Forwards or backwards - which way do you park your car?
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 7, 2020 10:40am CST
Somebody has noticed, by looking at aerial photographs of car parks, that in Japan most drivers reverse into a space. In Europe there is no general preference, but Americans almost invariably drive in forwards!
What about you? Do you fit the general trend for your country? And can you suggest any reasons for why this might be the case?
5 people like this
6 responses
@xFiacre (14787)
• Ireland
7 Oct 20
@indexer I noticed this too. I back in, but the ideal for me is to find a spot into which I can drive that has an empty spot in front which I can occupy. This makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is the person who drives in and just parks there when they could go forward into the next spot avoiding the need to reverse when exiting, but they don’t. What’s that about? I think this car park scenario does indeed indicate something that lies within the national psyche.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
7 Oct 20
We don't have a specific rule here. Driving is a big mess here. So you try everything to squeeze in a parking space 
I prefer forwards.
I prefer forwards.@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
11 Oct 20
@indexer Yes maybe because more people there do it that way. So national character is the apt word.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209073)
• United States
7 Oct 20
I pull in forwards but I like to go into the next space ahead so I can just pull out and not back out.
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
7 Oct 20
What if there are no through spaces available? You have to back out then!
@FourWalls (86778)
• United States
7 Oct 20
I back in, because it’s easier for me to see when I’m leaving. I have a bad back, and it’s difficult and painful to keep looking back to see if anyone is coming. Backing into a parking spot normally doesn’t have “congestion.”
