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If you drive, do you prefer to pull forward into a bay or reverse into a bay?

If you drive, do you prefer to pull forward into a bay or reverse into a bay?

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Matt N

Matt N

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Hi guys. Given that pretty much everyone on here is either a teenager or an adult, I’m guessing that quite a significant percentage of people on here can drive or at very least have experience of driving. If you do drive, one thing that you’re bound to have encountered at some point is pulling into a bay in a car park. There are one of two ways that you can get into a bay; you can either pull forward into it, or you can reverse into it. This might sound like a random question, but I’d be interested to know; if you drive, do you prefer to pull forward into a bay or reverse into a bay?

I myself much prefer to pull forward into a bay. I know that you have to reverse out, but I personally find reversing out far, far easier than reversing in. Reverse parking entails a lot of extra faff, in my opinion, and I really struggle with striking the right angle to get into the bay.

The reason I ask the question is because reverse parking seems to be a bit divisive. I much prefer forward parking, and some of my family seem to as well. However, I’ve known other people who much prefer reverse parking, and whenever my driving instructor comes to pick me up for a lesson, she always reverses into our drive, without fail.

But I’d be interested to know; which type of parking do you prefer?
 
For me it depends. At work I reverse park as it’s just easier for getting out, I reverse park on my drive because reversing off it is a total nightmare and borderline dangerous.

When I go to the supermarket I prefer to forward park for easier access to the boot. If I’m just popping into a shop for a couple of things then I’ll reverse in as I won’t need to use the boot but a full trolley shop needs easy boot access. It also depends on the car park itself, if I feel like it’s a bit tight then I’ll forward park and figure out reversing out of there later…

Theme parks and attractions often have people shepherding you into spaces so I forward park then too otherwise it would ruin the flow of cars.
 
Where I live, on a busy main road, if you hesitate, your place is lost.
Dive in head first, bounce up over the kerb, dump into the space as quickly as you can.
If you drive past to reverse in, some crafty bugger will drive into the space behind you before you can reverse.
And don't bunch up, make sure you leave at least three quarters of a space on each side of you, to make it easier to get out...don't want to make space so other people can park as well.
 
Reverse always unless boot access is particularly important. If you end up driving a car with a rear camera then it makes this so easy you'll never go back to forwards!
 
Used to work for a big confectionary company which meant a lot of supermarket visits, and subsequently a lot of time sat in my car in their car parks whilst doing emails/calls in between visits.

Nothing in the world gives me more fear than sitting in the car whilst a car swings in forward into a neighbouring bay. A lot of people don't seem to realise how long the front end of their cars are and every single day someone would miss my car by centimeters. One person even hit me, completely denied it and walked off 😂

This is why many workplaces have a reverse only policy, you're a lot less likely to scrape someone's car.
 
I hate reverse parking, I've been driving for 12 years and it's never been my strongest point. My area is all street parking so usually I have to parallel park, but I still hate it. :laughing: At work I need to get in my boot, when I go shopping I typically need to get in the boot, so in car parks, I never feel the need to reverse into a bay.
 
If you are not reverse parking into straight lines of bays you are doing it wrong, it is far far safer. Ones that are angled with the flow of traffic should be driven into forwards as your view on reversing out is not compromised.

Although I will second the holy grail of spaces is being able to pull forward into one space and forward out of the one in front.
 
I cringe when I watch somebody drive forwards into a tight space or if it's at the end of a really awkward car park (e.g. against a wall). They are making it so much harder for themselves when they want to leave later.
 
I usually reverse park. As it give better view of traffic when leaving the bay. Also it give better angles for positioning the vehicle.
I find leaving a vehicle for a few days or weeks the backed in position is useful for accessing the engine bay for jump starting.

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I prefer to reverse into bays. I find it easier to manoeuvre in by reversing, its easier to get the car straight and its much easier to leave the bay as you have full visibility. To manoeuvre is limited to how much room the front wheels have to swing around.
However, when you have shopping and large items to put in the boot, reversing inhibits this, so when required I will pull in forwards.
 
Reverse wherever possible.

On my own driveway, I go in forwards - my road is a dead end, it is easier to back out and to the right, as I need to turn full-lock as soon as I clear my fence
 
I passed my test nearly 23 years ago and the only thing I do now is turn in a road. I do reverse into a parking bay but as no one waits it would put me off with cars pulling round me instead of waiting to do reverse parking on a busy road.
 
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