I have this habit (recently acquired) of pulling through spaces in parking lots whenever I can. My wife hates it because she’s always afraid that someone will be coming the other way and we will smash into each other head on. What I know is this… I (and I’m not alone) am far more likely to hit something or someone backing up than I am going forward. I hate backing up. If I could figure out how to eliminate it altogether I would. Since I cannot do this I have made a conscious choice to avoid it as much as possible even if it means extra walking which it often does. Even if you can’t pull through if you are willing to walk and go further out there is a better chance that it won’t be so trafficy when you do have to back up. (WIN!)
So let’s recap why backing up totally sucks. Here are a few examples of how discourteous people are to people who have to back out of a space.
1) Almost everyone seems to be of the attitude when someone is backing up that since they bear no responsibility whatsoever for the person backing up hitting them…they do not have to worry and therefore go about their business with little regard to the person attempting to back out of a space. Picture.. everything commences as normal as if the vehicle backing up simply wasn’t there.
2) The person that sees the person backing out is 3/4 of the way out and says…I can still make it around them and commences to zoom by. (MAJOR ASSHOLERY!) I personally will wait for someone who is halfway to three quarters of the way out of a space. sighs.. and on occasions when I am feeling particularly generous I will even stand guard and allow someone to pull out unhindered.
3) Someone who sees someone backing up and pulls behind them in a line of cars blocking them from exiting the space altogether until the line of cars moves and even then if it is trafficy the person attempting to back out may be stuck for a bit. REALLY???? if people are stopped in front of you … you can’t just let the person back out? Yes they will be in front of you for a bit but you’re going nowhere fast anyway so what does it matter?????
For these and just for general safety….
Whenever possible… I am pulling through.
I also love doing the pull through! Here in Oregon it gets so dark, and with the rain and fog, it can be impossible to see behind you. I find it to be really dangerous, and try to park where I can drive forward.
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I think it’s so much safer and far less stressful. I have even debated starting to back into my driveway…rain and fog can be super scary.
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True story: I know someone who backed up on his family dog and killed it because his view was obstructed. That’s the kind of stuff that terrifies me.
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That’s awful. Tough to live with I am sure. sighs…very scary.
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