about, with the common angled parking lots these days, how you then end up pulling out the opposite direction of everyone else and going the wrong way down a one way lane or doing a u-turn and basically fucking everything up for anyone else.
I mean, those are lots in which I wouldn’t back in. Aside from the points you made, angled parking lots eliminate the drawbacks of pulling in. There’s better rear visibility towards one-way traffic, and the angle makes the alignment issue disappear.
I’m assuming all the arguments in favor of backing into parking spots are geared towards parking spots perpendicular to traffic.
Yeah I’m sure there are plenty of people who have the sense to think it through like you did, it’s just that I encounter the other type a couple times a week and felt like bitching about it.
Back-in-only spaces with the arrows pointed accordingly is sounding more and more like a superior solution.
Where I live, people give zero fucks about which direction the spaces are aligned. Even with giant arrows painted on the lanes, they will drive down the wrong way every damn time. I will stop my car and wait for their dumb asses to back up the way they came before I move. I could honestly care less which way you go into a parking spot, but driving the wrong way on one way lanes drives me insane.
I remember hearing about a study that claimed that backing into parking spaces could have you hundreds of dollars per year, since doing the reversing while the engine is hot uses less gas.
