You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
Works real well for angled parking, I imagine. Surprises folks who don't
expect traffic from the wrong direction as _they_ back out.
I for one would avoid dealing with any company whose logo was displayed on a
vehicle so parked.
"Bob Flint" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
> It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into
parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
> drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is
dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
> up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>
>
Clever fellow. You're probably one of those who can't figure out why
everyone's giving you the finger as you drive north between two rows of
south-facing parked vehicles. Of course, had you not pulled through or
driven the wrong way to back in....
Brain power? LMAO
"Bob Flint" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 06:45:04 -0500, "George" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> >Works real well for angled parking, I imagine. Surprises folks who don't
> >expect traffic from the wrong direction as _they_ back out.
>
> Since they can't go foreword, and backing up is the only option, someone
who would be surprised by this action would
> have incredibly low brain power... The whole idea of angled parking is
safety in pulling in and backing out at a low
> angle.
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 22:00:11 -0500, Bob Flint
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
>It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
>drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
>up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>
Our company has the same policy. Park facing out, unless it's
posted as prohibited.
First choice, pull through. Second choice, back in.
Why? When backing in, your vehicle is moving slowly. When backing
OUT, you risk getting clipped by another vehicle traveling too fast
through a parking lot. They have literally 60 years of data to
support this.
We also have a policy that requires marked company vehicles to have
cones placed at each end of the vehicle. This includes my little car,
even when parked in a restaurant. <G> The cones are not to prevent
people from hitting the vehicle. They are there to force the driver
to do a "circle check" before driving away.
The "circle check" is a walk around the vehicle to check for obvious
problems, like a tire down, freshly placed objects, left out tools, or
small children that may present a danger or loss upon driving away.
Our trucks also have a sticker on the door displaying a circle with a
check mark inside.
Circle checks make a lot of sense when you think about it. Little
kids LOVE to check out utility trucks, and some test sets can cost
$40,000, so walking around prevents injuries to kids and lost tools.
I'm sure railroaders, construction equipment operators, firefighters,
etc... know exactly what I mean about the kids.
FWIW, I got a free DeWalt jobsite radio from the side of the road
because a contractor didn't do a circle check! <G>
Barry
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:54:27 -0500, Bob Flint
<[email protected]> wrote:
>That may be true, but it depends a lot on situations. My only point was that you have to back up sometime, and you can't
>guarantie which time may be safer in all situations. For example, lets say I pull past a spot at the mall, stop, and
>start to back into it. I then hit the person who was following me and zips into the space they thought I was passing!
That's what signals, mirrors, and rotating necks (head checks) are
for. <G> If you back into a car that stole your spot, the accident
is probably your fault.
>The time I came closest to having a collision in a parking lot - was when I was going out front wards, so I'd say it
>depends! BTW I've been a field tech since 1970, no accidents.
Glad to hear it. From 1930 to 1982, the Bell System had tens of
thousands of vehicles that were driven and parked every day. From
1982 on, many of the ex-Bell companies continued to share safety data.
That's where our data comes from. The numbers say that backing in
creates less bent sheet metal.
Barry
Boy Scout camps around here require it. They say 1) faster, less confusing,
evacuation in an emergency 2) easier if snow accumulates overnight. Not
said, but probably true, easier to see pedestrians.
--
********
Bill Pounds
http://www.billpounds.com
"Bob Flint" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
> It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into
parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
> drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is
dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
> up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>
>
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 21:03:01 -0500, Bob Flint
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I'd LOVE to see you park backwards in angled parking!! That would require some maneuvering in the street! What would
>you have to turn? 270 degrees? The only place in this town with angled parking has absolutely no room for my truck to
>turn around!
Backing in to angled parking is illegal in most locales, so it's
precluded from "back in" driving policies.
Barry
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 22:00:11 -0500, Bob Flint
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
>It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
>drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
>up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
Well, as pointed out in the first response, the truck situation could
certainly be a whole different ball game. I was speaking more to cars.
As I think I said in my rant, the part of parking/unparking that
requires the most precision is done with the least precise effort when
folks back their cars into parking spaces.
Thank you for visiting my site.
- -
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
"Bob Flint" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
> It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into
parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
> drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is
dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
> up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>
>
You may be more in hurry when you leave then when you park.
You may want to protect the rear doors of a van against a wall to prevent
theft.
Backing into traffic in that particular place may be more difficult than
backin out of the lane and into the parking spot.
Old habits.
Mauro
Easier to jump start the vehicle if the parking spaces on both sides are
full.
"Bob Flint" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>
> It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into
parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
> drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is
dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
> up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>
>
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 06:45:04 -0500, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Works real well for angled parking, I imagine. Surprises folks who don't
>expect traffic from the wrong direction as _they_ back out.
Since they can't go foreword, and backing up is the only option, someone who would be surprised by this action would
have incredibly low brain power... The whole idea of angled parking is safety in pulling in and backing out at a low
angle.
I'd LOVE to see you park backwards in angled parking!! That would require some maneuvering in the street! What would
you have to turn? 270 degrees? The only place in this town with angled parking has absolutely no room for my truck to
turn around!
>I for one would avoid dealing with any company whose logo was displayed on a
>vehicle so parked.
Good !
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 11:20:48 GMT, B a r r y <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 22:00:11 -0500, Bob Flint
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>>You asked on your web site why people back into parking spaces?
>>
>>It's funny, I got a directive today from management to always back into parking spaces with the company truck, so I can
>>drive out straight, for safety reasons. They think backing up is dangerous... of course... I didn't mention that backing
>>up is a part of any parking experience... but hey, they sign the paycheck!
>>
>
>Our company has the same policy. Park facing out, unless it's
>posted as prohibited.
>
>First choice, pull through. Second choice, back in.
>
>Why? When backing in, your vehicle is moving slowly. When backing
>OUT, you risk getting clipped by another vehicle traveling too fast
>through a parking lot. They have literally 60 years of data to
>support this.
That may be true, but it depends a lot on situations. My only point was that you have to back up sometime, and you can't
guarantie which time may be safer in all situations. For example, lets say I pull past a spot at the mall, stop, and
start to back into it. I then hit the person who was following me and zips into the space they thought I was passing!
This has happened so often it isn't funny! (Not that I hit them, but was close, plus I lose the spot)
The time I came closest to having a collision in a parking lot - was when I was going out front wards, so I'd say it
depends! BTW I've been a field tech since 1970, no accidents.
>We also have a policy that requires marked company vehicles to have
>cones placed at each end of the vehicle. This includes my little car,
>even when parked in a restaurant. <G> The cones are not to prevent
>people from hitting the vehicle. They are there to force the driver
>to do a "circle check" before driving away.
>
>The "circle check" is a walk around the vehicle to check for obvious
>problems, like a tire down, freshly placed objects, left out tools, or
>small children that may present a danger or loss upon driving away.
>Our trucks also have a sticker on the door displaying a circle with a
>check mark inside.
I have the circle check as well.
>Circle checks make a lot of sense when you think about it. Little
>kids LOVE to check out utility trucks, and some test sets can cost
>$40,000, so walking around prevents injuries to kids and lost tools.
>I'm sure railroaders, construction equipment operators, firefighters,
>etc... know exactly what I mean about the kids.
Being one of the above, I concur!
>FWIW, I got a free DeWalt jobsite radio from the side of the road
>because a contractor didn't do a circle check! <G>
Cool! All I even get is screwdrivers and tape measures!
>Barry