my life

Diana,

I have committed many of the parking sins you describe. I don’t know if my reasons for doing so are convincing, but I’ll give them to you anyway.

Backing into a parking space: I drive a small car, a Sunfire convertible. Visibility out the back sucks majorly, and if I get wedged in between two SUVs or pickup trucks (which occur in equal proportions here) I can’t see out nor can anyone see me if I’m backing out of a parking space. While I’m backing into a space I’m in the traffic lane already and can see oncoming vehicles; if I pull forward out of a space I have better odds of seeing someone coming because I’m watching through my windshield and not through a six inch porthole.

Pulling through into an adjoining space is an easier way to perform the above. However, I do pull forward slowly and watch for other drivers who may be aiming for that space; if I see one I’ll stop and / or back up so they can have it. (I may be lazy but I’m not greedy.)

I haven’t found the maneuverability difference to be significant, but maybe I just haven’t been paying attention. In a bigger vehicle it would probably be more noticeable.

I agree that the back-up lights aren’t an effective warning to other drivers if I’ve backed into a parking space, but unless it’s dark out and they can see the light shining on the ground those lights won’t help much anyway. My car has daytime running lights, so both ends of the car are lighted as I’m leaving.

I don’t do these things all the time. I’ll usually pull through to an adjoining space if the opportunity is there, but I won’t go out of my way to find one. I don’t normally back into a space unless I think I’ll need to leave in a hurry, and if I know I’ll need access to the trunk (like on a weekly grocery run) I’ll park head-in so some good ol’ boy won’t pull up against my bumper and block it.

We’re both on the same side when it comes to tailgaters. It scares me to think people are driving 60+ mph and not looking any further ahead than the next bumper. When I took a motorcycle safety course a couple of years ago I was surprised how much they emphasized watching the road 1/2 mile ahead. I’ve been doing that for years. Apparently it’s not common practice. I routinely watch people pass me only to get boxed in by a semi, have to drop back, cross two lanes behind me, and pass me again on the other side.

And to think, people are trying to develop flying cars for commuters. That just freaking scares me. People won’t watch what they’re doing in two dimensions. What makes these designers think people will start watching in three?

Dave

Good morning, Dave. :)

I hadn’t thought about the drawbacks (and advantages) of driving a small car, I admit. I don’t think the turning difference is great enough to notice or make much of a difference in small cars and I forgot about daytime running lights. Good points, as usual.

My rant was provoked by seeing yet another cowboy cadillac block traffic in order to back into a parking space a couple of days ago. The larger the vehicle, the stupider it is to back into the space, I think–unless these people plan to just drive right over anyone in their way like Bigfoot.

I’ve ridden with people who will go 60 or 70 three feet from the car in front on the freeway, and it scares the bejeebers out of me. They can’t see anything and they don’t have room to stop suddenly or maneuver with any plan to speak of should something happen. In one such instance, I sincerely asked one such friend to stop so I could walk, her driving scared me so much (this one was flying through Ohio backroads, around blind corners and over blind hills surrounded by cornfields and such).

I didn’t know you’re a cyclist. :) I have a bike that doesn’t get ridden much. It’s currently in the garage waiting for me to replaced the bad gasoline in it, it’s been sitting so long (which is very, very bad for a bike, I know, but there’s that time problem, again). How long have you been riding, and what do you ride? (This sounds like something Roberta would really dig, for some reason. :))

d

Diana,

I can understand your frustration with a battleship trying to back into a parking space. I’m more likley to do it in the Sunfire than I would have in my old minivan.

I’ve never quite been in the situation where I asked a driver to let me out and walk, but the last time I rode with my daughter’s fiance I nearly did. His driving is pretty much what you described. (And later I found out he was “holding back” so as not to scare us.)

If I may ask, where in Ohio did you experience this wild ride? Your description covers most of the state. I leared to drive in southeastern Ohio, where you can experience everything you said on gravel roads. Yee-haw!

I still consider myself a begining rider on a motorcycle. I tried to plan ahead for my midlife crisis. (Grin) Taking the road test for a motorcycle license in New York is a major project, and I didn’t know any riders nearby well enough to ask them to teach me. (The one guy down the street isn’t someone I’d care to ride with. He must be really good friends with the local police, because they visit him several times a year.) Then I found out that if I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation weekend course and passed it they’d accept that in lieu of the road test. $300 and a month later I had my license. About three years ago I bought an old Suzuki GS-450 to beat around on. I didn’t want to spend $6000+ or more on a bike and drop it. It needs some work though - I think the fuel valve is leaking. When I grow up I’d like to get a Triumph Bonneville. I’m not a big Harley fan.

Roberta had a little 50cc scooter that she loved to ride. It was street legal but the speed and range were limited, and there weren’t many places near enough that she could ride it to. She sold it last winter. She actually got it before I got my bike.

She talks about getting a big bike but she doesn’t want the hassle of learning to shift (although she drives a stick just fine). She’s had her eye on an Aprilia scooter with an automatic transmission. It’s equivalent to a Honda Silver Wing. Big roomy seats, three (!) power sockets for cell phones, and lots of storage. It’s a motorcycle built for soccer moms. (Grin) And with a 650cc engine it’ll keep up on the highway with no trouble.

