I once heard “to keep your tailgate from being stolen” but that seems like it’d be a rare case.
Because it’s safer and easier to reverse into a space and drive straight out than it is to drive in and reverse out, potentially into oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
Unless you specifically need access to your boot (trunk) always reverse in.
Reversing in is actually easier. As your car can turn tigther reversing than going front in.
Guess it’s a non issue if you have massive parking spaces, but when space is tight every little bit helps.
So you could back in, but be unable to get out by going forward?
No, because when you drive out forward, you can start turning the front of your car faster. Hard to put into words.
I asked AI to explain. It can do it better than me
[r/NoStupidQuestions] Q: Is it better to back into a tight parking spot or drive in forward? Won’t you get stuck driving out?
A: Backing into a tight spot is almost always better. Here’s why:
More control: When backing in, your front wheels (which steer) are free to pivot, giving you tighter, more precise control. Your back wheels just follow.
Better exit: When it’s time to leave, driving out forward gives you better visibility and a wider turning radius—no more blind reversing into traffic or trying to edge out slowly.
Why you won’t get stuck driving out: The same space you needed to back in is more than enough to drive out. Your front wheels can turn sharper, and you can see what’s coming. Even in tight spots, driving out is usually quicker and safer than reversing.
TL;DR: Back in now, drive out easy later. Your future self will thank you.
i don’t drive, but reverse parking is the norm here in hk.
I do sometimes, mainly when it’s a car park with crap visibility as it means it will be easier getting out. I can reverse park easily, and having a rear vision camera means there’s zero risk of hitting anything anyway.
Also means the kids are further from the road when getting into/out of the car.
Rear visibility in my car is kind of trash so it’s safer if I back into the spot so that I can better see what’s going on when I’m leaving
If there’s a line of cars and you want to pull out backwards thats a LOT more difficult. If you want to pull out front first it’s easier
I work as a valet at a car dealership, and backing into spots makes it easier for people to just get in the vehicle and drive. The thing I find funny is that the sales team can’t park worth a shit. They park crooked, can’t back into spots, and they still have a sense of superiority when it comes to anything related to the operation of vehicles.
so i can exit my conveyance with style and grace and upon returning i can haul ass out of that place
Because the front tires move when you turn the steering wheel and not the back tyres
In my experience I’ve learned it seems safer to back in because then I can see better when exiting, which is a time of limited visibility, in many cases, already, and that problem is exacerbated when attempting it in reverse.
I have a cargo van. It’s impossible to see any traffic coming from the passenger’s side when backing up, and there’s a big blind spot even on the driver’s side. It’s a larger vehicle, and it’s much easier to maneuver into tight spaces in reverse. (It’s why we learn to parallel park in reverse. Try it in forward once, and see.) Also, backing into a parking spot can be accomplished with just a steady gaze at one of the wing mirrors. (Driver’s or passenger’s side depends on which way you’re turning.)
That last point will also be important someday when I’m older and don’t have as much flexibility to turn and look backwards. (I was appalled once at a city transportation committee discussion about back-in parking stalls when a city alderperson said that he doesn’t look behind his car when backing out, because he can’t twist his body. If you can’t drive safely, you shouldn’t be driving!)
I only park backwards at work and it’s because I sleep in my car on my breaks, I get more shade on the front side of my car from the tree I park under if I park backwards. Also it is nice saving the ~10 seconds backing out to leave when I really wanna start getting home even though that time saving in practice is miniscule.
My charging port is in back.
Because then I don’t have to reverse out, which is far more difficult
Reversing in is safer than reversing out.
Depends on the car and the parking lot, for me. When I drive my mom someplace we use her van, it’s easier for her to get in and out that way. This van has a shorter front end, and no backup camera to compensate, so I back in and pull out of spaces so I have better views as I’m moving.
When I drive my sedan with my wife and kids, I pull in to spaces and back out, because the sedan has a much longer front end and a great backup camera/radar alert system that makes backing out of spaces the safer option.