Reverse parking into a bay

[FiestaRed]

Whenever I park up in a car park, I always try to reverse into the bay. Problem is, nine times out of ten, there is always another car pulling up closely behind me not allowing me the chance to reverse in.

I appreciate the whole world is in a desperate hurry nowadays but what do others do when reversing into a bay, is there a right or a wrong procedure? I've even started putting my hazards on just to let the car behind know I want to reverse into the bay.

[Bernard Foy]

Just do it as awkwardly as you can like a complete beginner and then they will stay well away 🤞.

[Rhymes with Paris]

Just ram into them, they soon learn some parking manners.😂

Seriously though, from what I have seen, the bigger fitter looking driver thinks that they have the right to park where they like.

This is particularly prevalent in disabled parking spaces near to entrances at supermarkets etc.

Apart from being big and fit, I can't think of any of any solution, apart from faking a psychotic episode, and using the inherent dumbness of the errant parker against them.

 

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

I usually drive forwards into a parking bay and reverse out. 

[Catlover]

Fiesta Red, I am with you. I too always reverse in and often encounter the same problem as you. If I see, on approach, a space I intend to back into, I tend to really slow down and indicate left (or right as appropriate), and if possible, try to make it more obvious what I going to do by moving over in the aisle to get a better angle for turning into the space. Then I quickly engage reverse knowing the reverse lights will come on. Hopefully the car driver behind is not so dumb and does hold back. Only very occasionally I get a stupid one and mostly they go back. If they cant, and this happens very infrequently, life’s too short to be troubled so I just move on to another spot. I still fit enough, thankfully, that a walk from far end of a car park is still ok for me.

[Bper]

HI Mike,

For example when you see a parking space and someone is behind you then put your hazards on and pull over parallel to the space or as close to the already parked car next to the bay you are reversing into. 

Lower your window and wave them to go pass then reverse as you normally would. Doing this will show that your intention is to park in that particularly bay . Also you are showing you are being thoughtful to any drivers behind you. 

Unless the car park is to narrow for other vehicles to pass then either park front ways as I doubt the area to reverse into would not make this manoeuvre difficult anyway.

Very few drivers would ever make an issue out of this. Hope this helps👍

 

[Roy124]

9 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

I usually drive forwards into a parking bay and reverse out. 

Technically best advice was reverse in, drive out.  However yesterday, backing out, the car was in control.  A car had passed and was clear in my 8 o'clock.  The car disagreed and slammed the brakes on. 

The other factor, returning with a loaded shopping trolley, often insufficient room to get the trolley to the boot.  Even if there is room a second car or wall close behind can be awkward too. 

However you can also drive in and find it impossible to back out. Happened a couple of times where the space behind no longer allows room to manoeuvre. 

[FiestaRed]

Thanks for all the replies and welcome advice. Really appreciated.

[Cyker]

I tend to put my signal on and slow to a stop 1 car length before the bay, and wait until the car behind stops, then start to steer left a bit so show where I'm going, then curve round to the right to get in the right position to park.

They teach you to pull forward then steer and reverse until you're at ~45 degree angle, but I tend to skip that bit and pull forward to the 45 degree angle to speed it up.

If the car behind follows me tho' I straighten up and have my left signal on and reverse light and wave them on.

I've not had someone try to nick my space for a while, but it has happened before; Because I don't pull ahead of the parking space any more, it makes it harder for them to do it as I'm partly covering the space.

If shopping I used to park face first into the bay as it makes loading the shopping easier, but otherwise I'd always reverse in. Now I always reverse in, as one really big downside of the RCTA my Mk4 has is, if it's busy, you're just trapped as it won't let you reverse if it detects an approaching car, pedestrian, trolley, seagull, crisp packet etc.