Ze Parking of Ze cars

[Mandylion]

Yesterday after I was cut-off for a parking space at my local supermarket for the third time in a year, a question returned to me that had been misplaced in the otherwise well organized thing called my brain.

What is with all the backing into paking places here (in Japan)? I can count the number of times on one hand I have backed into any parking spot, but if you go by how cars are parked in Japan, it all seems people are set for a fast get-away.

To me, pulling into a spot was much easier and made much more sense than backing in. Yet, time and time again I have to sit and wait while someone backs in, creeping along, sticking the head out the window and otherwise makin the whole thing into a big affair.

Since I didn't have to back into any parking spots on the Japanese drivers test (unlike haing to parallel park when I took it in the US) I didn't concern myself in finding out the answer. But now I wonder...

And further more, what is the logic behind the frontal pull-in or it's evil twin, the backward sweeper? Is one safer, is one easier, is one the result of Judeo-Christian morals while the other is based on the Great Wa?

Ponder with me my friends; aviod work for just a few minutes more...

 

[Glenn]

I prefer to go in head-first. I guess I just got used to it, but maybe the reason that I started was because it was just less of a hassle. Of course, it is easier to pull out forwards than backing out. I guess it's all in where you want to place the inconvenience. I don't know exactly what that says about people, though. The only thing that I can exctract from my gray mass of electrically connected neurons is that the backing-out people are more prone to procrastination. I'm afraid that I can't get any more zen than that.

 

[Ewok85]

If you drive forward in then you are less likely to hit anyone, more able to get in straight and centered (first time too) and are able to get out just as easily. Reversing in unless paraellel parking is a waste of time and dangerous.

 

[RockLee]

I just take the option that is available ..whatever is the most easy to do in the situation

 

[Porl]

For me its really random, generally i just pull straight into a carparking space.. but sometimes i just reverse in, i dont know why? maybe i drove past a carparking space and saw it was actually possible for me to park in, so i just reverse in rather than reversing all the way back and then parking head first.....i dunno.. whatever's easier..

Porl''

 

[bossel]

If you drive forward in then you are less likely to hit anyone, more able to get in straight and centered (first time too) and are able to get out just as easily. Reversing in unless paraellel parking is a waste of time and dangerous.

Dangerous? That counts for bad drivers only, I suppose. I don't see so much of a difference.

To me, it more depends on the traffic around me & the time I have. If I have enough time &/or there is not much traffic, I back in. If I'm in a hurry &/or there's a lot of traffic I just pull in head-first.