Dave

Hey capt.
I too am sometimes guilty of those parking practices but in my defense I only back into a space if there is no traffic present. As for the tailgating thing my dad does that very thing and it scares the heck out of me. It has taken me a little while but like you i have learned to lay back, stay in the right lane and watch the madness. especially since I am now driving a State vehicle. it is like having a target on you. I guess this the problems when you have to run with the thundering herd..moo!

Diana,

The driving habits of others is definitely a pet peeve of mine also. I also consider myself a pretty darn good driver (no accidents or tickets in almost 17 years of driving - I am crossing my fingers as I say that). The tailgating thing just pisses me off. If I am going at or slightly above the speed limit get off my tail. I am a little bit more of a jerk though. I intentionally block them in if possible, but make it look like an accident. That will get the pinballs (as my wife and I call them) all worked up because they can’t bounce around all the lanes to continue their reckless driving. One of my biggest pet peeves are those drivers who ignore the first stop line at service road crossings. There is a large sign that specifically says to stop when your light is red to yield to any cars that might be traversing through the intersection. Cars tend to slow down but continue to roll through, like they have the right away, which causes you to have to slam on your brakes to avoid a collision. My brother and I both make the habit of charging them (with the intent to stop of course) to scare the living daylights out of them, and then point at the sign they just ignored. It normally works great and you get to see some unusual facial expressions in the process. My wife gets a little mad at me but it sure is fun.

Dave G

I agree with most of your peeves, however, I almost always try to back in to parking places because, at least in my parking garage, I’m usually blocked at least on one side (if not both) by huge SUVs and I can’t see to safely back out. I realize that my back-up lights are a warning that I am attempting to back out, but in my experience this has proven to be more of a reason for other rude drivers to speed up to keep my from backing out. I was taught that if someone is backing out I should stop and allow them to, which I usually try to do. I rarely get that in return. I always turn my lights on when I start my car and I believe that I am safer in driving out forward than backing out.

My pet peeve is one man in particular in our parking garage who parks his Hummer every single day right beneath the “This space is reserved for compact cars only” sign. (Personally, I think there are very, very few people out there who NEED Hummers and the only thing worse than a redneck with a Hummer is a soccer mom with one.) I asked the parking attendant why they never ticketed him or any of other such offenders and was told that they could only ticket them if they caused an accident. I finally saw the idiot in the elevator one day wearing black and grey snakeskin cowboy boots and a huge cowboy hat and belt buckle. (His cell phone went off while we were in the elevator and it played “Dixie.") We have a lot of this sort of driver in San Antonio, unfortunately.

I share your Hummer pet peeve, Kathleen. Nobody needs a Hummer, IMO–and the vast majority of people need to not have one.

I wouldn’t advocate such activity, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Cowboy found his Hummer keyed, punctured tires, or sugar in his tank one morning. People who behave as though they own the world tend to get their comeuppance sooner or later.

Oh…and I was thinking about the headlight/taillight thing. I think the reason headlights aren’t as effective (they really aren’t as easy to see) is that (1) they aren’t wraparound like taillights, and (2) they don’t indicate imminent movement like taillights do. I’ve almost plowed into a few people who were pulling forward out of a parking space with headlights on because I didn’t see them and/or it didn’t register that they were moving. Headlights mean “the headlights are turned on (for whatever reason)"; taillights mean “the car is in reverse gear now.” It follows that it is occupied, cranked, and in motion or about to be.

Do you find that people are more likely to yield right of way if you’re coming out of a parking space forward? It seems to me that you have a greater danger of someone pausing in front of you if you’re facing the wrong way because they don’t know you’re trying to leave. You’d have to flash your headlights and honk your horn, I’d think. Otherwise, you’re just a person sitting in a car.

d

Diana,

Good point about the tail lights wrapping around the corner of the car. My back-up lights don’t, but the brake and running lights do.

I haven’t noticed anyone giving me more or less space depending on whether I’m going forward or backward. Not that I’ve done a proper statistical study. It seems like I get the same mix of people waving me through or shouting at me regardless of my direction.

I -did- nearly hit a little girl last weekend when she darted across behind my car as I was starting to back out of a space at Wal-Mart. I guess she hasn’t seen your comments about tail lights. I stopped in time, so no harm done. I don’t think she or her parents even noticed. (That’s a rant for another day.)

Dave

Yeah…kids haven’t learned what tail lights mean yet. That’s an obvious drawback to backing out, particularly if you have limited vision and particularly if you know there are kids around that you know you can’t see.

I’m more concerned with other drivers than with kids, though, most of the time. Other drivers leave bigger dents….;)

d

One piece of advice, don’t move to Japan. EVERYBODY here backs in to their parking spots. It’s us weirdoes who drive in that are against the norm. :-)

I have embarked on a mission. Every time a tailgater gets stuck in the “previously faster lane” after being frustrated with my little-old-lady driving habits, swerving out, roaring by, running up to the next tailgate, and then ending up coffin-cornered as I glide by - I make a point to slow down (stopping if possible - like at a light) and waving. If possible I actually engage them and say “Hey! remember me? I’m the guy driving so slow”

Ain’t life great? WARNING: I have learned that a surprizing number of Houstonians carry guns in their cars.

Love,
Rog